Chronic or Recurrent Headaches

Chronic and recurrent headaches can significantly affect quality of life and ability to work. In my 10 year practice as a homeopath, using homeopathy has proven of great help again and again in helping my clients overcome headaches.

In homeopathy we arrive at the most appropriate remedy by considering the following :

• type of pain: pressing, shooting, bursting…

• frequency pattern: every weekend, waking up, every spring…

• triggers: poor sleep, weather conditions including bright sunlight, heat, low air pressure, wind, exposure to strong smells such as food, chemicals…

• causes: ie never well since the head injury, hormonal changes (periods, menopause), stress, tension

• modalities what makes the pain better or worse: noise, smell of cigarettes, better for eating, ..

• co-concomitant symptoms: nausea, vertigo, vision, blocked sinuses…

In this blog I focus on how the ‘trigger’s help us understand the wealth of homeopathic remedies that we have at our disposal to help us manage something as debilitating as chronic headaches.

Never well since a head Injury

• Arnica montana
  Known for its use in trauma and injury, Arnica may help reduce pain, bruising, and inflammation following a head injury.

• Belladonna
  Often used for sudden, intense headaches with throbbing pain, especially when symptoms include sensitivity to light or heat.

• Nux vomica
  Typically indicated when headaches are accompanied by nausea, irritability, and sensitivity to stimuli, often after overexertion or stress.

• Hypericum perforatum
  Recommended for nerve injuries and shooting pains, helpful if the headache originates from nerve trauma.

• Ruta graveolens
  Used for headaches arising from injuries to the bones or periosteum, with a sensation of bruising or soreness.

Headache from eye strain

Prolonged reading, work on computer, poor lightening can all bring on a headache. The following remedies are considered when this is a trigger:

Eye strain, often caused by prolonged screen use, reading, or poor lighting, can result in discomfort, headaches, blurred vision, and dryness. Homeopathic remedies aim to alleviate these symptoms naturally by supporting the body's self-healing mechanisms. Here are some commonly used homeopathic remedies for eye strain:

1. Euphrasia (Eyebright)
Indicated for eyes that feel irritated, watery, and burning, especially when exposed to wind or bright light. Eyes may be red with a sensation of grit or soreness.

2. Belladonna
Useful when there is acute eye strain with redness, heat, and throbbing pain. It often helps if symptoms come on suddenly and are aggravated by light or movement.

3. Ruta graveolens (Common Rue)
Recommended for soreness and fatigue in the eyes, especially when caused by overuse, such as reading or working at a computer. It can relieve aching and strain in the muscles around the eyes.

4. Natrum muriaticum (Sodium chloride)
Helpful for eye strain accompanied by dryness and a sensation of sand in the eyes. Often used when symptoms worsen with exposure to sunlight or wind.

5. Silicea
Supports healing when eyes feel weak and easily strained, especially if there is recurring inflammation or sensitivity to light.

Additional Self-Care Tips:

• Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

• Maintain proper lighting to reduce glare and contrast.

• Find some greenery to look at. Eyes are the external organ of the liver. Green is synonymous colour with liver and as such a healing colour for they eyes and liver.

• Ensure ergonomic settings for screens to avoid neck and eye strain.

• Qi gong REST for the eyes: rub your hands together and place the palms of your hands over the eyes, so that your eyes are covered. Hold them here for a few minutes.

Headaches triggered by foods and drinks

Some headaches are induced by certain foods and can be super distressing. Homeopathic remedies may offer relief by addressing the symptoms and underlying triggers. When dealing with headaches caused by dietary factors—such as chocolate, cheese, caffeine, alcohol, or processed foods - the following homeopathic remedies are commonly considered:

1. Nux Vomica
   Headaches resulting from overindulgence in rich, spicy, or stimulating foods and alcohol. Symptoms often include irritability, nausea, and a sensation of pressure in the head, especially in the morning.

2. Natrum Muriaticum
   Useful when headaches are triggered by salty foods or/and emotional stress. The headache might be accompanied by a sensation of tightness or a splitting pain in the temples.

3. Sanguinaria Canadensis
   Effective for right-sided headaches that worsen in the morning and are associated with nausea and sensitivity to light. Often indicated in headaches triggered by eating processed or preserved foods.

4. Belladonna
   Helps when headaches come on suddenly and intensely, often with throbbing pain, heat in the face, and sensitivity to noise or light. Food triggers might include spicy or rich meals.

5. Coffea Cruda
   Recommended when headaches are linked to over consumption of caffeine or sugary foods and drinks. Symptoms include restless excitement, sensitivity to noise, and sharp, piercing head pain.

Headaches triggered by loss or poor quality sleep

When addressing the underlying causes of insomnia and promoting natural relaxation and rest, the following may help:

• Coffea Cruda: Recommended for those whose minds are overactive, preventing sleep even when physically tired.

