Gelsemium headaches generally begin at the back of the head, often extending to the rest of the head or to the forehead. The person may feel as though a band or hood were bound tightly around their head. These symptoms are, of course, characteristic of muscle-contraction headaches. But Gelsemium is also one of the fairly few homeopathic medicines that clearly suit headaches preceded by dimness of vision or other visual disturbances, symptoms of migraines. Localized pain on the right side of the head is also covered by this remedy. The Gelsemium headache is not much affected by changes of temperature, but other environmental factors (light, noise, motion, jarring) aggravate it. Napping or, curiously, urinating relieves the pain. The person feels dull, tired, heavy, and apathetic. His eyes droop and he looks exhausted. He is not particularly irritable but wants to be left alone. The headaches of Iris are also preceded or accompanied by dimness of vision or other changes in eyesight. The pain is felt in one side of the forehead, particularly the right side. Nausea and vomiting ensue, and the headache is worse after the vomiting. The pain is made better by walking in the open air. Iris has helped many people with periodic migraine headaches, such as those that return every weekend. Even if visual disturbance does not accompany the headache, Iris may help if its other symptoms fit.

Sanguinaria headaches typically begin in the back of the head but extend to and soon settle over the right eye or in the right side of the head. Right-sided headaches are covered by other medicines (Iris and Gelsemium, for instance) but Sanguinaria is especially noted for this symptom. The pain is sharp, splitting, knifelike, and sometimes throbbing. Once again, nausea and vomiting occur at the height of the pain, but unlike Iris headaches, those of Sanguinaria are relieved after vomiting. Motion aggravates the pain, whereas sleep and firm pressure relieve it. Like Iris, Sanguinaria suits headaches that recur in a consistent pattern, such as every seven days. Homeopathic reference texts do not mention Sanguinaria in connection with visual disturbances. However, if you have a classic, visual-aura migraine headache that also has the symptoms just mentioned, we certainly recommend that you use this medicine.

The headaches that need Spigelia have stitching, burning, and pulsating pains, usually on the frontal part of the head and often on the left side. Lying with the head propped up makes the pains better; stooping, motion, noise, and cold stormy weather make them worse. Washing with cold water can feel good, but the pain is usually worse after you finish. In general, the head pains are made worse by warmth and temporarily better by cold (for other pain symptoms of Spigelia the reverse is true). A stiff neck and shoulders accompany the headache and make motion very painful. The person may also experience severe pain in and around the eyes and extending deep into the sockets.

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