Homeopathy for Headaches

Did you know that head pain is the most common reason that people seek medical assistance? Having chronic headaches is no fun at all. Those of us you take the occasional Advil for head pain may not truly understand how much more severe types of head pain, such as migraines, can impact quality of life. It is not even ust an issue of managing pain, there may also !e accompanying symptoms of nausea"vomiting as well as neurological symptoms that may develop as a sign of a serious headache. There are many different types of head pain. Head pain can !e chronic and may accompany a wide range of ailments from allergies, sinusitis. Head pain is also a common symptom of many acute viral diseases such as influen#a. This article will focus on providing information on chronic head pain and demonstrate how Homeopathic medicine can effectively treat them. $et%s !egin our e&amination of head pain !y providing a quick overview of some of the ma or types of chronic headaches. Here is a !rief !reakdown of the different types. Tension Headaches are a more common, less severe form of head pain that is usually caused !y stress and tension. 'any people unknowingly store stress in the upper !ack, shoulders and neck. This increased tension can commonly lead to head pain. Tension headaches can occur anywhere on the head !ut most noticea!ly can occur in the !ack of the head and e&tend upwards to the top of the head. 'any people with tension headaches descri!e a vice(like sensation. Migraines present with much more severe head pain.. If you have suffered from migraines, you know that the pain can !e really intense. )or most migraine sufferers, the pain is very severe, is worse from any movement and is accompanied !y a strong aggravation from light and noise. *ausea and vomiting commonly accompanies the pain. There is often an aura or neurological symptoms that precede the on(set such as seeing colours"shapes !efore the eyes, di##iness and even one(sided num!ness. 'igraines are episodic in nature+so they have a tendency to reoccur !ased on specific triggers. They can last anywhere from , hours to -. hours. Cluster headaches also have very intense pain. These headaches usually have a sudden on(set when the pain is very intense !ut the pain can also e!! quickly. /luster headaches are episodic in nature ( sufferers may get a headache at the same time every day. And whereas migraine sufferers are !etter with less noise, light and movement, cluster headache sufferers tend to !e restless with the pain. Headaches tend to !e one( sided and can !e accompanied !y nasal congestion, eye watering and flushing of the face. Homeopathy to the Rescue: Head pain is one of the most common complaints in my practice. 0nfortunately, conventional medicine does not offer very many effective solutions to head pain. 'any people will use over(the(counter medications such as analgesics and non(steroidal anti( inflammatory drugs 1*2AIDs3 such as Tylenol, Aspirin and Advil. 4our doctor may recommend stronger medications for the severe pain associated with !oth migraines and cluster headaches. Tricyclic anti(depressants such as Amitriptyline and 5eta( !lockers such as 'etopolol and 6ropopolol are often prescri!ed. These medications can offer ways to help manage the pain. Homeopathy offers a more gentle and permanent solution to head pain. Homeopaths want to know all a!out you and will prescri!e one medicine that is the !est match for you. This means that even though you may come to see a Homeopath for headaches, a

successful prescription will also improve other areas of your health such as digestive pro!lems, menstrual pro!lem, ec#ema and an&iety. 2ince there are hundreds of homeopathic remedies for head pain, a Homeopath will ask specific questions a!out your headaches to help us narrow down a remedy that !e the !est match for your headache picture, such as...

7hat does the pain feel like and where is it located? 7hen especially do you notice the pain? 7hat factors make the pain !etter or worse? 1weather, temperature, time of day, cold or heat, movement, pressure, light, odours, noise etc. 7hat else is unique a!out your headaches?

