Homeopathy & migraine
A case followed for over four years
Main complaint Migraine.
Origin of the complaint Post partum - one year prior (2017).
Possible causative factors Anesthesia - birth was emergency caesarean section (foetal distress) - felt drained for sometime afterwards. Hormonal changes post partum.
Modalities <odours particularly perfume, and synthetic fragrances.
Time of occurrence, aggravation or amelioration Cannot hold food down.
Side of the body Left.
Frequency of appearance Intermittent.
Description of pain Electric shocks.
Other complaints Left hand and fingers feel weak with not great grip. Weak pelvic floor. Intermittent twitch left eyelid. Lost 8kg during first trimester of first pregnancy.
PERSONAL MEDICAL HISTORY Suppressive therapies and vaccinations HPV vaccines in early twenties - lost 13kgs in one month post third dose and was given no diagnosis. Received all childhood vaccines.
Traumas (physical, emotional, mental) Very fearful during pregnancy that she was carrying a girl, didn't want her to be molested. Parents divorced as a very young child.
Acute infectious diseases Chicken pox - ten years of age.
Surgeries emergency caesarean section.
Other Shingles - left intercostal with electric shock pains - age 22.
Family Medical History Angina. Asthma.
PHYSICAL GENERALS Sleeping habits Dreams a lot.
Food modalities Can eat 6-7 bananas per day, <citrus, lemons 'stomach pains and runny stools.' Forget to drink - force one litre per day.
Menstruation 'Strong' heavy, with clots, for ten days. Electric shock pains in left leg 'groin to feet' - I don't want to walk but do want to curl up. Fatigue with periods which returned two months after birth. Menarche 13. As a teen often couldn't leave the house due to metrorrhagia.
Skin eruptions 'irritable skin' - red lumpy rash, left side décolletage down left arm, feels dry, thin, irritable since taking HPV shots in her early twenties.
MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS Worry I have signs of multiple sclerosis - have had 'every (medical) test under the sun.' I get embarrassed by my skin. Loves dogs, and horses - has many of each. Scared of being attacked by saltwater crocodiles - petrified of them.
ANALYSIS & PROGNOSIS This lady does not recall having a fever during the few colds in earlier life, or with shingles. Loss of 13kgs post third HPV vaccine due to disordered stomach is a very strong reaction with complications indicating a defense mechanism which is too weak to counteract the vaccine - vaccinations often induce disturbing effects.1 Any chronic condition that traces to a vaccine is termed vaccinosis2 - evidenced by the persistent left sided rash our lady has had since ten years. This lady's family medical history doesn't reveal much about her inherited predisposition. Level of health of the patient is classified as Group C, level 8 where acute infections are no longer observed and they no longer develop fevers - a sign of a compromised immune system. Group C will not have had any acutes for several years, and will typically require several successive remedies.3
PHOSPHOROUS Thin, tall and fine featured. Smell very acute < headache, intolerance of perfumes. Great sensitivity to odours. Left sided symptoms. Haemorrhagic tendency (menses). Metrorrhagia bright red (almost never clotted).Dry skin.4 Strong anxiety about health. Many fears.5
PRESCRIPTION Phosphorous. Potency 200c (initial potency up to 200C in Group C)6. Regimen One dose daily for three days.
In 2020 this lady is in her trimester of pregnancy number two and briefly reports no migraines at all, and lighter menses, during the 18months since Phosphorus but is rather grumpy with my questions as she is quite unwell with Influenza A - without fever (this appointment was via phone).
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation Observation 8: The person's original complaint is somewhat better, but new symptoms dominate the case, completing the remedy pattern.7
Analysis of the reaction Phosphorous appears to have helped the defense mechanism, it is now able to generate symptoms which can be seen in levels 6 through 9, supportive of the original level 8 classification - Group C will report no acutes for many years. The longer it takes Group C to develop an acute the more chronic the condition is - the immune system is not working adequately therefore this group are prone to the development of serious acute disease which requires treatment.8
BRYONIA characteristic irritability, may refuse to answer questions preferring to neither talk or move. Motion (any kind) greatly aggravates. Headache. Constipation. Thirsty for large quantities of water. Trauma. Fear of financial ruin / poverty.9
PRESCRIPTION Bryonia. Potency 200C. Regimen One dose for two days.
