The Treatment of MIGRAINES

(1) Treating oneself with a Homeopathic mind-set:

Migraines are deep-seated pains affecting half the head. It is believed that these particularly painful headaches occur from a swelling of the vessels inside the head. Their cause is not clearly understood.

Certain types of migraines may respond to the following homeopathic remedies. One could take three pellets every half hour as soon as symptoms occur. If done in time, one would have a better chance of success. These remedies can be taken with a non-homeopathic headache medicine.

1) For a  throbbing migraine, one could take Belladonna 9 C.

2) For a migraine with a sensation of heat in the head and cold in the extremities, one could take Carbo Vegetabilis 9 C.

3) For a migraine in the back of the head, heavy eyelids & passing of large amounts of colorless urine, one could take Gelsemium Senpervirens 9 C.

4) For ophthalmic migraines, one could take Iris Versicolor 9 C.

5) For migraine with bilious diarrhea and burning in the stomach, one could take Iris Versicolor 9 C.

6) For migraine with bilious diarrhea, one could take Natrum Sulphuricum  9 C.

7) For migraine preceded by intense hunger or a feeling of well being, one could take Psorinum 9 C.

8) For migraine with burping, one could take Sanguinaria Canadensis 9 C.

9) For migraine with red cheeks, particularly the right cheek, one could take Sanguinaria Canadensis 9 C.

Warning: IF symptoms persist, discontinue the use of above remedies

(2) Migraine Treatment by Traditional Chinese Medicine :

In TCM, headaches are diagnosed and treated by  location of pain as related to channels (examples: (Top of head, sides of head, one side only, temples, behind the eyes, forehead, back of head & whole head.), according to the type of pain (examples: dull, feeling of heaviness, distending pain, stiffness, pulling, stabbing/boring & the feeling of emptiness), and according to amelioration (better when...) and aggravation (worse when..). Other examples of amelioration & aggravation are: time of day, activity / rest factors, weather, emotions, sexual activity, food, posture, menstruation and pressure.

In TCM, we then look at causation patterns: Exterior (Wind-Cold, Wind-Heat or Wind-Dampness),  Interior (Excess-Types: Liver Yang, Liver Fire, Liver-Wind, Liver Qi Stagnation, Stagnation of Cold in the Liver Channel, Dampness, Turbid Phlegm, Turbid Phelgm-Wind, Retention of Food, Stasis of Blood or Stomach-Heat) and (Deficiency Types: Qi Defiency, Blood Deficiency or Kidney Defieciency).

In TCM, our next step is to think about treatment approaches. Our choices are to treat the root cause or the manifestation or both or the manifestation first and the root second or the root only. Using acupuncture, we need to make point selection choices and in using herbal treatment, we makes prescription choices. We have learned certain treatment principles that come into play depending on all of above. We also have to make nutritional choices to share with the patient.

TCM has been practiced for thousands of years by folks trained/schooled in its traditions and supported by a people raised in its principles. Nutritional support is key and over many generations, the use of medicinal teas and mixtures of herbs is widespread. Even the use of certain acupressure points are used by the people, but when needed, the “doctor” does the treating.