Headache

Headaches which persist, grow worse and incapacitate call for expert investigation. Headaches which recur at frequent intervals, are one-sided, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting are

known as migraine. These are of the nature of allergic reactions and are most hopefully handled by skilled individual assessment and treatment along homoeopathic lines.
A great many 'headache cures' are on the market, advertised, often enthusiastically, by their manufacturers and protagonists. Some of these are mere pain-killers; some contain drugs of danger¬ously toxic nature, which combine pain-relieving properties with risk to health or to life.
The homoeopathic remedies capable of helping in the matter of headaches of one sort or another are many. In any particular case the choice of the simillimum may be extremely difficult. How¬ever as an immediate or emergency measure trial may be given to one of the following (a few doses of 30, or 6 for more prolonged use):
ACONITUM sudden violent headache; as if 'skull contents would be forced out at the forehead'; as if 'the skull were constricted by a ligature'; much throbbing in temples, first on one side, then on the other; restless, anxious, thirsty.
APIS stinging, stabbing, burning pain; occasional sharp cries; head bent backward or bored into pillow; feels bruised and tender all over; WORSE heat, warm room, hot bath; BETTER cold in every form; pain often occipital; patient alternately dry and hot or sweating.
ARGENTUM NITRICUM one-sided headache; pressive pain; head feels 'much too large'; desire for cold air and cold drinks; WORSE mental effort, violent movement; BETTER tight bandage.
BELLADONNA bursting headache; violent throbbing, shooting; hot red face, dilated pupils; rush of blood to head; scalp very sensitive, pain comes on, also ceases, abruptly; WORSE least jar, movement, stooping, light, lying down; BETTER warm wraps to head, sitting upright, bending head backwards, firm pressure.
BRYONIA bursting, splitting, crushing headache; on attempting to sit up feels sick and faint; rush of blood to head, often with nose-bleed; drowsy, dry, peevish; hot flushed face; WORSE least movement or disturbance, hot room, coughing, straining at stool; BETTER lying quiet and motionless, firm pressure.
GELSEMIUM occipital headache associated with great heaviness of eyelids and limbs; vision blurred; hammering at base of brain; wants head high; feels exhausted, almost paralysed; WORSE mental effort, heat of sun, tobacco smoke; BETTER by passage of large quantities of pale urine; not thirsty.
GLONOINUM waves of terrible, bursting, throbbing pain, upward surges of hot blood; after-effect of exposure to hot sun; face purple or scarlet; WORSE heat, sun. every pulse beat, false step, least jar, weight of hat, bending head back; BETTER cool air or
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applications, lying down with head high, holding head in hands, after sleep.
Nux VOMICA splitting headache, or as if 'a nail were driven into skull'; nausea and sour vomiting; wakes up with it, or comes on after eating; associated with stomach or liver complaints; after-effects of over-indulgence in food or alcohol; face red, hot, puffy; scalp sore to touch; WORSE open air, movement, mental effort; BETTER warmth, lying down, covering head, warm moist weather.
PULSATILLA periodic headache; pressive, distensive or throbbing; from eating ice-cream, rich food, or over-indulgence; feels nauseated and vomits sour food; head is hot and cool applications are desired; WORSE moving eyes, looking up, stooping, lying down; BETTER coolth, pressure, walking quietly in open air; weepy, craves air, not thirsty.