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Homeopathic Medicine

Homeopathy for HEADACHE &

MIGRAINE HEADACHES

Hpathy.com | Hpathy Ezine, May, 2014 |

Cause, Symptoms,
Treatment for Headache &
Migraine Headache
A headache or cephalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the
head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of di erent
conditions of the head and neck. The pain is caused by
disturbance of the pain-sensitive structures around the brain.
Several areas of the head and neck have these pain-sensitive
structures, which are divided in two categories: within the
cranium (blood vessels, meninges, and the cranial nerves) and
outside the cranium (the periosteum of the skull, muscles,
nerves, arteries and veins, subcutaneous tissues, eyes, ears,
sinuses and mucous membranes).

The ICHD-2 classi cation de nes migraines, tension-types

headaches, cluster headache and other trigeminal autonomic
cephalalgias as the main types ofprimary
headaches.Secondary headachesare classi ed based on
their etiology and not on their symptoms. The main types of
secondary headaches include those that are due to head or
neck trauma such as whiplash injury, intracranial hematoma,
post craniotomy or other head or neck injury. Headaches
caused by cranial or cervical vascular disorders such as
ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack, non-traumatic
intracranial hemorrhage, vascular malformations or arteritis
are also de ned as secondary headaches.

#Belladonna. [Bell]
Belladonna is the rst remedy that comes to mind in
headache; its symptoms are clear and sharply de ned.
Throbbing is the great keynote, but violent shooting pains in
the head, driving the patient almost wild, are scarcely less
characteristic. The patient cannot lie down, must sit up, nor
can he bear light, a draft of air, noise or jarring; this last is
most characteristic. The location of the ache is mostly in the
frontal region or right side, ushed face, dilated pupils
accompany. Glonoine is the only remedy having throbbing as
characteristic as Belladonna. Glonoine, however, does not
have such a lasting e ect as Belladonna; it is more relieved by
motion, the face is not so deeply ushed, and there is
aggravation from bending the head backwards, and it has the
explosive bursting characteristic of nitro-glycerine; all of which
will serve to distinguish the two remedies; it has the feeling of
a tight band across the forehead. Its curative action is rapid.
Cinchona also has throbbing, but here it is due to anaemia.
Belladonna has also a symptom common to Nux vomica and
Bryonia, namely, a feeling as if the head would burst. The
headaches of Belladonna are usually worse in the afternoon,
the whites of eyes are red, and the cornea is glassy, and
moving eyes aggravates. The face is pu ed and red.

#Nux vomica. [Nux-v]

It is quite safe to assert that Nux vomica is more often
indicated in headache than any other remedy; this is
presumably due in the main to the cause of headache calling
for Nux vomica; thus, we have the headache from the
excessive use of alcohol, the morning big head, tobacco,
co ee, headache from digestive troubles, constipation, and
specially auto-intoxication and hepatic insu ciency. These
are all common causes of the Nux vomica headache. It suits
the gouty and haemorrhoidal, which makes up four- fths of all
migraines. The ache is situated over one or the other eye,
usually the left, or else in the occiput. It is apt to being in the
morning with giddiness on rst rising, and last all day until
night, and is accompanied with sour taste or perhaps nausea
and violent retching. The dull, wooden, bursting feeling of the
head following a debauch is most characteristic of Nux
vomica. Headaches of high livers call for Nux. The complexion
looks muddy and the whites of the eyes are yellow, and the
urine is scanty and high colored. Jousset recommends the 12X
or 30X between attacks. There are some modalities of the Nux
vomica headache that should be carefully noted, as this point
will sometimes aid greatly in making a selection; for instance:
Stooping and coughing aggravate the headache; it is worse in
the morning; moving the eyes and motion in general makes
the head feel worse. What relieves the Nux vomica headache
is not so clear; certain headaches calling for Nux will be better
by wrapping the head up warm and by rest, but these
conditions are rare ones calling for the drug. In general,
nothing relieves the Nux vomica headache ; but it will often
disappear by rising and being about for a few hours. This is a
characteristic point in those headache due to alcoholic
excesses. A headache all over the head is also characteristic
of Nux. Ptelea trifoliata. Dr. Kopp holds this remedy without a
rival in frontal headaches,and it will often cure after other
remedies have failed.

