Homeopathy for Migraines

Migraine headaches are a common form of headaches but unique in their character and usually of a more violent nature. Allopathic medication is the standard treatment but homeopathy offers many remedies that can help not only the headache but help a person to remove the tendency to migraines as well.

There are two basic types of migraine headaches: 

1. Those with a visual aura or disturbance preceding the onset of pain.

2. Those without the visual disturbances.

Common to both of these types of migraines are nausea (sometimes with vomiting) and photophobia. Migraine headaches with aura are defined by the International Headache Society as at least 2 attacks that are unrelated to organic disease with at least one reversible aura symptom indicating cerebral cortical or brain-stem dysfunction lasting more than 60 minutes. The headache pain may precede, be concurrent with, or follow within 60 minutes of the aura.

The IHS defines migraine headache without aura as happening with at least 5 attacks unrelated to organic disease lasting 4 to 72 hours duration. Pain is characterized by moderate to severe in intensity or aggravated by at least one other symptom; nausea, vomiting, photophobia, or noise sensitivity.

Common to all migraines are the throbbing pains that are sometimes only one-sided or occipital. The pains can last from 4 hours to 3 days. The intensity can be great. Many times the person will not want to move and lay still in a dark room.

The common allopathic approach is with medications. There are three types of drugs used to treat migraines. Preventative drugs like Amyltriptyline, Nortriptyline, or Propanolol. Abortive drugs Ergotamine, Almotriptam Prochlorperazine are used to stop the migraines. Analgesic drugs to remove pain are Acetomenophen, Asprin, Naproxen, Codeine and Oxycodone. These drugs are not the entire list of drugs used to treat migraines but are the most commonly used. They all have side effects and must be used with care.

Homeopathy offers a much better approach. As with all acute diseases, there are emotional and mental components. Understanding the person is crucial to the correct application of homeopathic principles. Remember, the remedy is for the person and not their disease. Because migraines are usually of a chronic nature, it is important to investigate the person's history and try to perceive why the migraines are happening. If there is a clear mental/emotional reason, this must be addressed in choosing the remedy. The importance of the acute symptoms and how the person reports them is very important as well. Find out how the symptoms start, if there are any exciting causes, how the pain develops, and what the pain feels like. Ask what will make the headache better or worse and if there are any other things about the migraine that might seem unusual. Their descriptions will provide the best repertizations.

Below are a few important rubrics from the Complete 2009 Repertory:

