Articles
/ Migrain 
Homeopathy
for Migraines; Treating the Cause
as
published in the March 2003 issue of Vitality Magazine
Patient:
“Every
time I take the medication my headaches disappears, but only to
return the next day”.
Doctor: “What happens the next day?”
Patient: “My boss drives me crazy, so I hit my head
against the wall!”
Is
your migraine headache a result of self-destructive behaviour?
As humans, we have the capacity to create our own pain. Often,
people knowingly sabotage their health and well-being; carrying
on with unhealthy relationships, staying in jobs that do not provide
fulfillment, eating foods that cause them indigestion, continuing
with self destructive habits like smoking, drinking and “recreational”
drugs. They continue this vicious cycle in spite of their despair
for recovery and the attainment of the ever-illusive “happiness”.
We are all familiar with the phrases “I will be happy when
I meet my soul-mate, pay off my debts, have breast enlargement
surgery or win the lottery.” In an attempt to avoid pain
and discomfort, people learn to become comfortably attached to
theses dependable companions known as destructive behaviours and
habits. Are you ready and willing to let go of your pain? Let
homeopathy gently guide you through this transition.
One
out of every 12 Canadians suffer from migraines, of which two
thirds are women. While most migraines are a result of stressful
and unhappy lifestyles, some are also hormonal and environmental
in nature.
Physical
triggers of migraines include over-exertion, fatigue and alignment
problems, while psychological ones are stress, worry, shock and
anxiety. Some dietary triggers can include consumption of certain
foods, alcohol, or missing meals. Medical reasons may consist
of blood pressure and dental problems. The hormonal reasons can
include menstruation, menopause or the contraceptive pill, and
finally the environmental ones can be changes in weather and barometric
pressure.
I
call these triggers - not causes, since in homeopathy the causes
of ill-health stem from our organisms’ inability to deal
with outside influences such as physical and environmental stresses.
The answer? Work on strengthening yourself (your constitution)
and the pain will take care of itself. This is how homeopathy
works.
In
homeopathy there are no medicines for migraines. As a matter of
fact, there are no medicines for Arthritis, Insomnia, Bell’s
Palsy, Epstein-Barr Syndrome, Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy, or
any other label you can conjure up. However there are treatments
for people; people who suffer from many conditions. It is you
that needs the treatment, not the disease.
Just
as no two fingerprints are alike, no two migraine headaches are
felt or expressed the same way. One patient suffering from migraines
may have visual disturbances and nausea, while another may experience
numbness. Some headaches are “stabbing” while others
are “throbbing”. Some start on the occiput and travel
upwards, settling over the right eye, while others start around
the sinuses then shoot down one shoulder. In order to help you,
a homeopath needs to know how you are different; the triggering
cause, the location and quality of your pain, the direction it
travels in, the sensations felt, symptoms that accompany your
migraine, what makes the headache better or worse, your moods,
appetite and sleep patterns, and many more details about who you
are.
In
homeopathic medicine, treatment of migraines is constitutional,
as is the treatment of any other chronic ailment. This means that
your homeopath will find one remedy that is exclusive to you and
your unique expression of your headaches. Aside from the myriad
of questions regarding the specifics of the migraines, you will
be asked questions that seem irrelevant to the condition; questions
such as your favourite position to sleep in, your fears and phobias,
how you express anger, or whether you like consolation when you’re
upset. There is a method to the madness. By combining all your
unique symptoms, feelings, phobias, circumstances and behaviours,
your homeopath will come up with the one substance, one homeopathic
remedy, that can help cure your migraine headache.
Actually,
it is not the homeopathic remedy that provides the cure. The remedy
simply acts as the catalyst to kick-start your body’s own
healing powers. Then the body takes care of the rest. Symptoms
of a given disease are not the disease, but rather manifestations
of the body's attempt to heal itself and restore its balance.
It’s the body’s cry for help. However due to stresses
in life (self-inflicted or otherwise) the body is often unable
to heal itself and requires a gentle push, from time to time,
to overcome the obstacles in its way. Homeopathic remedies provide
this gentle push.
Case
History
A
thirty-six year old man consulted me regarding his “debilitating
migraines” two years ago. Nausea preceded his weekly episodes
and at times resulted in vomiting. The pain would start in the
occipital region and move upward and forward settling over his
right eye. Ringing in the ears was another common feature accompanying
his migraines. He described the paid as sharp and stabbing, which
was relieved by walking in fresh air or vomiting. Being somewhat
of a workaholic, he would continue with his regular duties and
ignore the pain. He had a huge and undiscriminating appetite with
regular cravings for sour foods. His digestive disturbances included
bloatedness after meals and a lot of belching. The most striking
feature to me was his idealistic attitude; he was somewhat of
a dreamer. Disappointed with his past relationship failures, he
was longing for the perfect woman. His artistic abilities included
painting on a regular basis and writing the occasional poem. “Let
me guess. Love poems?” I inquired. “Yes” he
smiled. The totality of his physical and emotional symptoms led
me to prescribe Antimonium Crudum 1M. Four weeks of migraine-free
life was the result of the first dose of this remedy. During his
second visit, I learned that his migraines were less frequent
and less severe; once every 4 - 6 weeks with no vomiting or ringing
in the ears. After eight months of continued treatment this patient
was totally free of migraines, and has been for over a year now.
The
obvious cause of migraine headaches is constriction then swelling
of the arteries supplying the brain, but why the arteries behave
this way is a bit of a mystery. It is thought that a chemical
substance is released into the bloodstream, which may affect them.
Homeopaths believe that all causes of illness stem from a central
disturbance in the person’s energy field, or vital force.
This disturbance manifests in various illnesses and conditions,
according to each individual’s inherent physical and psychological
weaknesses. Thus the “target organ” expresses the
disease when we are under stress.
While
counteracting, or suppressing symptoms with medications may provide
temporary relief of pain and suffering, it is not the most effective
means of treating an illness. Here is my favourite analogy on
suppressing symptoms:
“Suppression
(of symptoms) is like smashing a beeping smoke alarm instead of
putting out the fire. The smoke alarm is a sign that something
is wrong and needs to be attended to. Attending to the superficial
warning fixes the immediate problem of annoying beeps, but will
not repair the underlying problem, which will only lead to greater
problems later on.” From the book “Healing Homeopathic
Remedies” by Nancy Bruning and Corey Weinstein, M.D.
Homeopathic
remedies, like modern medicines, can also provide palliation.
There are remedies that can be used as first aid to relieve the
pain of a migraine headache. Remedies such as Iris 12C, Sanguinaria
12C and Natrum Muiriaticum 12C (taken sublingually every 5 minutes
during the attack) may help relieve the pain.
Incidentally,
the remedy that will ultimately cure your migraine, will also
positively impact your emotional well-being. This often motivates
people to relinquish destructive and self-sabotaging patterns
and start creating a more fulfilling life. One patient, who initially
came to me seeking help with her severe PMS symptoms, was pleasantly
surprised when her overall physical and emotional health also
improved. “I got more than I bargained for” she said
to me. Her menstrual problems disappeared along with her migraine
headaches, her sex drive improved and she described herself as
being a “happier person”.
For
a permanent solution to your migraine headaches, a constitutional
assessment and prescribing is required. If you’re ready
and willing to let go of your pain, homeopathy can help you make
this transition.
Tamara Der-Ohanian, DSHM, is a Homeopathic Physician practising in Toronto. She can be reached at (416) 385-1001, or visit her web site at www.TheHealingDimension.com