• Nux Vomica: Useful for individuals experiencing insomnia due to stress, overwork, or excessive stimulation, often accompanied by irritability.

• Passiflora Incarnata: Known for calming nervous tension and promoting restful sleep.

• Chamomilla: Helpful when irritability and restlessness interfere with sleep, especially in children.

• Arsenicum Album: For those experiencing anxiety and restlessness at night, resulting in difficulty falling or staying asleep.

  Additional Self-Care Tips:

  • establish a helpful sleep routine for yourself

  • dump your thoughts and worries before you go to be. Ideally you do this in the daytime, alternatively write them down. This is a helpful way help your mind relax, as it leans into trusting you are not at risk remembering something important.

  • you may be able to problem solve some of the worries

  • follow relaxation. One of my clients uses this Yoga Nidra whenever she cannot relax to go to sleep and she tells me it works like a switch.

Tension Headache triggered by poor posture or overuse of the body in a particular position

WHO reckon that tension headaches are the most common type of headaches. Common homeopathic options for this include:

• Rhus toxicodendron: In my experience this is Number 1 remedy to go to. Helpful for headaches that improve with motion but worsen after periods of rest. Applicable if stiffness and soreness in the neck and shoulders contribute to headaches. This is a great RSI (repetitive strain injury) remedy.

• Bryonia alba: Useful when headaches worsen with movement and improve with rest. Often indicated if the pain is dull and pressing, commonly associated with muscle stiffness.

• Gelsemium sempervirens: Recommended for headaches accompanied by a heavy, dull sensation, often associated with neck and back tension from poor posture.

• Nux vomica: Appropriate for tension headaches caused by prolonged sitting or poor ergonomics, typically when headaches are accompanied by irritability and sensitivity to light or noise.

  Additional Self-Care Tips:

  • Move your body in all dimensions as often as you can. Dance is a great way to achieve this.

  • Use hot water and other sources of heat to help you relax.

  • Massage. Do self or get someone else to help you.

  • Check out the ergonomics: your position in relation to the task.

  • Take regular breaks, move your positioning in between the tasks.

Headaches triggered by hormonal imbalances

Symptoms related to hormonal fluctuations experienced during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause help bring the hormones into balance and alleviate the headaches and any accompanying symptoms. Here is an example of some remedies that I have found helpful in my practice:

• Natrum muriaticum: Often indicated when headaches are accompanied by emotional distress, sensitivity, and a tendency to internalise feelings.

• Pulsatilla: Suitable for headaches that worsen with emotional suppression and are accompanied by mood swings or a desire for comfort.

• Ignatia amara: Helpful when headaches are related to grief, disappointment, or repressed emotions.

• Sepia: Used when headaches coincide with a feeling of fatigue, irritability, and emotional withdrawal.

• Pulsatilla: Often used for headaches associated with menstrual cycles, especially when headaches are accompanied by mood swings and a sensation of fullness in the head.

• Sepia: Recommended for hormonal headaches during menopause, particularly when feelings of irritability, fatigue, and a dragging sensation in the pelvis are present.

• Natrum muriaticum: Used for headaches linked to hormonal imbalances, especially if headaches worsen with stress or emotional upset.

• Lachesis: Lachesis is considered particularly useful for headaches associated with hormonal changes, circulatory issues, or migraines. They are often described as throbbing and felt more intensely on left side. The headaches may worsen with heat, pressure, or tight clothing around the neck. Patients needing Lachesis typically experience symptoms such as sensitivity to touch, flushing or a sensation of fullness in the head, and headaches that intensify before menstruation or during menopause.

Headaches Triggered by Weather conditions

Headaches caused or worsened by changes in weather, such as shifts in barometric pressure, humidity, or temperature, are common.

1. Natrum Muriaticum
   Helpful for headaches triggered by damp or humid weather, often accompanied by a feeling of pressure in the head. Symptoms may include worsening pain in the morning and relief from resting in a dark room.

2. Nux Vomica
   Useful when headaches are intense, with irritability, nausea, and sensitivity to light or noise. These headaches may worsen in cold or windy weather and improve with warmth or sleep.

3. Bryonia Alba
   Best suited if headaches worsen with movement or any physical activity and are accompanied by dryness or thirst. Weather changes like cold or dry air can trigger this type of headache.

4. Belladonna
   Indicated for sudden, intense headaches often accompanied by a flushed face, throbbing pain, and sensitivity to light and noise. Weather-related triggers often include heat or sun exposure.

5. Sanguinaria Canadensis
   Considered when headaches start at the back of the head and radiate toward the forehead, especially triggered by changes in weather, such as wind or storms.

6. Hepar sulphuricum

   is commonly used in homeopathy for headaches that present with sharp, piercing pain, may come with a feeling of splinter-like sensations; heightened sensitivity to cold and touch, and accompanying irritability or inflammatory symptoms. Pains are sharp or stabbing pains and sensitive to touch and cold. Headaches worsen from exposure to cold drafts.