Headache is a common medical complaint. It is a pain felt in the head, neck, and face. There are different kinds of headaches with different sets of signs and symptoms.
People with severe intensity headaches are predisposed to depression. There are over 100 types of headaches, each requiring different treatment.
Everyone experiences a headache at some point in their lives. Headache can affect one’s day-to-day life and interfere with your daily actions.
It can occur in any region of your head, for example, back of the head (occiput), front and forehead (frontal), side of the head (temples).
Headache Types
Let’s take a look at the most common types of headaches.
Common Types:
Tension Headache
Tension headache is the most commonly occurring Headache. It can affect anyone, from teens to adults.
The patient experiences severe band-like pressure pain in both sides of the head that will go on its own. This type of Headache will not produce any other symptoms.
Migraine Headache
Migraine headache is the characteristic throbbing pain in the head that can occur one to four times a month and usually remains for two to four days.
Migraine headache is associated with nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light, smell, or sound. The patient may also have abdominal discomfort and pain.
One can also experience dizziness, faintness, and blurred vision before the Headache, i.e., Aura. It can occur at any age.
Cluster Headache
Cluster headache is the most severe intensity occurring pain around one eye or behind the eye.
The pain is continuous and throbbing, and it makes the patient restless. This can occur in episodes of one to three hours.
The symptoms include redness and tearing pains in the eye with nasal congestion or watery discharge. It can occur several times a day and for few months.
Men are three times more prone to suffer from cluster headaches than women.
Chronic Headache
This is an occurring daily headache for a period of 15 days to 3 months.
The attack can be short or sometimes longer of about three to four hours.
This can be due to migraine, tension, or some medical condition, for example, Hemicrania continua.
Sinus Headache
Sinus headache develops when the cavities present in the face and head are known as sinuses, get inflamed due to any reason.
This gives rise to Headache and pain in the cheekbones, forehead, and nose bridge.
A sinus headache may include other symptoms like a runny nose, fever, swollen face, and a sensation of pain and fullness in the ears.
Sometimes, when the sinus is infected, the discharge from the nose will be green or yellow instead of the clear watery discharge.
Post-traumatic Headache
Headaches that followed two or three days after receiving a head injury are known as post-traumatic Headaches. Its symptoms include dull pain, dizziness, faintness, inability to concentrate, easy tiredness, and irritability.
This type of Headache may persist for few months. One should not delay treatment in such conditions.
Less Common Types:
Rebound Headache
This is a dull, constant headache caused by the overuse of painkillers. If a person uses painkillers a few times a week or more than ten times a month, he may likely get rebound headaches.
It will keep returning again and again.
Exercise Headache
While exercising, the body especially, the head, neck needs more blood supply to function properly.
This leads to swelling of the blood vessels in these areas, and thereby a pulsating pain is felt in the head, neck after being physically too active.
Hemicrania Continua
It is a long-standing headache that occurs on the same side of the face and head every time.
It may include other symptoms like varying intensity of pain, red eyes, watery discharge from the eyes, heaviness of eyelids. These symptoms get worse on doing any physical exertion.
Hormonal Headache
This type of Headache is more common in females. It occurs when the hormones shift or change in the body, for example, during pregnancy or menopause.
Using birth control pills can cause hormonal headaches. Hormone replacement therapy can also be a factor behind its occurrence.
Thunderclap Headache
Thunderclap headache is a sudden, sharp, and severe headache that starts abruptly and keeps on increasing. There can be many factors responsible for it, for example, head injury, rupture or blockage of blood vessels in the brain, pregnancy changes in blood vessels, brain strokes, etc.
Rare Types:
Ice Pick Headache
This is a rare type of Headache that is intense, short, and stabbing in nature. It usually lasts for few seconds. It can happen several times a day. Ice pick headaches can be secondary to some underlying medical condition.
Headache Causes
Headache can be caused due to multiple factors. It can be mild or severe as per symptoms. Let’s take a look at the most common causes of Headache.
Stress
The most common cause of Headache is stress. Emotional stress, depression, anxiety, and excessive worry can cause headaches. It will create a feeling of heaviness in the head, neck, and eyes.
Other Medical Conditions
Headache can occur as a secondary manifestation of some previously existing illnesses such as fever, common cold, infections, etc. Sinus infection, ear infection, or throat infection also lead to a headache. Head injury or trauma can be a severe cause of Headache.
Family History
Headache can also develop due to genetic factors. If your parents had Headache, such as a migraine, you are likely to suffer from it. You may develop migraines during childhood or teenage also.
Environmental Factors
Sudden changes in weather, pollution, noise, bright lights are also known to cause headaches in some people. In addition to this, some things like allergens, strong perfume, a particular food, and chemicals in the house can cause recurrent headaches.