#Sanguinaria. [Sang]
Genuine sick headache calls for this drug, and the symptoms
in brief are these: The pain begins in the morning and in the
occiput; it comes up over the head and settles in the right eye.
The pain increases in severity until there is vomiting of food
and bile, then oftentimes the ache is relieved will be so intense
at times that the patient will frantically bore her headache into
the pillow for relief. It is especially suitable to women who
menstruate too freely. Belladonna may easily be di erentiated
by the following points: It has hot head, more throbbing,
ushed face and cold feet, and the pain coming up from the
occiput is not so marked as under Sanguinaria. The
Sanguinaria headache is relieved by lying down, Belladonna by
being propped up in bed, and Sanguinaria is more useful in
the gastric form of headache. There may be also profuse
micturition with Sanguinaria relieving the headache, as we nd
under Gelsemium, Ignatia and in a less degree under some
other drugs.

#Iris versicolor. [Iris]

The Iris headache characteristically commences with a partial
blindness, or blurring of vision, being similar here to
Gelsemium and Kali bichromicum, and it is especially a remedy
for gastric or bilious headaches. This blurring of the sight may
be preceded by drowsiness and the head begins to ache as
soon as the blurring disappears. It is useful remedy for
Sunday headache, not, however, in that form which
sometimes occur as a convenient excuse for non-church
attendance (which is incurable), but that form which occurs in
teachers, scholars, professors, etc., in whom a relief of the
strain of the preceding six days produces the headache. The
pains are mostly located over the eyes in the supra-orbital
ridges, usually in one side at a time, mostly the right. The
dental nerves are frequently a ected. The pains are throbbing
or sharp, and when at their acme vomiting occurs, which is apt
to be copious, bitter or sour. Especially characteristic is
vomiting of matters so sour that the teeth are set on edge. The
headache of Iris is aggravated by violent motion, cold air and
coughing; moderate exercise in the open air relieves. In sick
headache with continuous nausea it is one of our most useful
remedies, and if indicated closely by the above symptoms it
will not fail. When headaches are produced by eating sweet
things Iris is probably the remedy. Paullinia ia also a useful
remedy in sick headaches involving the whole head, with
nausea, even vomiting. Chionanthus. Sick headache, pain in
forehead over eyes, eyeballs painful, vomiting of bitter, green-
looking matter, pain in liver and cramps in abdomen. It will
frequently cure habitual headaches.

#Gelsemium. [Gels]
Gelsemium is another remedy which has a headache
commencing with blindness, and especially is it a remedy for
headaches due to eye strain. Onosmodium is another; here
we have dull aching extending down back of neck or over on
one side, generally the left; there is a strained sti sensation in
the corresponding eye. The ache under Gelsemium
commences in the occiput or nape of the neck, comes up over
the head settles in the eye as in Sanguinaria. There is a feeling
as if a band were about the head, the patient is dull and
apathetic, and there is great soreness in the eye when moving
them. Occipital headaches, which are dull and dragging, often
nd their remedy in Gelsemium. Cocculus is another remedy
for these conditions. Dr. Henser, in the Allgemeine
Homoeopatische Zeitung, December, 1887, recommends
Gelsemium 30 in nervous headaches, saying that three doses
will usually relieve. Remember the copious urination which
relieves the headache, and that the headaches are
accompanied with visual troubles, such as double vision,
squinting and dim sight, and Gelsemium will be easily
recognized. Gelsemium headaches are also relieved by sleep,
and dizziness may accompany. A characteristic of Gelsemium
is a sensation of a band around the head just above the ears.
It also suits tobacco headaches. Kali bichromicum has a
headache commencing with blindness; the pain settles in a
small spot, is very intense, then the blindness disappears.

#Cocculus. [Cocc]
Another remedy for occipital headache is Cocculus, and it is a
most excellent one; the symptoms are these: the ache occurs
in the lower part of the occiput and extends to the nape, and it
is intense and nearly always associated with vertigo there is
constant nausea. Among the causes of headache calling for
Cocculus may be mentioned riding in the cars and a carriage.
A peculiar symptom of Cocculus is the sensation as if the
occiput were opening and shutting. This is also one of the
most characteristic symptoms of Cannabis; Another is a
tendency to constant headache, it has also pain in left orbit
and frontal protuberance. The headache of Cocculus in
general are worse from mental e ort, and are better indoors
and during rest, and there is a constant tendency to stretch
the head backwards.

#Spigelia. [Sep]
This remedy holds about the same relation to the left side of
the head that Sanguinaria does to the right side. The pains are
neuralgic in character, settle over the left eye,and they are apt
to follow the course of the sun, beginning in the morning,
reaching the acme at noon and subsiding at sunset. There is
often a sensation as if the head were open along the vertex.
Noises and jarring of the bed, as under Belladonna, aggravate
the pain; stooping and change of weather also make the pain
worse. The pure neuralgic character of the pain, and its left
side preference, should lead to the remedy.

