The Homeopathic Approach to Headaches

The following list identifies some of the remedies commonly prescribed for headaches, and the kinds of headaches they may be used to treat. The common name is first, followed by its Latin name in  parentheses:

• Anacardium (Anarcardium)—For a tearing headache related to strong mental effort. The pain strikes the forehead and the back of the head, and the patient is irritable or angry.
• Belladonna (Belladonna)—For a throbbing headache that is made worse by movement, noise, or light. It hurts more on the right side then the left, and the face is red.
• Bryonia (Bryonia alba)—For a headache that generally hurts more in the morning and immediately sends waves of pain through the head with the slightest movement.
• Gelsemium (Gelsemium)—For headache patients who are listless and tired, and who suffer from a dull pain. The pain is worse in the early hours of the day but eases some after urinating.
• Ipecac (Ipecacuanha)—For headaches triggered by arthritis of the neck, accompanied by upset stomach and vomiting.
• Silica (Silicea)—For a headache related to mental exhaustion. The pain moves from the back of the head to the right eye and is worsened by noise or movement.

There are also remedies specifically geared to migraines, including the following remedies:

• Cimicifuga (Cimicifuga racemosa)—For a migraine that comes from long-term study or worry, with pain that seems to be pressing out against the inside of the skull.
• Scullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia)—For a migraine that makes you feel restless, producing a dull pain in the front of the head and a reddening of the face.