• Head; PAIN; Migraine (173): abel., acetan., 3Aeth., agav-t., alum., am-c., 3Aml-n., 3Anac., 3Anan., anh., ant-t., 4APIS, 3Aran., aran-ix., arg., 3Arg-n., 3Ars., 4ASAF., 3Asar., aspar., astra-e., aur., aur-br., bani-c., 4BELL., bell-p., 2betul., 4BOL., both-l., bov., brom., bry., cact., cadm., 3Calc., 3Calc-acet., calc-l-n., 3Calc-p., cand-p., cann-i., caps., carb-v., carc., 2card-m., 3Caul., 2cedr., cham., 2chen-a., 3Chin., chin-ar., chin-s., 2cic., 3Cimic., cinis-p., coc-c., 3Cocc., 4COD-N., 3Coff., coffin., colch., 4COLOC., 2com., 2con., cupr., 4CUR., 3Cycl., 2cytin., dam., dys-co., elaps, 4EPHIN., euon., euon-a., 4EUP-PER., eup-pur., excr-can., foll., 4GELS., geoc-c., gink., 4GLON., graph., guai., 4HELON., hist., 2hydr., hydr-ac., 3Hyper., 3Ign., ind., 4INDG., 3Ip., 4IRIS, 3Kali-bi., 3Kali-br., 3Kali-c., kali-m., 4KOLA., 3Lac-d., 4LACH., 2lam., larr-t., 2laur., 3Lav-v., 2levi-o., 2lil-t., 3Lob., lyc., mag-m., mang-p., 3Meli., 3Melis., menis., 2menth., merc., merc-i-f., 3Mez., 3Morg., 4MOSCH., 3Nat-m., 2nelu., nicc., 4NUX-M., 4NUX-V., 3Onos., 2orig., palo., 4PAR., paull., paull-p., 2pisc., 4PLAT., 4PODO., por-m., 3Prim-v., prun., 4PULS., querc-r., rob., ros-b., 2sabad., sal-ac., sals-t., 4SANG., sapin., 3Sarr., sars., scut., 4SEC., 4SEP., 4SIL., sol, 3Spig., spong., stann., stict., 3Sulph., syc-co., 3Tab., 3Tarent., thea., ther., thuj., 2thymu., torul., tub., valer., verat-v., 3Verb., vib., wild., 3Zinc., zing.
• Head; PAIN; Blindness or visual complaints, precede or attend (71): anh., 3Ars., asar., aspar., aster., bar-c., 3Bell., bell-p., brucel., carc., 3Caust., cedr., chim-m., chin., coca, cocc., 2conch., cortiso., 4CYCL., dys-co., euphr., ferr-p., 4GELS., geoc-c., 3Glon., grat., hyos., iber., ign., 4IRIS, 4KALI-BI., kali-c., 2kali-hp., lac-c., 3Lac-d., lach., latex, 3Lil-t., mag-c., 4MELI., mygal., nat-c., 3Nat-m., nicc., nux-v., orob-r., 3Petr., 3Phos., pic-ac., pitu-a., podo., posit., psil., 3Psor., puls., querc-r., 3Sang., 3Sep., 3Sil., sol, spig., 3Stram., 4SULPH., term-c., 3Ther., tub., verat., verat-v., viol-o., 3Zinc., zinc-s.
• Vision; BLURRED; Headache; before (10): corv-c., 3Gels., hyos., 4IRIS, 3Kali-bi., lac-d., podo., psor., 3Sep., sulph.
• Vision; DIM; Headache; before (26): aur-m-n., bar-c., cedr., elaps, 3Gels., glon., graph., hyos., 4IRIS, 3Kali-bi., lac-c., 4LAC-D., lach., lyc., 3Nat-m., nux-v., 3Phos., podo., 3Psor., puls., 3Sep., sil., stram., 3Sulph., ther., 3Tub.
• Vision; ZIG-ZAGS (33): amyg-p., anh., arist-cl., calc., calc-l., cann-s., carl., cinnb., coca, coloc., con., falco-p., ferr-ma., fl-ac., flor-p., 3Graph., hura, 3Ign., 2irid., kali-bi., kola., 3Lach., lyc., 4NAT-M., ozone, phos., psor., puls., 3Sep., sul-i., 3Sulph., thuj., viol-o.
• Eyes; PHOTOPHOBIA; Headache, during (24): agath-a., bell., cand-a., carc., clem., 3Ferr-p., glon., 2hyos., 3Kali-bi., 3Kali-br., 3Kali-c., kali-p., lac-mat., mim-p., 4NAT-S., ozone, phel., pitu-a., pyrus-c., ros-b., sep., spig., tarent., zinc.