In 2021 this lady is again grumpy although this time is unwell having a head cold with 'maybe like a light fever' - Group C is susceptible to mild acutes with fever no higher than 38.5°C which can sometimes still occur in level 8 and require treatment.10
PRESCRIPTION Bryonia. Potency 200C. Regimen One dose.
In 2022 this lady has taken panadol - a few doses - she hadn't taken pain relief for many, many years, happily reporting her great anxiety about health, and all of her initial 2018 symptoms had dissipated. But, was having a different type of headache and has become very fearful and uncertain of the future.
PRESCRIPTION Bryonia. Potency 200C. Regimen One dose.
Analysis This lady had two acute illnesses (influenza A, and a head cold) over three years (where none had been experienced for many, many years) reinforces the idea that she appears to be regaining some strength in her defense mechanism, with manifestation of acutes long after administration of the initial remedy a good sign but indicative that the chronic condition under treatment was quite severe. Considering it is known that level 8 or 9 people require years of treatment before they can produce an acute - the longer time it takes to develop an acute is indicative of more severe, chronic pathology - this lady having had two acutes in the three years post Phosphorous (2018), and in a shortening period of time, may infer strength is being regained in her immune system aka defense mechanism. Level 8, Group C which typically requires several successive remedies which has been seen in this ongoing case over four years.11
In my opinion, every homeopath working with people suffering chronic disease must become familiar with Levels of Health theory in order offer the people they work so hard for the best chance of recovery under the care of a well-trained homeopath able to interpret and understand disease progression - whether healthful or anti-healthful - as all diseases in the medical history, both acute and chronic, form links in the chain of a person, recuperating health results in symptom patterns which enable precise evaluation of remedy effect, knowledge of which is immensely beneficial to clinical efficacy. 12
The body is in a relatively good state of health when it has the possibility of producing a high fever. When it no longer has this ability it may indicate that the inflammatory process has gone to a deeper level, to a vital organ or even to the whole system, and there is a new situation - sub-acute inflammatory processes resulting in a continuous worsening of the chronic condition.1314 15
An observational, multi-centre, study of over two hundred women seeking homeopathic treatment for migraine showed improvements that persisted for the observed 24 month period. However, due to the study design, treatment specific effects, or not, were unanswered.16
Vithoulkas, G. 2017. Levels of Health, The second volume of the Science of Homeopathy, revised edition. Alonissos: International Academy of Classical Homeopathy.
Vithoulkas, G. 2014. 7th ed., The Science of Homeopathy. International Academy of Classical Homeopathy, Alonissos, Greece.
Vithoulkas, G. 2017.
Morrison, R. 1993. Desktop Guide to Keynotes and Confirmatory Symptoms. Grass Valley. Hahnemann Clinic Publishing.
Vithoulkas, G. 2012. Essence of Materia Medica. Fourteenth impression. New Delhi. B. Jain Publishers (P) LTD. (Originally published in 1988).
Vithoulkas, G. 2017.
Vithoulkas, G. 2017.
Vithoulkas, G. 2017.
Morrison, R. 1993.
Vithoulkas, G. 2017.
Vithoulkas, G. 2017.
Vithoulkas, G. 2017. Levels of Health, The second volume of the Science of Homeopathy, revised edition. Alonissos: International Academy of Classical Homeopathy.
Vithoulkas & Carlino, 2010. The “continuum” of a unified theory of diseases. Medical Science Monitor [online]. Feb;162:SR7-15. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20110932/
Vithoulkas G. 2021. An integrated perspective on transmutation of acute inflammation into chronic and the role of the microbiome. Journal of Medicine and Life [online]. Nov-Dec;14(6):740-747. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8811668/
Mahesh et al., 2023. Fever and the Ageing Immune System, A Review. International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research. Vol 4., issue 2. Available from: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ijtcmr/issue/79584/1330957
Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Willich SN, 2010. Homeopathic treatment of patients with migraine: a prospective observational study with a 2-year follow-up period. J Altern Complement Med. Apr;16(4):347-55. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20423206/