Headaches are a very common ailment and most people will head for the medicine cabinet to grab some Tylenol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen. These medicines can seem generally harmless to us, but they do come with their own side effects that can be worse than the headache itself! Common side effects include: GI distress (nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn), itching, rash, dizziness, drowsiness and more severely, kidney damage, anemia. Yikes! Try a safer option first next time a headache hits: homeopathy!
Homeopathy is a therapeutic method that uses diluted extracts of natural substances to relieve symptoms. The active ingredients in homeopathic medicines include plants, animals, or minerals that relieve the same symptoms they cause at full strength (e.g., a microdose of coffee bean helps to relieve nervousness). Homeopathic medicines have been used for more than 200 years. They are manufactured in strict accordance with the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations.
Remedies can be very specific to the symptoms. Try matching your symptoms as best you can. If a remedy does not begin to bring relief after 2-3 doses try a different one. General dosing for headaches: give remedy every 2-3 hours. Once you start to notice improvement of symptoms only repeat a dose if symptoms worsen again.
Common homeopathic remedies for headaches
Belladonna
Use when:
- Headache is intense with violent, throbbing pain
- Headache is aggravated by light, noise, touch, smells, and motion
- Pain is more prominent in the forehead
- Face can be flushed/hot
Bryonia
Use when:
- Headache is aggravated by motion – even very slight motion
- Headache is a stead aching, but not throbbing
- Headache is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or constipation
Nux Vomica
Use when:
- Headache is caused from overeating, coffee consumption, alcohol consumption, bad night of sleep, or excessive mental work
- Headache is accompanied by general sick feeling and digestive upset
- Headache is aggravated by sound
Gelsemium
Use when:
- Headache starts at the back of the head and extends upward
- Can have visual disturbances
- Feeling of having a band bound tightly around the head
- Headache aggravated by light, noise, and motion
As always, please seek medical care if you have a very severe headache, have a head injury or your headache is accompanied by a stiff neck, fever, confusion or lasts more than a few days.