• Vision; COLORS before the eyes; Halo of colors around; light (72): 3Aloe, 4ALUM., alum-p., aml-n., 3Ammc., 3Anac., anag., anh., asar., atro., bar-c., 4BELL., 3Bry., 3Calad., 3Calc., cann-s., 3Carb-v., caust., cham., chim., chin., chlor., 3Cic., 4COCC., coff-t., colch., com., 3Cycl., 3Dig., digin., euph., 3Euphr., ferr., ferr-ma., galv., gels., 3Hep., hyos., 3Ip., 3Kali-c., 3Kali-n., kali-p., kali-s., 3Lach., mag-m., mang., merl., mim-p., nat-p., 3Nicc., nit-ac., 4OSM., ozone, 3Ph-ac., 4PHOS., 4PULS., ran-b., 4RUTA, saroth., sarr., 3Sars., 3Sep., sil., 3Stann., 3Staph., 3Stront-c., 4SULPH., 3Tub., verat., verat-v., 3Zinc., zinc-p.
• Vision; ACCOMMODATION; Defective; headache, with (3): 3Mag-p., nat-m., nelu.
• Stomach; NAUSEA; Headache, during (249): acan-pl., acon., acon-ac., adam., aesc., aeth., aids, ail., alch-v., 3Alco-s., 4ALOE, 3Alum., alum-p., alum-sil., alumn., 3Am-c., am-m., 2ambr., ana-i., androc., 4ANT-C., ant-t., 3Apis, apoc-a., aran., arg., arg-n., arge-p., arist-cl., arn., 3Ars., ars-s-f., art-tri., 3Asar., asc-c., aur., aur-ar., aur-s., 2bacch-a., bamb-a., 3Bell., bell-p., benz-ac., 3Bol., 3Bor., bros-g., 3Bry., bufo, bung-f., cadm., 3Calc., 3Calc-p., calc-s., calc-sil., cale-z., calen., 2camph., cand-a., cann-s., 3Caps., 3Carb-ac., 3Carb-v., carc., caul., 4CAUST., 3Cedr., 3Cham., chel., chin., chin-ar., chin-s., choc., chrysan., cic., cimic., cinnb., cit-a., citl-l., clad-r., cob., cob-n., 4COCC., coco-n., colch., 3Coloc., 4CON., cor-r., corn-f., croc., 2crot-h., culx., culx-p., 3Cupr., 3Cupr-ar., cycl., cyg-c., 2diox., dros., 3Dulc., elaps, ephe., erech., 3Eug., 3Eup-per., eup-pur., ferr., fl-ac., form., gels., 2gink., 3Glon., 3Graph., grat., haliae-lc., 2harp., helod-c., hep., herin., hipp., hydr., hydr-ac., hydrog., hyper., iber., 2ign., ignis, 3Ind., indg., indol., 4IP., 4IRIS, jug-c., kali-ar., 3Kali-bi., 3Kali-c., kali-p., 3Kali-s., kali-sil., kalm., kola., kreos., 3Lac-c., 3Lac-d., 2lac-h., 3Lach., lap-laz., lat-h., 2latex, laur., 3Lept., lith-c., 3Lob., lob-p., lsd, lyc., mag-c., mang-p., 3Mangi., med., 3Merc., mez., mill., morg., 3Mosch., myric., naja, nat-ar., nat-c., 3Nat-m., nat-p., nat-s., neon, 3Nit-ac., 3Nux-m., 4NUX-V., ol-j., olnd., onc-t., onos., 3Op., orob-r., 3Ost., ozone, pall., paull-p., petr., 3Phos., phys., 3Phyt., pitu-a., plat., plut-n., podo., por-m., posit., propol., ptel., 3Puls., pyrus-c., querc-r., 4RAN-B., rhus-t., ros-b., rumx., ruta, sal-ac., 4SANG., sanic., sarcol-ac., 3Sars., scorp., seneg., 4SEP., ser-ang., 3Sil., sol, spect., spig., 3Stann., stict., stram., strep-s., stront-c., stroph., 4SULPH., 3Tab., tama., tanac., taosc., 3Tarax., tarent., tax., teg-a., tep., ter., ther., thuj., torul., turq., ven-m., 3Verat., verat-v., vip., visc., xan., zinc., zinc-p., zing., ziz.
• Vision; FLASHES (72): agar., ail., alco-s., aloe, androc., anh., arg-n., atro., aur., 4BELL., brom., calc., calc-f., carc., caust., 3Cedr., chlf., clem., coca, 3Croc., cycl., des-ac., dig., falco-p., fl-ac., 3Glon., hep., 3Hyosin., iber., ign., iris, kali-c., kali-chl., lach., latex, leon., lob-c., lyc., maia-l., mel-alt., menth., merc., merc-i-f., mobil-ph., 4NAT-C., nitrob., 3Nux-v., olnd., op., 4PHOS., 4PHYS., plut-n., por-m., posit., 3Puls., rauw., sec., seneg., sep., 3Sil., spig., spong., 3Staph., stram., sulph., tab., tarent., telo-s., thuj., 3Valer., viol-o., xan.

