A 41-year-old man, with no history of a primary headache disorder and no other comorbidities, had a mild COVID-19 infection. He exhibited symptoms of headache for two days, with low fever, muscle aches, insomnia, and fatigue at the end of Dec 2021. The presence of COVID-19 was confirmed by a positive RT-PCR. Headache characteristics included holocranial location (entire head), moderate severity, and tightness in terms of the type of pain although the patient also reported moments of more severe, throbbing pain. The patient was unable to engage in his usual physical exercise due to worsening pain with movement. His headache continued when he tested negative one week after with other symptoms resolved. He was taking Advil daily.
The patient visited my clinic on Jan 14 2022 because of the presence of persistent headache, pain level 6 out of 10. Furthermore, he was still experiencing fatigue and insomnia. Via tongue and pulse diagnosis, the patient had toxic damp heat and yin deficiency. The muscle on the right side of the neck and shoulder as well as the lower back were very tight. I discussed lifestyle changes with the patient, including dietary modification. I treated the patient with acupuncture, cupping, and cranial adjusting therapy. The patient fell asleep for 20 minutes during the treatment. Before he headed out, the patient no longer had a headache, and claimed: “I am ready to run a marathon.” I prescribed a two-week supply of customized herbal formula to treat his headache and insomnia. On Jan 17 2022, the patient had another treatment. His sleep quality had improved alongside an important reduction in both headache frequency (1–2 headache/week) and severity (50%–75% reduction).