Remedies for Headaches: 5elow are some remedies that are used to help people with head pain. 8eep in mind that the remedy you might need for your type of head pain may not !e included here. It is !est to consult a Homeopath for help with chronic head pain. Belladonna: The head pain in this remedy typically !egins suddenly and is usually an intense, thro!!ing pain. The pain will !e worse from ar 1similar to 5ryonia3, stooping and lying down. 2ymptoms that accompany the head pain can also !e redness and heat of the face"head, dilated pupils and even visi!le thro!!ing veins. The headache may !e caused !y catching cold or from e&posure to the sun. Bryonia: This remedy is indicated for head pain that is worse from the slightest motion. Headache sufferers will want to lay complete still as the slightest motion will aggravate the pain. A person who needs 5ryonia will often place their hands on their head to protect against the slightest movement of the head. 9ther symptoms of 5ryonia are an increased thirst, irrita!ility with the pain so much so they may not even want to talk to anyone. Gloinine: Is a remedy that has a very strong aggravation from e&posure to the sun. It can !e useful for headaches from the sun and sunstroke. It is known for resolving headaches that come and go with the sun. There is thro!!ing 1similar to 5elladonna3 and pressure especially at the temples. There may also !e a sensation as if the skull was too small as the !rain was going to !urst. Natrum Muriaticum: is often useful in people who suffer from chronic headaches. 2imilar to :loinine, there is also a strong aggravation from the sun. In this remedy head pain is worse !y e&posure to light, !ut especially sunlight. Headaches may start in the morning after waking or at ;< a.m. The head pain can feel like a thousand little hammers on the head or as if the head would !urst. Head pain can !e made worse from coughing and !etter from lying down and from sweating. Nux- omica is another remedy that is often used to treat people with headaches. There is pressing pain often in the forehead that is worse from e&posure to cold air. There is often intense irrita!ility and anger with the pain. It is also worse when waking in the morning and there may !e a feeling as if you had not slept at all. There also might !e more chilliness with the head pain with the desire to !e covered and to drink warm drinks. Case !amples: Case "

$H, a =<(year old woman consulted me for headaches, heart!urn and pre(menstrual symptoms. The headaches are worse when she is spending a lot of time studying in school. The pain !egins on the right side of the forehead and e&tends to the top of her head. 7hen the pain is especially !ad, the pain will cover the whole right side of her head. $ying down, !eing still and cold compresses make the pain !etter. 2he also has a history of yeast infections along with strong 6'2 symptoms including increased irrita!ility. 5ased on her unique symptoms, I prescri!ed 2epia =</. 7hen she returned for her first follow(up appointment, she reported that the intensity of her headaches decreased and didn%t turn into migraine headaches anymore. Her heart!urn and 6'2 was also su!stantially improved. The ne&t time the patient came for a consultation, the headaches were gone. Note: This #as the $est remedy for this patient and #ould not #or% as effecti&ely for each person #ith headaches' Case B 8', a ,<(year old woman came to consult with for an&iety, headaches and indigestion in *ovem!er .<<-. 2he has had headaches since she was a child. 2he had migraines with vomiting that lasted until pu!erty. /urrently, she has two types of headaches. 2he has a daily headache that is centered on the left side of the forehead a!ove the eye. It is !etter for hard pressure( heat and is worse for loud noise and chocolate. The second type of headache !egins in the !ack of the head and e&tends to the forehead and stops over the left eye. This headache is thro!!ing with nausea. 5ased on the picture of her an&iety and headaches, I prescri!ed /austicum =</. The patient reported that her headaches were much improved !y the time of our first follow(up appointment. In fact, she didn%t have a headache at all for two weeks after taking the a!ove remedy. Her headaches continued to improve. I most recently saw her in .<;< when she reported that she hadn%t had a headache for several years. Note: This #as the $est remedy for this patient and #ould not #or% as effecti&ely for each person #ith headaches' Re$ecca Go#er, 5.A, '.A., D2H' 1hons3, is a Homeopathic 6hysician. 2he runs her clinic, >ed 6earl Homeopathy, in the Anne& in Toronto. )or more information, she can !e reached at ?,-(?@@(@.A< or redpearlhomeopathyBgmail.com. 4ou can also check out her we!site at www.redpearlhomeopathy.com.