There are many remedies that may be applicable to migraines. By no means is the list below a complete list of available remedies. Investigate these remedies and study them for a better understanding.

• Arsenicum Album – Periodical headaches. Cold applications ameliorate. Vomiting after eating or drinking. Much restlessness and anxiety.
• Belladonna – The face is red. The pains are throbbing. The head is hot and the limbs are cold. Cannot bear light or noise. Worse from lying down. Better from pressure or wrapping the head.
• Bryonia – Must lie perfectly still. Worse from the slightest motion. Stooping aggravates. It feels as if the brain will burst through the skull. The pains begin on opening the eyes after waking in the AM. Very thirsty. Better by pressure, worse on the side lain on.
• Calcarea Carbonica – Chronic headaches. Congestion of blood in the head. Sensation of coldness with heat of the head. Feels as if they will go crazy. Menses aggravate.
• China Sulfuricum – Intermittent headache. Repeats daily or weekly.
• Gelsemium – Eyes sore with the headache. Blindness proceeding the headache. Head feels enlarged. Occipital migraines.
• Glonoinum – Migraine from recent exposure to the sun. Pains increase with the rising sun and decrease when it sets. Throbbing fullness. Feels as if the head will explode. Worse from the least jar or sudden movements. Headache in place of the menses.
• Ignatia Amara – Pain as if a nail were driven through the side of the head. pains that come on gradually and cease suddenly. Pains change locations. After grief. Better from warm applications and lying on the affected side. Better from urination.
• Iris Versicolor – One-sided migraine. Onset of headache with blurred vision. Gastric or hepatic origin of the headache. Worse from rest and better for moderate motion. Right-sided. Severe frontal pains.
• Kali Bichromicum – Blurred vision or blindness before the headache. Pains in very small spots that can be covered by the tip of the finger. Pains wandering and appearing and disappearing quickly.
• Lachesis – Morning aggravation or starting on waking. Left-sided. Extends to the right side. Cannot bear to have the hair touched.
• Magnesium Phosphoricum – Neuralgic headache. Pains are sharp, cutting, shooting, or intermittent. Unbearable pain. Relieved by warmth and pressure.
• Natrum Muriaticum – Headache in anemic school girls. Bursting pains. Periodic headaches. Chronic, periodical, and appearing between sunrise and sunset. Begins with partial blindness. Malarial headaches are always worse by the sea.
• Pulsatilla – In women with scanty menses who are predisposed to weep easily. Pains extend to ears and teeth. Rapidly shifting pains from one place to another. Better by open air and wrapping the head.
• Sanguinaria – Right-sided headaches that begin in the occiput and extend up and over the head settling over the right eye. Weekly periodicity. Increases with the sun and decreases from midday to sunset. Bursting headache as if the eyes would pop out. Sleep ameliorates.
• Silica – Chronic headaches. Mental exertion aggravates. Cold air aggravates. Better from warmth and wrapping the head. Sight disturbed, blurry after a headache. Eating ameliorates.
• Spigilia – Neuralgic pain of a violent nature over the left eye. Pains stat in the occiput and settle over the left eye.

There is much help that homeopathy can provide for the sufferer of migraine headaches. This list is only a few remedies that I have found to be very useful but would by no means alleviate the need to take the case. As with any chronic condition, we need to understand the person and prescribe accordingly. Study these remedies from all Materia Medica sources. In acute cases, it can be helpful for the 30C potency to be given anywhere from 3 times per day to every hour, as necessary. If the remedy seems to work but then loses its ability to help, it may be necessary to give a higher potency or repeat the remedy more often. Look to the 200C or 1M when going up from the 30C in acutes. In the treatment of chronic migraines but the person is not suffering acutely, starting with either a low potency of 6C or 12C one time per day or giving a single dose of high potency (1M or 10M) one time, and waiting, is a better approach.

Keep the conversation going! I would love to hear your questions and thoughts below!