Treatment of Tension HeadachesEveryone experiences headaches at some time. They are not always a serious issue, but homeopathy and naturopathy offer effective ways of treating tension headaches. At our Perth naturopathic clinic it is one of the most common things we deal with.
A number of natural remedies could be indicated for headaches, depending on the exact pattern of symptoms. For instance, we need to ask where in the head the pain occurs, what it feels like and what makes the headache better or worse. This gives you an idea of the detail needed for an accurate homeopathic prescription. The indicated acute remedy will usually work to relieve pain in a matter of minutes. It offers a valid alternative to taking drugs.
In women patients, migraines and other headaches typically have a hormonal trigger. Headaches often occur before, during or after the monthly period. These headaches respond well to treatment to balance the hormones. See our page on the treatment of menstrual problems.
In the case of more chronic, recurring headaches, at this Perth naturopathic clinic we prescribe a “constitutional” remedy to deal with the problem. Recurring headaches are usually due to the pressures of life or the way the person is handling that stress. The constitutional helps to restore balance to the individual as a whole. It is prescribed on the full symptom profile of the individual on all three levels: mental, emotional and physical.
Under the influence of the remedy the person’s reaction to stress becomes less. Harmony is restored on those three levels. The recurring headaches will usually disappear in a matter of days or a week or two. Furthermore, as with all treatment, in themself the patient will feel better and experience improvement in other areas of their health.
Migraines are a more serious problem. But here too the constitutional homeopathic approach holds the answer. Naturopathic dietary and lifestyle advice may also be crucial in dealing with migraines.
Although the exact causes are debatable, stress, hormonal and dietary factors can all play a role, and homeopathy supported by naturopathy work together to treat this painful complaint. A properly prescribed constitutional remedy helps to break the cycle of migraines. Over a period of a few months the migraines typically occur less often and less severely. In the meantime, the patient also has an acute remedy to take at the onset of headaches. We match the remedy to the exact symptom pattern, and this usually provides significant relief.
There are homeopathic remedies to suit all the variants of migraines, whether with or without an aura or visual symptoms. Abdominal migraines are common in children, and we have great success in treating these. Other remedies may be prescribed in vertebrobasilar migraines, accompanied by symptoms vertigo, dizziness, confusion, numbness and tingling of the extremities and clumsiness.
Some patients experience what are described as cluster headaches, also known as histamine cephalalgia. These can be the most debilitating and painful of all. They can come on suddenly with no warning and include an intense burning or stabbing pain, often around the eye, and occur at regular intervals. The name “cluster” refers to the fact that the headaches can occur in clusters, often lasting for several months once or twice yearly. Many homeopathic remedies cover the typical features of cluster headaches, so as with the other type, it is our job to identify the acute remedy to offer relief and the constitutional remedy to treat the underlying tendency to recur.
Headaches may also be due to sinus complaints. The pain of sinusitis can be caused by mucus congestion and/or infection following a cold or due to allergies. In both circumstances homeopathy offers effective treatment, both for the acute symptoms and for the recurring tendency. Please see our page on the treatment of sinusitis for further information.