Poor Lifestyle Habits
An irresponsible lifestyle may also cause headaches such as consuming alcohol, not taking proper sleep, working all day on mobile or laptops, taking unnecessary over-the-counter medicines.
Headache Symptoms
Headache itself is considered a symptom, but many other symptoms can be associated with headaches depending upon the type of Headache.
• You may experience a dull, constant pain that can be felt in the head, which extends to the face, neck, eye and ears.
• You may feel intense pressure in the head with a nauseous feeling, and sometimes vomiting may occur.
• Increased irritability and loss of power of concentration.
• Pain in the eyes, redness, and heaviness in the eyes with watery discharge can be acrid.
• Pain and discomfort in the ears with ringing, buzzing and unusual noises in the ear.
• You may experience pain in one or both sides of the face that extends to the head.
• Pain can be felt in any part of the head, such as the back of the head, top of the head or forehead.
Risk Factors For Headache
Some factors predispose a person to develop a headache. Risk factors may also vary for different types of headaches. Let’s explore them one by one.
• Neck arthritis
• Hormonal changes such as periods, pregnancy, or menopause.
• Stress and depression.
• Poor sleep habits such as waking up late at night and not getting proper sleep.
• Trauma or injury to the head.
• Excessive alcohol or smoking.
• Family history of Headache, especially migraine or sinus headache.
Diagnosis Of Headache
The doctor will check your sign and symptoms. He will take your case, medical history to find which type of Headache you are having. And if necessary, some diagnostic tests will be suggested, for example,
• CT
• MRI
• EEG
These tests will find out the changes in your brain and blood vessels. It will help to find out the destruction or changes caused by injury to the head.
Management Of Headache
By following some of the measures, you can minimize headache attacks and improve your quality of life.
• Getting proper treatment under medical supervision.
• Keeping a correct posture of head and neck.
• Eating regular meals.
• Getting enough sleep.
• Quitting alcohol or smoking.
• Identifying the triggers for your Headache. And avoiding them.
Best Homoeopathic Medicines For Headache
The conventional line of treatment only aims at control of symptoms, but homeopathy aims at cure.
Homeopathy is a science that doesn’t focus only on illness and symptoms but also on the patient. So after the complete detailed history of present and past disease and considering the family illness, a drug is prescribed per the patient’s state.
Duration of treatment would vary from person to person depending upon several categories like age of the patient, state of the patient, severity of the illness, etc.
1. BELLADONNA: For Throbbing Headache
Symptoms–
Belladonna is the top-grade remedy for the treatment of headaches. It is a very famous and beneficial Homoeopathic medicine that is known to cure headaches.
The patient is sensitive to touch. The Headache produces a heating sensation in the head. The character of pain is throbbing. There is a feeling of fullness in the head.
The pain and fullness are more in the forehead. It can also occur in the back of the head or sides of the head. The Headache is worse by bright light, noise, lying or in the afternoon. The Headache comes suddenly.
The Headache is temporarily relieved by pressure. The patient forces his head into the pillow due to pain. He rolls his head into the pillow to get some relief.
Belladonna can treat headaches due to haircuts, colds, etc. The right side of the head is more commonly affected.
This remedy can be used for the treatment of different types of headaches when the symptoms match.
Dosage And Potency:
Use Belladonna in 1M potency, four pills every week for 4-5 weeks. Belladonna 200ch can be used as four pills twice daily till improvement occurs.
2. GLONOINE: For Congestive Headache
Symptoms-
Glonoine is considered one of the best remedies for treating congestive headaches. It is a Homoeopathic remedy prepared from Nitro-glycerine. It can effectively treat headaches due to sunstroke.
The patient experiences dizziness and confusion. This remedy can treat Headache headache complaints of people who work for long hours under the sun. The head feels heavy but lying on a pillow does not help.
The patient cannot bear heat about the head. His head complaints are better by uncovering the head.
It can treat headaches due to blood pressure issues such as high blood pressure. The face and head are full of pain.
The headache increases and decreases with the sun. In females, Headache appears in the place of menses. The rush of blood to the head is high. The patient may develop some serious medical condition if the Headache is left untreated.
Potency And Dosage:
Glonoine in 1M potency can be used as four pills once every week for 4-5 weeks.
For best results, use Glonoine 200ch, four pills thrice daily for 15-20 days.
3. RUTA GRAVEOLENS: Headache From Eye Straining
Symptoms–
It is also a prominent remedy for the treatment of headaches caused by eye-straining.
The eye becomes red, hot, and painful. Even little straining of the eyes causes headaches.
Doing work such as sewing or reading small letters will lead to pain in the eyes and head. It can also treat the Headache due to changing eyeglasses powers ( disturbances of accommodation).
The patient may have weary pain after reading.
There is a painful pressure deep in the eye sockets and eyebrows.
