HEADACHES ACUTE AND CHRONIC


Anaemics sometimes complain of headache. If the tongue and gums be pallid there is no difficulty in selecting the correct remedies. Although I have treated numerous cases I have never been disappointed with Ferrum phos. alternated with Calc. phos. These two remedies tone up the whole system and prove of infinite value to those whose blood is thin and watery.


OCCASIONALLY we meet those who are not troubled with headache. More intimate acquaintance may discover that whatever their employment they are given to much walking. It would, therefore, be a natural inference that any person possessed of good legs who wished to be immune of headache ought to become a “hiker”, take more exercise and if he possess a motor-car, sell it or reserve it for extraordinary occasions.

But walking is not a cure-all for every kind of headache. Sometimes more is needed. A college student I knew attended classes in the morning, but in the afternoon and evening pored over his books to prepare himself for the next days work. Most of his colleagues took the afternoon for sports or country walks, and he hoped by his industry to secure more distinction in the examinations. He suffered, however, from violent headaches and had often to consult the college doctor. He was blind to his folly.

Much to-day is said of high blood-pressure. Old practitioners, however, do not appear to have been much concerned with it. When they found anyone afflicted with dizziness and headache they did not assume it was blood pressure there might be other causes, hence they endeavoured to find out what was making their patients so wretched.

A gentlemen from Hornsea suffered from vertigo (dizziness) and sometimes fearful headaches. He said he was a victim of high blood pressure. His doctor told him so but failed to relieve it. After examination, hardening of the arteries was diagnosed as the cause of the trouble. The verdict of his medical adviser was correct, but his treatment was wrong. Ferrum phos. alternated with Calc. fluor. was much to his benefit.

Many headaches arise from an inactive life which is indicated by a white-coated tongue. These sufferers find a sharp walk curative or if insufficient a few doses of Kali. mur.

The housewife may suffer from the same cause. She has a multitude of duties every day to occupy her attention and fears to cease from her activities even a missing button may lead to unpleasantness. She assures her neighbours she has no time to think of health, and although Nature warns her from time to time by distressing headaches, she endures them with stoical courage. A little more fresh air and Ferrum phos. alternated with Kali mur. would make her life brighter and happier.

Moreover, an inactive life may be associated with constipation. it is often said to be the cause of the headache. Anyway, Kali mur. should be alternated in such cases with Sulphur 6x. Of course, it is possible that constipation may need other remedies. There may be a lack of moisture in the rectum, shown by a watery or frothy tongue, and Natrum mur. be indicated.

An old lady with constipation said purgatives nearly killed her and she dared not take them. She was radically cured by this remedy in a few weeks.

Perhaps rheumatic headache is the most violent although this may be doubted. As a rule, it is easily detected. There are often rheumatic pains in other parts of the system, but when it reaches the head it becomes so violent that the victim is almost sent crazy. This form of headache calls for Kali phos. and Mag. phos.

Anaemics sometimes complain of headache. If the tongue and gums be pallid there is no difficulty in selecting the correct remedies. Although I have treated numerous cases I have never been disappointed with Ferrum phos. alternated with Calc. phos. These two remedies tone up the whole system and prove of infinite value to those whose blood is thin and watery.

Then, we must not forget the bilious headache. In dark- complexioned persons with yellow eyeballs this old complaint is easily induced often with vomiting. The liver secretes too much bile or sends it the wrong way. It is well known that Homoeopathy has a splendid remedy in Bryonia.

Why? Because it contains not only potash but Natrum sulph, the needed biochemic remedy always prescribed in bilious conditions. Since the two remedies are similar I often substitute one for the other. Of course, alternations are advisable, but if there be constipation with dark stools the original tissue-salt must not be discarded.

Recently I have been consulted by persons with a gastro-hepatic ailment. The back part of the tongue has been coated and the headache has been frontal or on the top of the head. Indigestion is usually present. Calc. phos. alternated with Natrum Phos. has given good results.

Possibly, the nervous headache is the commonest of all. In common parlance the causes are legion and it is often difficult for the practitioner to trace them. As our Editor, recently observed, the prescriber has to be a detective in order to be successful.

A letterpress printer had been under great anxiety touching his business, which had been removed to larger premises in the town, also much concerned with family affairs and headache was his daily portion. He tried various remedies and at last be took himself to biochemistry.

His headache yielded to Ferrum phos. alternated with Kali phos. Afterwards he credited the tissue- salts with being more, effective than the tar-poisons commonly purchased that suppress and only give temporary relief.

It may be asked “Can headaches be prevented?” Since they spring from deficiencies of tissue-salts despite environment we must endeavour to find out our constitutional weakness if there be any secure the biochemic most suitable and avoid the experiences which precede the peculiar headache to which we are prone. This is the advice of one who has not had headache the last sixty years.

J T Heselton