HEADACHES


HEADACHES. Headache is often a biological reprimand, rather than a threat. The majority of headaches stem from readily reversible body changes and are an accompaniment of resentments and dissatisfactions. Of the headaches, the most common are vascular in type, including migraine and tension headaches. Headache may be equally intense, whether its complications are malignant or benign.


Headache is the commonest complaint that the physician is called upon o alleviate. Examination of the men for World War II service, revealed that 8 percent had frequent severe headaches. Fifty percent of the men who demonstrated their temperamental unfitness for war, trial after induction, complained of headaches.

Headache is often a biological reprimand, rather than a threat. The majority of headaches stem from readily reversible body changes and are an accompaniment of resentments and dissatisfactions.

Of the headaches, the most common are vascular in type, including migraine and tension headaches. Headache may be equally intense, whether its complications are malignant or benign.

The psychiatrist insists that the physician would do better if he took a little more time in an endeavor to arrive at the psychogenic factor often involved in the productions of headaches, rather than just to relieve by palliation.

This might well apply to the homoeopathic, also, for Hahnemann, himself, stated that the etiological factor must be first removed if success is to be obtained.

It becomes apparent that procedures aimed at a better understanding of the patient, his life situation, and the factors that constitute a threat to him, can be of basic therapeutic importance. The long-term aim of therapy should be that of helping the individual to understand the basis of his tension, the factors of his life that aggravate it, and to aid him in resolving his conflicts.

Following such, we next consider the homoeopathic remedy:

OREODAPHNE.

Oreodaphne is a native tree of the State of California which grows to about 100 feet in height. The dark green leaves, when bruised, emit a pungent, spicy odor. Even the atmosphere in the vicinity of the tree transmits the aroma of this member of the laurel family, commonly known as the Bay Tree.

Oreodaphne is a wonderful remedy for certain types of nervous or neuralgic headaches, characterized by a dull ache in the cervical or occipital regions, with a marked heaviness or stuporous feeling in the head.

The patient has a desire constantly to move the head in a vain endeavor to dislodge this heavy feeling, which however, gives no relief. There is aggravation of the head distress on motion of any kind, and amelioration by rest, lying and restriction of light. Associated with this occipital pain (which incidentally often extends down into the scapula) is an intense ache at the inner angle of both orbits, with a pressure sensation that extends through the brain and over the scalp to the occiput.

These symptoms naturally fall into the category of the typical neurasthenic headache, for which I have found Oreodaphne a valuable curative remedy.

Olfaction of the crushed leaves is efficacious, if the tree is available for that purpose.

I use the thirteenth potency with excellent results.

EPIPHEGUS.

I have a beech tree growing in my front of yard. From the roots of this tree, growing as a parasite, is a slending branching herb without leaves, of the same dark brown color as the beautiful leaves of this deciduous tree.

This is the so-called cancer root or beech drops from which the mother tincture of Epiphegus is prepared.

Proverbially, Epiphegus has been used by the homoeopath for so-called “shopping headaches,” especially in women, brought on by undue fatigue and exertion as a result of attempting to assail the bargain counter.

There is a pressing pain in the temples from without inwards, often left sided. Nausea and salivation frequently accompany this type of headache, and a very characteristic symptom is a desire to spit the profuse, viscid saliva.

These patients are always markedly relieved by lying and resting.

SULPHUR.

Unquestionally the greatest chronic headache remedy is Sulphur. It is such a full remedy that it is somewhat difficult succinctly to state the indications. It has been said that the less knowledge one has of materia medica, the more often one is inclined to prescribe Sulphur.

Ordinarily the Sulphur headache begins after the evening meal and increases into the night, thus interfering with sleep. The warmth of the bed aggravates. Thirst accompanies the nocturnal aching.

Periodic intermittent neuralgia, with a mid-day or midnight aggravation, is another characteristic of Sulphur.

Complaints that come once per week, or two weeks, a seventh day aggravation being peculiar to Sulphur. Most headaches coming on Sunday in working men are cured by Sulphur.

The Sulphur headache is aggravated by stooping, better in a warm room, and y the application of warmth, and warm drinks; worse by light, by jarring, and after eating. The whole head is sensitive and the eyes are red. The face is puffed and the skin engorged.

The Sulphur headache is often preceeded by an aura, such a flickering of colors, scintillations, stars, zig-zags. The latter come very often with that hungry, “all gone” feeling. Often the scalp itches and burns, along with the headache. There is that “tight hat” sensation, and headache from pressure of the hat, better with the head uncovered.

The characteristic Sulphur patient is hungry and thirsty, with that particular “all gone,” starved sensation about 10 or 11 A.M. He loves fat, cannot stand long, is untidy to the point of being actually dirty; argumentative; flushed face, burning distresses; angular, lean, stoop-shouldered, bad assimilation, and poor nutrition.

NATRUM MURIATICUM.

Probably our second best remedy for chronic headaches. As Hering puts it, the headaches are awful, dreadful pains of a bursting, compressing character, as if the skull would be crushed. There often is that characteristic sensation, as of a thousand little hammers in the head, as soon as the patient moves. Amelioration from rest, quiet and sleep.

The headaches are periodic: daily, third day or fourth day. The patient often awakes with the headaches, the pain coming on in the latter part of sleep.

The Natrum mur. headache also may come on about 10-11 A.M. and may last until 3 P.M. or evening. The patient often perspires with the headache, which in the case of intermittent fever relieves generally, but not necessarily the headache.

Natrum mur. is often the remedy for the menstrual headaches of school girls, likewise for the headaches from eye strain. It is useful in typical migraine, and for the so-called blind headaches where everything turns black.

Experienced homoeopathic doctors learn to classify patients by experience. The typical Natrum mur. case evidences nervous irritability to the point of nervous prostration. There is marked weakness and emaciation. The skin is shiny, pale, waxy, looks as if greased.

Aggravation by warmth and in a warm room. Patient desires the open air. Craves salt. Aversion to fats.

Natrum mur. conforms best to slow-appearing, long-lasting, and deep-seated symptoms.

FERRUM MET.

Congestive headaches with a surging of blood upwards. There is a sense of fullness and distension with a red face. There is relief from pressure. Every quick motion aggravates the headache, especially coughing, but gentle motion, if it is done very deliberately, such as careful walking, will ameliorate.

Suitable for congestive headaches from excitement, from taking cold, and from exposure.

Concomitant: weakness, relaxation, ravenous appetite, regurgitations; but no nausea, mental weariness, and depression.

SANGUINARIA.

The typical Sanguinaria headache is periodic. It begins in the morning and wakes the patient up. It starts in the occiput and travels upward to settle over the right eye and temple. It gets progressively worse during the day, causing the patient to seek the dark and to lie down quietly, which seems to relieve. Vomiting ensues and the vomitus is bile mixed with indigested food. Following vomiting, the relief is marked: the patient goes to sleep and the attack passes off. During the height of the attack, the pain is so severe that the patient will frantically bore his head into the pillow for relief. Like Gels., profuse micturition relieves the headache.

Sulphur, Silicea, and Sanguinaria have periodic weekly headaches. Arsenicum, Sulphur, and Niccolum have periodic headaches every 2 weeks.

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

Charles C. Boericke