Mensteual Migraine

Menstrual Migraine – Homeopathy Can Help

By Dr. Vikas Sharma MD 

Menstrual migraine is a term to describe migraine experienced by a woman every month any time between two days before beginning of the menses to 3 days after its onset. Migraine refers to a throbbing or pulsating headache that occurs mostly on one side of the head. It is usually attended with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. Menstrual migraine is diagnosed when a woman gets such a headache for at least 2 out of 3 consecutive menstrual periods. Homeopathic Remedies for menstrual migraine gradually reduce the frequency and intensity of the headache in chronic cases.

Causes 

Menstrual migraine occurs from hormonal changes. Drop in the female hormone estrogen that occurs just prior to a menstrual period triggers these headaches.

It doesn’t occur from low levels of oestrogen in a female but from drop in levels of oestrogen from one level to another. In some women taking birth control pills can trigger these migraine attacks. This is because during 3 weeks time from a given month women take pills that supply the body with hormones regularly. But when it’s time to take no pills during pill free / menses week the estrogen level drops right away at high speed leading to headache.

Next around a woman’s perimenopausal time there occur a series of drastic changes that can trigger this migraine. 

Though these headaches decrease in frequency during menopause but women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause may also get frequent headaches. During pregnancy these headache may get better.

Symptoms 

Its main symptom is one sided headache. It is usually felt as a throbbing type of pain. To this nausea and vomiting may accompany. Other than this sensitivity to light and sound may be experienced during headache. In some cases a set of symptoms called aura occurs before headache.

Symptoms of aura might include tingling or pins / needles like sensation in the face, arm or leg; bright spots, flashes of light or different shapes before the eyes, temporary vision loss ; Weakness / numbness in the face or one side of the body.

1. Pure menstrual migraines –  these are experienced only around the periods and at no other times. 
2. Menstruation-related migraines – these are the ones that occur around periods but also occur at other times too.

Homeopathic Remedies for Menstrual Migraine 

Homeopathic medicines are very effective to treat cases of menstrual migraine. They offer great help in managing the acute attacks to provide relief and are also beneficial to reduce its future recurrences in long term cases. The homeopathic medicines to treat it are of natural origin so they treat the condition in a very safe, gentle and natural way without any sort of side effects.

1. Natrum Mur – Top Grade Medicine

It is a prominent medicine for treating headache before and during menses.  The headache feels as if thousands of hammers are knocking on the brain. With this there is nausea and vomiting. The face gets red. The eyes also feel heavy. Visual disturbance may be felt sometimes with headache. The pain worsens from motion and also from eye movement where it is needed. It feels better after sleep and pressing on the eyes. 

2. Pulsatilla – For Headache Attended with Vomiting

It is a natural medicine prepared from a plant Pulsatilla Nigricans commonly known as wind flower. This plant belongs to family ranunculaceae. It works well in cases in which headache is accompanied with vomiting. Mostly it is helpful when a headache occurs two or three days before the menses. There is also dimness of vision. Headache is one sided and is pulsating type for using it. Watering from eyes on the side affected may sometimes be present. Menstrual flow may be scanty. There may be some relief in the headache by walking in the open air. It is also a great medicine when headache is felt at the appearance of the menses. Here pain is mostly felt at top of head and the pain is mostly pressing or throbbing in nature.

3. Sepia – For Headache during Menstruation

This is another useful medicine for treating headache at menstrual time. In cases needing it the pain is stinging type in one side of the head. It is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The pain worsens in a room and feels better in the open air. It is also better by lying on the painful side of the head. The menses may be scanty and last for too short a duration in cases requiring it.

4. Belladonna – For Throbbing Type of Headache

This medicine is prepared from a plant deadly nightshade. It belongs to family solanaceae. It is a very beneficial medicine for managing a throbbing type of headache. With this there feels fullness sensation and heat in the head. Mostly the headache gets worse from light exposure and noise where it is indicated. It may also worsen from cold air exposure. Pressure on the head may relieve the pain.

5. Glonoine – For Congestive, Throbbing, Bursting Headache

Glonoine is a very effective medicine for congestive throbbing and bursting headaches. Females needing it can feel the pain before, during or at the end of their periods. The eyes and face may be red with the pain. Sometimes pain is tearing in nature. Nausea occurs with pain. They may get relief in pain from sleep. 

6. Lachesis – For Headache before and during Menses

Use of this medicine is considered when headache occurs before and during menses. When it occurs before menses it is felt as throbbing pain in the left temple. When it occurs during periods it is felt as beating in the head. Along with this burning sensation on the top of head is experienced. Dimness of vision or flickerings before the eyes is felt with headache. 

7. Sanguinaria can – For Right Sided Headache

It is a natural medicine prepared from fresh roots of plant  Sanguinaria canadensis having the common name Blood – root and Puccoon. It belongs to the family papaveraceae. It is a significant medicine when pain in the head occurs specifically on the right side. The headache begins from the back of the head and radiates to the front of the head and settles over the right eye. There occurs a sensation as if the head would burst or the eyes would be forced out of the head. The face gets red and hot during a headache. The menstrual blood is bright red with clots and has an offensive smell. It may be scanty. 

8. Nux Vomica – When Menses are Preceded and Attended with Pressure in Head

This medicine is specifically indicated when menses are preceded and attended with pressure in the head. This is marked in front of head and top of head (vertex). Headache during menses that worsen from lying down is also indicative for using it. Females needing it also have cramping pains in the uterine region during menses. With this excessive nausea is felt.

9. Graphites – For Headache over Eyes

Graphites is indicated when headache is felt over eyes during menses. The pain is severe. With this nausea and burping is there. The periods are scanty and blood flow is thin in females needing it.

10. Lycopodium – For Headache and Abdominal Bloating before Periods

This medicine is prepared from plant Lycopodium Clavatum commonly known as club moss. It belongs to the family lycopodiaceae. It is well indicated for females who complain of headache and abdominal bloating before periods. They have gas in their abdomen. They also have nausea with this. Next they can have pain in the abdomen and tiredness. Mostly pain is felt in the temples (means sides of head).

11. Carbo Veg – For Early, Profuse Periods with Headache

This medicine is indicated in cases in which the periods occur early and are copious attended with headache. The headache is violent. It is accompanied with nausea. Lastly great weakness occurs along with above symptoms.

12. Kreosote – For Headache with Profuse Menses

This medicine is valuable for cases in which the headache occurs during menses and the menstrual flow is profuse. Clots may be present in the blood. Along with headache rushing sound in the ears may be present. In some cases the headache occurs before menses. Before menses  vomiting of mucus, abdominal bloating and pain around the navel may be present too.

13. Ignatia – For Heaviness in Head along with Heat

This medicine is used when there is heaviness and heated sensation in the head. This may be present before or during periods. In some cases severe pressing pain in the forehead is experienced. Mostly sensitivity to light accompanies. Some other symptoms that may attend are ringing in the ears, cramping in the abdomen and excessive weakness in the whole body.

14. Magnesia Carb – For Headache, Chilliness and Weakness during Menses

The chief feature for using this medicine is headache, chilliness and weakness during menses. The face appears pale with this. Sometimes spasmodic or pressing pain in the abdomen are present too. Other than above it is also indicated for pain in  the head at commencement of menses.