The Primacy of Blood in Pathogenesis and Treatment of Postpartum Headache Complicated by Depression: A TCM Perspective

Abstract

Postpartum headache with depression is a common and complex condition in postpartum women. Modern medicine believes that the occurrence of this condition is closely related to factors such as rapid changes in postpartum hormone levels, overwork, and insufficient rest. The clinical manifestations are persistent or intermittent headache, accompanied by symptoms such as emotional anxiety, irritability, and occasional mood swings. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that its pathogenesis is primarily closely related to “blood deficiency” and “blood stasis.” Subsequently, dysfunction of qi and blood further affects the heart, liver, and other viscera. Postpartum blood deficiency leads to deficiency of both qi and blood, resulting in malnutrition of the heart and brain. Insufficient blood to nourish the brain leads to malnourishment of the brain marrow; insufficient blood to nourish the heart leads to restlessness of the mind. Postpartum blood stasis, qi stagnation, internal obstruction of blood stasis, obstruction of the liver meridian, liver qi stagnation, obstruction of the brain orifices, and pain due to obstruction. Deficiency of qi and blood damages the viscera, leading to insufficient heart blood and impaired liver’s dredging and draining function, thus causing the disease. This article takes blood as the foundation and systematically discusses the TCM treatment methods for postpartum headache with depression from three dimensions: tonifying blood and tonifying qi to strengthen the foundation, activating blood and resolving stasis to promote qi circulation, and soothing the liver and regulating qi to relieve pain, providing a theoretical basis and guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment.