Head shaking is a symptom of involuntary or uncontrollable shaking or swaying of the head. Commonly referred to as "recurrent headache."

Lingshu.Jingmai chapter records "heaviness of head and high shaking," Yixue Gangmu, "Medical Guidelines in Six Essentials," and others all refer to it as "head shaking."

Jingui Yaolue. The chapter on abnormal pulse in convulsive diseases states: "Body heat with cold feet, stiffness of the neck, aversion to cold, occasional head heat, red face and eyes, only the head shakes, sudden mouth closure, and back arching are signs of convulsive disease." Although there is the symptom of only the head shaking, the main symptoms are stiffness of the neck and back arching. The head shaking in this context does not involve symptoms like neck stiffness, as described in Zabing Yuanliu Xizhu. The section on wind-induced head spinning states: "The head shakes on its own, without any other pain, and the person is unaware of it."

Head shaking can sometimes be accompanied by vertigo and heaviness of the head, but this section only discusses cases where head shaking is the primary symptom.

bubble_chart Pattern Analysis

1. Upward Disturbance of Wind-Yang︰Head shaking, uncontrollable, vertigo, limb tremor, flushed face, bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, red tongue with yellow coating, pulse manifestation wiry and rapid. The disease arises from emotional dysregulation, either anger or prolonged depression, leading to liver depression transforming into fire, or constitutional liver yang hyperactivity. The liver is the viscus of wind and wood; the nature of wind is to stir, and when wind-yang ascends to disturb, it causes uncontrollable head shaking. This is an excess pattern. Key points of differentiation: severe head shaking accompanied by signs of ascendant hyperactivity of liver yang such as vertigo, limb tremor, flushed face, bitter taste in the mouth, etc. Treatment should focus on pacifying the liver and extinguishing wind. The prescription used is Antelope Horn and Uncaria Decoction with additions such as Earthworm and whole scorpion.
2. Internal Stirring of Deficient Wind︰It often occurs in the Rebing late stage [third stage], with involuntary head shaking, vexing heat, night sweat, insomnia, mental fatigue, lack of strength, a red tongue with scant coating, and a thin, rapid pulse. It often occurs in the Rebing late stage [third stage], where pathogenic heat lingers for a long time, depleting the yin of the liver and kidneys, leading to internal stirring of deficient wind. It may also arise from constitutional yin deficiency, where water fails to nourish wood, causing deficient wind to disturb upward and result in head shaking. This is a deficiency pattern. Key points for pattern identification: relatively slow head shaking, accompanied by signs of yin depletion such as vexing heat in the chest, palms, and soles, insomnia with night sweat, and a red tongue with scant coating. Treatment should focus on nourishing yin and emolliating the liver to extinguish wind, with the prescription of Major Wind-Stabilizing Pearl.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Yixue Rumen: "When the yang meridians are not in harmony in cold-damage disease, the head will shake. If the heart is failing, the head will also shake; in convulsive diseases with excessive wind, the head will shake, all of which are ominous signs. If there is internal pain accompanied by head shaking, it is also a severe condition."
2. Songya Zunsheng Shu．Head Section: "Head shaking is mostly related to wind, as wind causes movement, and the pulse will be wiry or deep and tight. If the head trembles and shakes, and the pulse is deep and slow or scattered and weak, it indicates a deficiency of blood in the liver and kidney meridians."
3. Medical Guidelines Six Essentials: "Head shaking is related to wind and fire, and in elderly people or those who have been overworked after illness, it is mostly due to deficiency."