The use of natural, gentle, legal and nontoxic homeopathic medicine is on the rise due to its proven effectiveness. Homeopathic remedies for the management of pain like Arnica, Calendula, Hypericum and Chamomilla are now on the shelves of major retail stores and natural food stores. Homeopathy emphasizes restoring balance in a natural and gentle way. It has been practiced all around the world since the early 19th century. Migraine headache is one of the many pain conditions homeopathy can treat.
What is Homeopathy?
The main three tenets of homeopathy are law of similars, law of minimum dose and law of individualization. The first law tells us to always find a matching remedy that has a set of symptoms similar to what is presented by the client. The second law, the law of minimum dose, asks us to use the remedy in a strength that is minimum and optimum as needed by the client to restore health. This second law is the source of the biggest controversy about homeopathy in conventional medicine: many homeopathic products are so diluted that no molecules of the original substance remain. Yet, these gentle medicines have been proven effective again and again in scientific studies. The third law, law of individualization, emphasizes selecting the remedy that is most matching for the whole person and not just the parts. Thus, homeopathy has brought freedom from pain, while enhancing health and vitality on many other levels.
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Treating Migraines with Homeopathy and Lifestyle Changes
More than 36 million Americans who suffer from migraines may be able to find relief through homeopathy. Many sufferers have chronic migraine. They endure disabling symptoms almost every day which rob them of a full life as family members, employees, and productive members of society.
Fortunately, homeopathic remedies have proven successful in reducing both the pain and severity of migraines, especially if taken in the early stages. Not only can homeopathic remedies be used at the time of a migraine, but treatment from a qualified homeopath can also reduce the frequency of migraines.
A tendency towards migraines often runs in a family. Environmental and allergic factors seem to be involved in some of the cases. However, the most significant trigger of migraines is stress. Migraine sufferers have increased serotonin levels—serotonin is released when adrenaline levels rise due to stress.
Migraines can also be triggered by foods or scents, loss of sleep, hormonal changes, and/or environmental allergens. Some other causes include eye strain, chemical toxins, nutritional deficiencies, and digestive or intestinal disturbances. In some migraine sufferers there seems to be no rhyme or reason, and migraine attacks come randomly. A qualified homeopath can take all these factors into account when selecting a homeopathic remedy for the migraine sufferer.
Migraine sufferers generally have clear phases including aura—sensory warning signs of an impending attack such as flashes of light, blind spots, blurred vision or tingling—followed by nausea, vomiting and severe sensitivity to light and noise. But some may not experience these classic symptoms.
Factors to Consider Besides Homeopathy
Lifestyle adjustments: If you suffer from migraines, it is recommended that you eat regularly, get eight hours of sleep per night and avoid stimulants such as tea, coffee, and chocolate.
Symbolism through body language: The head is the seat of authority and power. Headaches may indicate preoccupation with our “head brain” and neglect of our “feeling-intuitive” brain or indicate a conflict between the two. The tremendous internal pressures and conflicts that people carry from suppressed or unexpressed emotions can be temporarily released through the “steam valve” of headaches. And, sensory overload or sensitivity to what we see and hear can be a literal headache.
Selecting the best homeopathic remedy
Symptoms are the key to selecting the right homeopathic remedy for each person. We want to find an exact correspondence of the remedy picture with both the headache symptoms and makeup of the individual.
Below I describe four main homeopathic remedies that I have used in my practice successfully. If you suffer from migraines and want to try a homeopathic approach, it is often best to find a homeopathic practitioner to assist you.
However, the following remedies are available in most natural health food stores if you choose to try treatment on your own. If your symptoms match closely, then you have the right remedy. Be forewarned that without a close match, you may not experience any relief.
Natrum muriaticum: The headaches for someone needing this remedy are often worse in the morning. You either wake up with a headache, migraine or a warning that you will get one. There is often severe pain in the head as if it would burst. Or you could have hammering pain as if hammers are knocking the head.
Your pain may make you cough or your eyes water. This remedy is indicated when the headache increases with the rise of the sun and stops at sunset. Headache may be accompanied with sweat. Usually, we find that the greater the pain, the greater the sweat. This type of headache is often found in school-aged children. It gets worse with eye strain. The sufferer complains of fiery zigzag floaters in the eyes before the headache. Natrum muriaticum is one of the most common migraine headache homeopathic remedies. Find Natram muriaticum HERE
Nux vomica: People who need Nux vomica will complain of severe pain in the head with chilliness and vomiting, resulting from overwork or stress. Head pain comes on when there is not enough exercise and when you are overindulging in the wrong foods.
Usually relief is obtained from leaning your head against something, for example, by putting pressure on the forehead. There may be more sensitivity to noise than normal during the migraine. People needing Nux will complain of constipation. The fiery nature of Nux is seen in a peculiar tendency of straining during stools to get it out with a sense of incompletion. Nux people tend to be irritable, passionate, hard taskmasters and driven. Find Nux vomica HERE.
Bryonia: People needing this homeopathic remedy made from wild hops will have very severe headaches with additional pain over the eyes in some cases. The pain is often made much worse from any kind of movement, even moving your eyeballs from side to side. As a result one prefers closed eyes. The headache is worse when stooping which is accompanied by a feeling that the brain might burst through your forehead. The headache can be brought on by play. The pain in the head often comes on after drinking alcohol or from a lot of stress. Find Bryonia HERE.
Arsenicum Album: People needing this remedy get relief from cold applications on the head. The head pain is associated with digestive disturbances, for example, vomiting or diarrhea with a burning sensation. Sufferers complain of feeling anxious and may experience fear of death. They tend to be chilly and crave warmth. They are thirsty for sips of water. They feel restless and are pacing around with pains. In later stages they will be exhausted. They are often described as clean freaks. Find Arsenicum album HERE.
Taking your homeopathic remedy
Homeopathic remedies are available for purchase in 30C potency at most natural food stores. The recommended dose is three pills or pellets every four hours while symptoms continue, up to four doses per day for a maximum of two days or until your pain goes away, whichever comes first. Repeat a dose only if the pain returns. No remedy should be continued beyond three days in a row without supervision from a homeopathic practitioner.
If your symptoms persist or relief is only temporary, please seek professional advice from a trained homeopath or a licensed physician. Under no circumstances should you stop taking other medications prescribed by a licensed physician without his or her approval.
Sujata Owens is a certified homeopath and homeopathic master clinician at Vital Force Consulting, Inc. Northfield, MN. She can be contacted by email at vitalforceconsulting4@gmail.com or by phone at (507) 581-1114. Visit her website at www.vitalforceconsulting.com.
To find a homeopath near you, visit: www.homeopathyconsumercouncil.com/find-a-homeopath or search the Alternative Pain Treatment Directory.
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