Migraine is far more than a bad headache. It is an episodic, usually throbbing headache, often on one side, that can come with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound, and that lasts from several hours to a few days. This page explains the stages and triggers of migraine, how it is diagnosed and treated, and how homeopathic care is offered as individualised support alongside your doctor’s advice.
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Share your symptoms and reports, and our specialists will plan your personal homeopathic treatment, in person at our Mumbai clinics or online from anywhere.
Migraine at a glance
- What it is: a recurring, often throbbing headache, usually on one side, with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
- Four stages: prodrome, aura, headache (attack) and postdrome.
- Common triggers: stress, skipped meals, lack of sleep, certain foods and drinks, strong smells, periods, weather change and bright light.
- Urgent signs: a sudden “worst ever” headache, headache with fever and stiff neck, or new weakness or speech trouble.
- Our approach: individualised homeopathic care alongside trigger management.
What is migraine?
Migraine is thought to arise from changes in brain activity and in the blood vessels and nerve pathways around the brain, together with changes in brain chemicals. It often runs in families and usually begins in childhood, adolescence or early adult life.
A migraine can pass through four stages. The prodrome, a day or two before, may bring constipation, mood change, food cravings, neck stiffness and yawning. An aura in some people brings flashing lights, blind spots, pins and needles or speech difficulty. The attack brings throbbing pain on one or both sides, nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound, lasting four to 72 hours if untreated. The postdrome leaves a drained, washed-out feeling.
Symptoms of migraine
Common symptoms include:
- Throbbing or pulsating pain, often on one side of the head
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitivity to light, sound and smells
- Visual changes such as zigzag lines, spots or blurred vision (aura)
- Pins and needles in the arms or legs, or difficulty speaking, in some people with aura
- Dizziness and blurred vision
- Pain that worsens with movement and routine activity
- Tiredness, difficulty concentrating and a drained feeling afterwards
Causes and risk factors of migraine
Common causes and risk factors include:
- A family history of migraine
- Stress, and the relief that follows stress
- Skipping meals, lack of sleep or changes in sleep pattern
- Foods and drinks such as alcohol, red wine, chocolate, aged cheese and caffeine
- Strong smells, perfumes, bright or flickering light
- Hormonal changes, particularly around periods
- Changes in weather and altitude
- Excessive tiredness, dehydration and some medicines
How migraine is diagnosed
Migraine is diagnosed from your history and examination. Tests are used mainly to rule out other causes when there are warning signs:
- A detailed history of the pattern, stages, triggers and family history
- A neurological examination and blood pressure check
- A headache diary kept for a few weeks
- MRI or CT scan if there are red-flag features or an unusual pattern
- Eye and blood tests where relevant, and an EEG only in selected cases
Warning signs: when to get urgent help
Please go to the nearest hospital emergency department immediately if there is:
- A sudden, severe headache that reaches full strength within a minute (a thunderclap headache)
- Headache with fever, stiff neck, rash or confusion
- Headache after a head injury
- Weakness, numbness, difficulty speaking, a drooping face, seizures or loss of vision
- A new type of headache after the age of 50, or a steadily worsening pattern (see a doctor soon)
Conventional treatment options
Treatment has two parts: stopping an attack and preventing future attacks.
- Acute treatment: simple painkillers, anti-sickness medicines and triptans, taken early in an attack
- Limiting painkillers to a few days a week to avoid medication-overuse headache
- Preventive medicines such as beta-blockers, antidepressants or anti-seizure drugs for frequent migraine, prescribed by a doctor
- Newer preventive treatments in selected people with frequent, disabling migraine
- Lifestyle measures: regular sleep and meals, trigger avoidance and stress management
Homeopathic medicines commonly considered for migraine
These medicines are commonly considered in homeopathy for migraine, with the symptom picture traditionally associated with each. They are listed for general information, not as a prescription.
Belladonna: a sudden, throbbing, right-sided headache with a flushed face and sensitivity to light, noise and jarring.
Bryonia alba: a headache that is worse on the slightest movement and relieved by lying still and firm pressure.
Nux vomica: a headache after overwork, loss of sleep, alcohol or rich food, with irritability and nausea.
Pulsatilla: a headache with changing pain, worse in a warm room and after rich food, relieved by fresh air.
Iris versicolor: a headache with nausea and sour vomiting, often occurring after a period of rest, such as weekends.
