Hypertension's symptoms can vary greatly in intensity, and often people who don't have any elevation in blood pressure whatsoever can experience these same effects of hypertension. Most people have experienced headaches from time to time. Usually, these are referred to as tension headaches. However, it is possible to experience a headache as one of the effects of hypertension. Of course, a simple tension headache does not immediately indicate the need to quickly lower ones blood pressure but it does signal the need to get it checked.

Symptoms of Hypertension (High blood pressure) in TCM include:
1. Hyperactivity of Liver Yang
Symptoms: Distending pain of head and eyes, dizziness, flushed face, red eyes, restlessness, irritability, tinnitus, deafness, bitter taste, deep yellow urine, constipation, dry red tongue with thick, yellow coating or greasy, yellow coating, wiry, rapid and forceful pulse.

2. Yin Deficiency Causing Hyperactivity of Yang  
Symptoms: Headache, dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, heaviness of the head, palpitation, insomnia, restlessness, dreamfulness, soreness and weakness of loins and knees, dry throat and mouth, red tongue with little coating or yellow, thin coating, wiry, thready and rapid pulse.

3. Retention of Phlegm Damp in the Body   
Symptoms: Dizziness, headache, heaviness of the head with a feeling that the head is tightly wrapped, abdominal distention, poor appetite, nausea, palpitation, edema, weak limbs, white and greasy or yellow and greasy tongue coating, thready and smooth pulse.

4. Deficiency of Both Yin and Yang
Symptoms: Dizziness, soreness and weakness of the loins and legs, deafness, tinnitus, palpitation, insomnia, short breath on exertion, cold and numb limbs, nocturia , cold feeling of external genitals, impotence, pale tongue with no coating, thready and weak pulse or slow-irregular and intermittent pulse.

5. Incoordination of Thoroughfare and Conception Vessels  
Symptoms: Dizziness. headache, restlessness, insomnia, tinnitus, irritability, feverish sensation in the palms and soles, amnesia, shortness of breath, irregular menstruation, red tongue with thin coating, wiry and thready pulse.