Ruta Graveolens can treat these symptoms efficiently.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Ruta Graveolens in 1M potency, four pills once a week for 4-5 weeks. Ruta Graveolens 200ch can be used as four pills thrice daily till improvement occurs.
4. NATRUM MUR: For Chronic Headache
Symptoms–
Natrum Mur is a helpful remedy for chronic headaches. It is known to treat different types of headaches with beneficial results.
The character of pain throbbing, blinding, aches as if a thousand little hammers were knocking on the head in the morning on waking up. It can treat headaches in women after menstruation.
The Headache occurs from sunrise to sunset.
It is a beneficial remedy for weak, anemic school who suffer from headaches. It can also treat migraine headaches.
Chronic congestive headaches that occur
on one side of the head with nausea, vomiting, and pale face will be relieved with this remedy. The headache returns after a fixed interval.
The patient may experience aura symptoms before Headache ( numbness and tingling in lips, nose, and tongue). The symptoms are relieved by sleep. Natrum Mur is also a beneficial remedy for sinus headaches.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Natrum Mur in 1M potency, four pills once every alternate day for 15-20 days. One can also use Natrum Mur in 200ch potency, four pills twice daily till improvement occurs.
5. IRIS VERSICOLOR: For Headache With Gastric Disturbances
Symptoms–
Iris versicolor is a good remedy for the treatment of headaches with nauseous feeling. The patient experiences pain in the forehead. His scalp feels constricted.
The right side of the head is more commonly involved. The Headache begins with a blur before the eyes. The Headache gets worse on sleep and mentally straining.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Iris Versicolor in 1M potency, four pills once every alternate day for 15-20 days. One can also use Iris Versicolor in 30ch potency, four pills thrice daily till improvement occurs.
6. CEDRON: For Periodical Headache
Symptoms–
Cedron is a beneficial remedy for a headache that occurs periodically. Periodicity is a notable feature of this remedy.
Pain occurs from the sides of the head and across the ears. The right side of the head is involved. The Headache appears at 9 am. The patient becomes crazy due to pain in the forehead which is worse on exertion.
The whole body feels numb due to a headache. The patient may complain of severe pain in the eyeballs.
Potency And Dosage:
For best results, use Cedron 30ch, four pills thrice daily for 15-20 days.
7. SANGUINARIA CAN: For Right-sided Headache
Symptoms-
Sanguinaria Can is beneficial for the Headache of the right side of the head.
It can treat periodical headaches.
The pain begins in the back of the head and spreads upwards only to settle in the right eye.
The patient is relieved by lying and sleep. He feels as if the blood vessels of the head become swelled.
In old menopausal women, the Headache returns every seventh day.
Symptoms include burning in the eyes.
The pain at the back of his head feels like a flash of lightning.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Sanguinaria Can in 1M potency, four pills once daily for 15-20 days. One can also use Sanguinaria Can in 200ch potency, four pills twice daily till improvement occurs.
8. SPIGELIA: For Left-Sided Headache
Symptoms-
Spigelia is a beneficial healing agent for people suffering from a left-sided headache.
The patient may experience pain in the forehead and the sides of the head.
The pain extends to the eyes. Severe pain occurs in the eye and deep in the eye socket.
The character of pain is violent and throbbing.
The pain gets worse on walking. The patient feels as if there is a band around his head.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Spigelia in 1M potency, four pills once daily for 15-20 days. One can also use Spigelia 200ch, four pills twice daily till improvement occurs. Spigelia 30ch can be used as four pills thrice daily till improvement occurs.
9. NUX VOMICA: For Headache Due To Bad Food Habits
Symptoms–
Nux Vomica is a prominent headache remedy in Homoeopathy.
It is beneficial for cases of Headache with dizziness. Headache becomes worse on doing any mental exertion, consuming alcohol, coffee, tobacco, sexual act, etc.
The patient is angry due to his pain.
He lives a sedentary lifestyle. Sun can make the Headache worse.
The patient suffers from gastric disturbances, constipation, etc.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Nux Vomica in 1M potency, four pills once daily for 15-20 days. One can also use Nux Vomica in 200ch potency, four pills thrice daily till improvement occurs.
10. KALI PHOS: For Headache Due To Stress
Symptoms–
Kali phos is the best nerve remedy for Homoeopathy. It is beneficial for patients who are weak, anemic, and stressed. Their health deteriorates.
The patient can’t sleep at night.
This remedy can treat headaches of students and those worn out by fatigue. The Headache is associated with an empty feeling in the stomach.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Kali Phos in 1M potency, four pills once daily for 15-20 days. One can also use Kali Phos in biochemical potency, Kali Phos 6X, four tablets four times a day till improvement occurs. Kali Phos 200ch can be used as four pills once daily for 15-20 days.