Q Why does a migraine hurt on only one side and throb like a pulse? I heard it has to do with the brain's blood vessels.
A Migraine is a neurovascular disorder in which the cerebral blood vessels and the trigeminal nerve act together. An imbalance of serotonin triggers a vascular response, producing throbbing pain on one side of the head.
Detailed Answer
The core of the migraine mechanism is the trigeminovascular pathway. When a wave of cortical excitation (cortical spreading depression, CSD) stimulates the trigeminal nerve, an inflammatory reaction occurs around the cerebral blood vessels, creating throbbing pain. Changes in serotonin levels are involved in regulating the constriction and dilation of blood vessels, and triptan-class drugs suppress the pain by blocking precisely this pathway.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we view the throbbing pain on one side of the head as "ascendant hyperactivity of Liver yang" (ganyang-sanghang). When severe stress blocks the Liver's energy, that energy turns into unnecessary heat that surges upward toward the head and presses on the cerebral blood vessels. So instead of simply suppressing the vessels with painkillers, we prioritize treatment that brings down the risen heat (clearing the upper body) and releases the blocked circulation to address the root cause.
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