Migraine in Adolescent Boys and Girls and Its Homeopathic Management!

Acute recurrent headaches that last for 2 to 4 hours and occur periodically are termed as migraine headaches. With the growing civilization, the incidence of migraine cases is increasing and sadly young adolescent boys and girls are also the victims. Dealing with these adolescent migraine cases is not easy, as they involve lot of emotional and psychological issues as well. Especially the cases that involve disability to carry on day to day activities need significant attention.

Childhood migraine cases are found more in boys than girls; however, as they reach adolescent age group, more girls are affected than boys. Same trend continues in adulthood.

More than 70% cases of migraine have positive family history and one or more immediate family members usually suffer from the same. Though migraine is a very debilitating illness, it usually does not lead to any significant bodily problem, neither are stroke or brain tumors linked with the migraine.

In any age group, until recently the vascular system was blamed for occurrence of migraine headache. It was primarily thought to be due to constriction and expansion of blood vessels in the brain. However, it is now considered more of a CNS disorder primarily due to disturbance in the brain and nerves and secondarily due to blood vessels. Changes in the level of circulating neurotransmitters are thought to be among the primary causes.

1)     Classical Migraine- This is an episodic migraine with aura. In adolescent age group, usually the attack of migraine starts in early or late mornings. An aura can be said as a warning sign before an attack of migraine that may begin about 10 to 30 minutes before the onset of headache. Blurred vision, spots before vision, giddy spells, sudden nausea, etc are the common auras experienced by the migraine sufferer.

2)     Common Migraine- This is commoner form of migraine that occurs without any aura.

Some forms of complicated migraines also may occur in a few individuals, those associated with ophthalmic problems, confusion, and/or hemiplegia, etc; however such complications are rare during adolescence.

1)     Stress- In any age group, stress can be considered as the major factor that leads to onset of migraine headache. Especially adolescent age group undergoes lot of mental and emotional turmoil due to social, academic, and familial tensions. Stress management, psychotherapy to handle stress better, involving in some enjoyable hobby, etc are some of the strategies that help conquer such migraines.

2)     Menstruation- Menstrual migraines are pretty common in adolescent girls, which may be due to hormonal influences.

3)     Abnormal eating patterns- with the increasing stress and modern lifestyle, many adolescent boys and girls have irregular and junk eating habits. Certain types of food like coffee, chocolates, etc act as triggers in certain youngsters. Also remaining empty stomach beyond the normal gastric emptying time (4 hours) can set the attack of migraine.

4)     Medicines- certain medicines like Oral Contraceptive Pills, drugs used for asthma, stimulants, etc can result in recurrent migraine headaches. Understanding the bad effects o drugs and taking appropriate precautions to stop those drugs need expert advice.

5)     Alcohol- more and more adolescents are getting addicted to alcohol, the major trigger from migraine. Expansion of the arteries of the brain is the cause.

Identifying the trigger factors is one of the major steps in treating your migraine. Take apt steps to prevent these triggers and this will help in lengthening the headache-free periods and even reduce the intensity of attacks.

Medicinal therapy can always be started any time for any age group. But one should make efforts initially and during the medicinal course to cut the triggers and improve the lifestyle and diet. Here is the checklist—

þ      Maintaining a headache diary helps one understand the headache-free periods between the attacks

þ      Avoid over-the-counter medication as far as possible. Increase use of such drugs can actually increase the intensity of headaches

þ      Never skip meals, especially morning breakfast

þ      Drinking ample water (at least 8 to 10 glasses)

þ      Take steps to reduce stress; relaxation techniques can help a great deal

þ      Exercise regularly

þ      Re-schedule your sleep; you must get at least 8 hours of sleep at a stretch

þ      Take medicines properly as per the guidelines and give apt follow-up

Homeopathy, as we know is a holistic method of treating patients. Same approach is (or should be) maintained when it comes to treating migraine cases in any age group. One cannot take just the diagnosis of migraine into account while treating these types of episodic headaches homeopathically. Complete physical, mental, and emotional aspects of the patients should be given importance and remedy found after careful evaluation. Symptomatic approach is the best suited approach in any migraine case and rarely have I come across a migraine case that fails to respond to efficient homeopathic therapy. In adolescence age group, proper psychological counseling and stress management are important auxiliary regimens to be advised by homeopathic expert.

