Homeopathic Remedies for Headaches
Does this sound familiar? Your child comes home from school, lies down on the couch and says “he doesn’t feel good.” You turn on the light and he says “turn off the light, it’s hurting my eyes.” You notice his face is red and hot to touch. You ask him “What’s wrong?” He states “he has a pounding headache.”
Headaches can be addressed with a Homeopathic remedy. There are over 250 Homeopathic remedies for headaches and the various types of headaches (migraines, hormonal, vascular, etc.). Headaches can come on from a variety of reasons stress, tension, certain foods, anger, chemical exposure and the list goes on.
Anyone can select a Homeopathic remedy for a headache. There is specific criteria to follow (see below), when selecting a Homeopathic remedy for the acute headache. When the correct Homeopathic remedy is administered, the headache pain lessens within 1 ½ hours or in some cases within 15 minutes.
When someone is plagued with chronic headaches (reoccurs over the course of the year), a complete case history needs to be taken by a Homeopathic Consultant. Taking a Homeopathic remedy for chronic headaches, addresses why the headache continues to resurface throughout the year. The end result is no longer having chronic headaches.
Types of Headaches
- Trauma – Head, Neck and Spine
- Tension/Stress (muscle, fatigue, etc.)
- Reflex – Toxic/Gastric (digestive, constipation, alcohol, drugs, coffee, food, chemical exposure,
- allergies, sinus infections, bilious (hepatitis), uterus, ear (ringing in ears), eye, stomach
- Vascular (high blood pressure)
- Migraine (cluster headaches, aura, periodic, liver)
- Emotional (anger, anxiety, grief, depression)
- Hormonal (PMS, menstrual, menopause)
- Sun
- Rheumatic – Arthritis that goes to head
- Fever – Meningitis
- Brain (intracranial tumors, cerebral hypoxia – oxygen deprivation, hematoma – blood clot)
Criteria to Use to Select an Acute Homeopathic Headache Remedy
- Type Headache – Reflex, Tension, Emotional, Migraine, etc.
- Headache Location – Frontal, temples, back of head, over to right eye, etc.
- Modalities (what makes headache better or worse) – lying down, not moving, open air, etc.
- Sensations – Dull pain, sharp pain, throbbing, pulsating pain, etc.
- Causes or Etiology (never well since) – Stimulants (caffeine, alcohol, drugs), food, anger, etc.
- Concomitant – Headache with nausea, vomiting, nose bleed, etc.
Causes of Headache
- Head Injury, muscle tension
- Anxiety, grief, depression
- Middle ear disorders, otitis media
- Alcohol/Drug – medical or recreational
- Coffee
- Chemical exposure
- Fatigue
- Intracranial tumors
- Hypertension
- Cerebral hypoxia
- Hematoma (blood clot)
- Liver problems
- Hormonal Issues
How to Administer a Homeopathic Remedy for an Acute Headache
I recommend using a Homeopathic remedy for a headache in a either a 30c or 200c potency. Homeopathic remedies can be taken in pellet form (dry) or wet in what is called a Homeopathic Remedy Solution Bottle (RSB). The Homeopathic remedy is then administered every 15 – 30 minutes until the headache starts to lessen.
I also like to use a number scale (#1 is better and #10 is worse) when helping someone with pain. When using the number scale, it will help to determine, if the pain is improving or not and when the next dose of a Homeopathic remedy is needed.
Example – Before taking the first dose of a Homeopathic remedy, record the pain number. Let’s say it is a #7. The Homeopathic remedy is taken every 15 – 30 minutes until the pain number is less than a 7. Each time before administering the next dose of the remedy check-in to see if the pain number has changed. If not, administer the Homeopathic remedy. In this example, the pain number lowered to a # 5 after 2 doses of the Homeopathic remedy, do not repeat the remedy until the pain number starts to increase; approximately 2 – 3 hours later.
Homeopathic Remedies for Headaches
Listed below are the various Homeopathic remedies along with the key symptoms, that I routinely recommend for clients.
Belladonna – Face is red hot with dilated pupils (photophobia). The headache is throbbing with fullness in forehead (congestion). The pain is worse from jarring, light and noise. Types of headaches Belladonna used for: Vascular and Meningitis.