#Cimicifuga. [Cimic]
This is another remedy for the neuralgic form of headache,
and it has some valuable symptoms. It corresponds to
headache of students and those exhausted by fatigue. There is
rst a sensation as if the top of the head would y o . There
are sharp, lancinating pains in and over the eyes, shooting to
the top of the head. The brain seems to move in waves, and
there may be the symptoms of a sharp pain extending from
the occiput to the frontal region, as if a bolt were driven
through the head. Headaches which are re ex or dependent
on some uterine irritation are met by this remedy. When there
is a feeling as if the patient would go crazy it is especially
indicated. Many of the pains begin in the occiput and shoot
down the spine; there is a tendency to bend the head forward,
which relieves somewhat. Sepia. Migraine, which has existed
for years in women with profuse leucorrhoea is often cured by
Sepia. It corresponds to the left eye and the left temple and
the pain extends backward

#Silicea. [Sil]
Silicea is a very useful remedy in headache, but one not very
often used. When a patient with a headache has her head tied
up with a towel or handkerchief it will probably indicate one of
two remedies. Argentum nitricum if the head be tied up
tightly; here we have relief from pressure; and Silicea if the
head is tied up simply to keep it warm. The headache of Silicea
nervous and caused by excessive mental exertion. The face is
pale at the commencement of the headache, but gets ushed
as the pain becomes intense; body is chilly. It is supra-orbital
and worse over the right eye, the pains coming up from the
back of the head. Noise, motion and jarring aggravate.
Warmth relieves. Menyanthes is similar in some respects to
Silicea , but pressure rather than warmth relieves; and on
going upstairs there is a sensation of a heavy weight on the
vertex. The headache of Silicea like that of Ignatia and
Gelsemium is relieved by copious urination. An additional
indication for Silicea is an extreme sensitiveness of the scalp.
Strontium carbonicum. This is most similar to Silicea, but the
pains increase gradually to their greatest intensity and then
decline.

#Argentum nitricum. [Arg-n]

A characteristic of this drug is that the head seems
enormously large. There is much boring pain in the left frontal
eminence. Thuja has a sensation as if a nail were driven into
the frontal eminence. Ignatia and Co ea also have these
sharp, nail-like pains. The pains under Argentum nitricum
increase to such a degree that the patient seems as if she
would lose her senses. Tying the head up tightly relieves the
headache of this drug, it being the pressure that relieves.
Epiphegus. Headaches brought on by over-exertion, shopping,
excitement, etc. Pain worse on left side pressing on temple.
Constant desire to expectorate with a viscid saliva. Pains
relieved by rest and lying down.

#Melilotus alba. [Meli]

A remedy often overlooked in the treatment of congestive
forms of headache is Melilotus. With this remedy there is a
sensation of bursting, it seems as if the brain would burst
through the forehead, the pains are intense and throbbing
and almost drive the patient frantic. The eyes are bloodshot
and the headache tends to recur every afternoon. Sometimes
the headache culminates in nosebleed, which relieves.
Congestive headaches, due to sexual irritation, are speedily
bene ted by the remedy. It seems to produce engorgement of
the erectile tissues everywhere. Especially is this noticed in the
nose. This drug will often take the place of headache powders
and relieve quite as promptly and more safely. There is with
this drug, which reminds of Cimicifuga, an undulating
sensation in the brain. Bryonia has a splitting headache; and it
is especially suitable to rheumatic cases; it is seldom indicated
in sick headache; the bursting sensation is characteristic.

#Natrum muriaticum. [Nat-m]

The headache of Natrum muriaticum is as if there were little
hammers beatings in the skull, worse from moving the head
or eyeballs. It comes on in the morning, is worse about 10
A.M. and is preceded by partial blindness, as we found under
Iris and Gelsemium. The little hammer sensation is also found
under Psorinum. Natrum muriaticum, as well as Calcarea
phosphorica, is an excellent remedy for certain headache in
school girls during menses. A malarial basis for a headache
will sometimes suggest this remedy. Calcarea phosphorica.
Headache in school children and especially in those who are
maturing and anaemic; headache on top of head. Ignatia suits
highly nervous and sensitive temperaments and those whose
nervous system has given away to anxiety, grief or mental
worry. The headache generally centers around the region of
the ear and runs up to the parietal bone or occiput, leaving a
sti ness of the nape of the neck, profuse urination relieving. It
has also as before stated the clavus hystericus.
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