Here is the list of some of the important homeopathic remedies that can be tried in cases of migrainous or periodic headaches—

-         One of the top remedies for headaches

-         Throbbing variety

-         Headache starts in the morning after getting up and remains till sunset

-         School-girl headaches those suffer from anemia

-         Pain as if numerous hammers are thrusting on the brain

-         Semi-lateral headaches, migraines, with nausea and vomiting

-         With heavy aching eyelids

-         In migraine, has an aura in numbness and tingling in tongue, lips, nose etc, before the attack sets

-         Headache associated with sinusitis, when attack sets in after catching cold

-         Ill-effects of grief, worry, fear etc

-         Worse, from noise of any kind, music, heat, mental exertion; better on empty stomach, open air, pressure, sleep

-         acute headache that starts suddenly

-         sensitive head to least contact

-         fullness in forehead

-         associated with constant moaning

-         ill effects of catching cold or having a hair cut

-         pulsations felt in head

-         aggravated by lying down, noise, jar, afternoon

-         better by pressure and semi-erect posture

-         headaches associated with vertigo

-         spreading from occiput or located at occiput

-         tension headaches

-         dull pain with marked heaviness

-         heavy drooping eyelids

-         band feeling around head

-         temporal headaches that occur after exposure to sun

-         soreness in neck with headache

-         may be delirious

-         blindness may precede headache

-         foggy weather aggravates and so does anticipation about anything

-         better by profuse urination, open air and lying with head high

-         worsened Belladona headache, throbbing variety more on left side

-         head feels large when it aches

-         peculiar sun-headaches with dizziness

-         headache brought on by menstrual suppression

-         congestive headaches with irregular circulations; pulsations felt in head, ears and all over the face

-         any type of occupational headache brought on by working near or with heat

-         can feel surging of blood to head

-         despite heaviness, cannot lay head on pillow

-         headache in a child that attended campfire the day before

-         associated with sparks before the eyes

-         < sun, jar, stooping, hair cut, peaches, lying down

-         > brandy, after sun sets

-         migraine headaches

-         associated with loss of or deficient memory

-         marked state of confusion

-         headache starts in the morning on waking up

-         areas affected- occiput, temporal region, and mastoid

-         associated with heavy dull eyes with pain in eyeballs

-         worse using eyes, left side, movement

-         better by cold drinks and eating

-         Sudden onset headaches with excessive irritability

-         Throbbing pain in half of the head

-         Patient bends head backwards in the hope to relieve

-         Associated with hot clammy sweat on forehead and whining restlessness

-         < heat, anger, vexation, windy weather

-         > wet weather

-         Headache as if a nail driven through the sides

-         Crampy pain over the root of nose

-         Headache from anger, acute grief, etc

-         Emotional causes always lead to headache first

-         Marked congestion

-         Hysterical headaches

-         Hollow-feeling of head that is aggravated by stooping

-         Sobbing lady with headache

-         < warmth, after meals, smoking, coffee, > change of position frequently

-         peculiar right sides sun headaches

-         marked periodicity

-         begins in occiput, settles over the eyes (More on right side)

-         menopausal headaches

-         pain in spots over head

-         associated with burning in eyes and red burning cheeks

-         feels as if a flash of lightening hitting at the back of head

-         > sleep, lying down, < sweets, touch

-         Typical acidic headaches

-         Headache associated with lots of acidity

-         Marked nausea, lack of appetite, and burning along the alimentary canal

-         During mental strain, performs well but once it’s over, develops sick headache

-         Frontal headaches with nausea

-         Migraine with aura settling in eyes with a blur before eyes, followed by dull constricted headache for long time

-         headache with vertigo, especially after night-watching

-         headache from over-exertion, tobacco, alcohol, coffee

-         marked sensitivity to touch

-         frontal headache > by pressing hard

-         headache associated with constipation, nausea

-         sun headaches

-         head feels sore and distended

-         associated with photophobia, neuralgic pain in eyes, and watering of eyes

-         worse in the mornings, after eating, cold; better after a good nap, evening, rest