Bryonia Alba – Has a bursting splitting pain in forehead, temples and or eyes, that can settle in back of head (occiput). They are very grumpy, irritable when has a headache. The headache is worse from movement. Better lying in an incline position, perfectly still, with pressure on the forehead and cool open air. May have nausea. Types of headaches Bryonia is used for: Migraine, Tension, Hormonal, Vascular.
Chamomilla – Has a headache from becoming angry or coffee withdrawals. Throbbing headache over ½ of brain, inclined to bend head backwards. Must drink coffee or will have a headache. Chamomilla will help someone that is experiencing headache from eliminating coffee. Types of headaches Chamomilla is used for: Toxic Reflex, Anger.
Iris Versicolor – Migraines headache from liver and digestion problems. This is a typical sick headache for eating certain food that cause migraines from over indulging in the food or had constipation and a headache. Can be a tired headache with mental exhaustion. Iris is a periodic headache that can happen every Sunday or weekend from the withdrawal from the weeks stress. The headache is worse on the left side of head or left eye. Headache often begins with blur before eyes. Pain in forehead with nausea and vomiting. Headache is worse cold air, rest, coughing and better with gentle motion. The headache is worse periodically (weekly, monthly, 2 – 3 AM, Spring and Autumn). Types of headaches Iris is used for: Periodic, Hormonal, Migraine.
Natrum Carbonicum – Headache from hot weather, from the sun or from working under lights. Head pains out through eyes and the head is bent backwards. The headache is worse exposure to sun light and the slightest mental exertion and worse drinking cold drinks when overheated. Types of headaches Natrum Carbonicum is used for: Sun.
Nux Vomica – Is a toxic reflex headache from overeating and or drinking. Has headaches from stomach derangement – alcohol, stimulants, coffee or drugs. Frontal headache, head feels enlarged. Migraine causing nausea and or vomiting. Worse noise, movement, light, odors, touch. They are very irritable, angry and impatient, does not want to talk. Headache with desire to press head against something hard. Types of headaches Nux Vomica is used for: Toxic Reflex, Migraine, Anger.
Pulsatilla Nigricans – Gastric reflex from eating rich or fatty foods, ice cream which causes nausea queasy feeling. The headache pains wandering about the head and pulsates in the head. They are worse stuffy rooms and better walking in open moving air. Types of headaches Pulsatilla is used for: Toxic Reflex.
Sanguinaria Canadensis – Is a right sided, sick headache from toxic liver or menopause with nausea and or vomiting. The pain starts in back of head (occiput) and travels up over the head and sits over the right eye. The headache is worse from not eating. Better from sleep and vomiting. Types of headaches Sanguinaria Canadensis is used for: Hormonal, Sun, Migraine.
Spigelia Anthelmia – Is the opposite of Sanguinaria, the headache starts in the back of the head (occiput) and travels up over head and settles in left eye. The migraine has sharp pains over left eye with severe photophobia. The headache is worse drafts, cold weather, sun, touch and motion. Types of headaches Spigelia Anthelmia is used for: Migraine and Sun.
Other Therapies to Use for Headaches
Hydrotherapy – is using cool water on the head and warm on the feet.
When you have a headache, you feel a throbbing somewhere in your head. The throbbing pain is due to the increased flow of blood pumped from the heart to the head. Hydrotherapy can be used to move the blood from the head down past the heart. The blood is then directed, to other parts of the body which are warmer than the head; usually to the feet. The idea is to move the blood down past the heart to a warmer area to give relief to the head. This is done when you place a cool wash cloth on the forehead and warm on the feet such as socks, blanket, etc.; while laying down. As the blood moves down to your feet, you will start to feel more comfortable, relaxed and may even fall asleep.
The next time you have a headache try Hydrotherapy. Place a cool washcloth on your forehead and something warm on your feet while lying down. The Hydrotherapy technique will help relieve the pain in the head.
There is nothing worse than having a headache and searching for a Homeopathic remedy to address it.
As you can see, there are several of the Homeopathic remedies listed here that can cover various types of headaches. The Homeopathic remedy is selected according the symptoms the person is exhibiting.
If you know what symptoms you usually get with your headache, have the Homeopathic remedy on hand, so you can get immediate relief. Along with using a Homeopathic remedy, I would recommend also using a Hydrotherapy to relieve the headache quicker.
