Headaches that occur as heat rises to the head are seen in modern medicine as more than just pain; they are regarded as the result of a complex biological response. The phenomenon of heat pathogen surging upward described in Donguibogam can be explained in modern medicine by autonomic nervous system imbalance and neuroinflammation. Our body's autonomic nervous system is divided into sympathetic nerves and parasympathetic nerves, regulating vital functions beyond our conscious control, such as heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and thermoregulation.
Modern people frequently experience hyperactivation of the sympathetic nerve due to chronic stress, sleep deprivation, and excessive caffeine intake. Just as an alarm sounds continuously, the body remains in a persistent state of tension. When the sympathetic nerve becomes heightened, blood vessels constrict and blood pressure rises, triggering changes in cerebral blood flow that can lead to headaches. In particular, as the constriction and dilation of blood vessels around the brain become unstable, it can manifest as a pulsating migraine.
Furthermore, stress promotes the secretion of stress hormones such as cortisol, which can provoke a systemic inflammatory response. When the brain's blood-brain barrier is damaged, inflammatory substances penetrate into the brain and trigger neuroinflammation, lowering the brain's pain threshold so that headaches occur easily even from minor stimuli. In this process, the thermoregulatory center located in the hypothalamus and brainstem is also affected, which can create a sensation of heat localized to the head or face even if the actual body temperature is normal. Just as heat radiates when a computer processor overheats, an overload of the brain leads to a hot flash. In women, hormonal fluctuations, especially rapid shifts in estrogen levels, can worsen the instability of the autonomic nervous system and cerebral blood vessels, further aggravating hot flashes and headaches. This is precisely why it is difficult to find a fundamental solution solely by taking analgesics to relieve the pain. Understanding the whole-body system and regaining balance is essential.