The right medicine is chosen only after detailed case-taking by an experienced doctor.
Wondering which medicine is right for your migraine?
Every person with migraine is different, and so is the medicine that works best for them. To discover the best-suited homeopathic medicines for migraine for you, consult our experts. They will study your symptoms, your past treatment history and your personality, and then find the homeopathy medicines that suit you best.
Call +91 8080 850 950 for a 1:1 personal consultation with our experts today.
Homeopathic treatment of migraine at Welling Homeopathy
Migraine is a pattern, and the best homeopathic medicine depends on that pattern: where the pain is, what it feels like, what brings it on, what eases it, and what you are like. Homeopathy considers the whole person, so treatment is determined by your own symptoms, triggers and personality.
At Welling Homeopathy a detailed consultation covers your headaches, their timing, associated symptoms, your triggers, hormones, digestion, sleep, stress and emotional state, so that care is planned around you. Homeopathic care is offered to ease the frequency and intensity of attacks and to support you between them, alongside any treatment your doctor advises. Please keep a headache diary, and continue prescribed medicines until your doctor advises otherwise.
Homeopathy is offered here as individualised, supportive care alongside your current treatment. Please do not stop, skip or change any prescribed medicine on your own; any change should be discussed with the doctor who prescribed it and with our specialists.
Dr. Sourabh Welling and the Welling Homeopathy team have over 25 years of experience treating patients, in our Mumbai clinics and online. The earlier you meet our specialists, the sooner your treatment can be planned around you.
Our clinical experience with this condition
Homoeopathy believes that migraine is a personality disorder and hence the treatment should be determined according to personality of patient. With continued treatment patient notices the reduction in the frequency of attacks and intensity of pains.
Consult a Welling specialist for your migraine
Do not delay: share your symptoms and reports, and our specialists will plan your personal homeopathic treatment, in person at our Mumbai clinics or online from anywhere.
Self-care and lifestyle tips
These measures support general health and may ease symptoms, but they do not replace treatment when it is needed.
- Keep regular sleep, meal and water routines, and do not skip meals.
- Keep a headache diary to find your triggers, such as foods, drinks, smells, weather and stress.
- Rest in a quiet, dark room at the first sign of an attack, with a cold pack on the head.
- Limit alcohol, caffeine and processed foods if they trigger attacks, and avoid very strong smells.
- Exercise regularly, and manage stress with yoga, meditation or breathing exercises.
- Limit painkillers to no more than a few days a week, and see a doctor if migraines become frequent.
Migraine treatment in Mumbai at Welling Homeopathy
If you are looking for migraine treatment in Mumbai, you can consult Dr. Sourabh Welling, M.D., and the senior specialists of Welling Homeopathy at our Mumbai clinics, or consult online from anywhere in India and abroad. Our doctors begin with a detailed case-taking so that your treatment is custom-made for you. See the Contact page for current clinic addresses and hours, or call +91 8080 850 950.
Frequently asked questions about migraine
1. What is the homeopathic treatment for migraine?
Homeopathic treatment is individualised: the medicine is chosen after detailed case-taking, based on the pain, its triggers, associated symptoms and your general health. Belladonna, Bryonia, Nux vomica, Pulsatilla and Iris versicolor are among those traditionally considered. It is offered as supportive care.
2. What is the difference between migraine and tension headache?
Migraine is usually throbbing and one-sided, with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound, and worsens with movement. A tension headache is a dull, pressing pain on both sides without nausea.
3. What triggers a migraine?
Stress, skipped meals, lack of sleep, certain foods and drinks, strong smells, bright light, periods and weather change are common triggers.
4. Is migraine dangerous?
Migraine itself is not dangerous, but it can be disabling. A sudden severe headache or new neurological symptoms need urgent assessment.
5. Can I consult Welling Homeopathy online for migraine?
Yes. You can share your history and diary and consult our specialists online from anywhere. We have been consulting patients online for 25 years.
6. Which is the best homeopathic medicine for migraine?
There is no single best homeopathic medicine for migraine. Belladonna, Bryonia, Nux vomica, Pulsatilla and Iris versicolor are among the medicines traditionally considered, but the right medicine depends on your symptoms, what brings them on or eases them, your general health and your personality. At Welling Homeopathy our specialists choose it after a detailed case-taking, so please consult them rather than choosing a medicine yourself.
7. How long does homeopathic treatment for migraine take?
The duration depends on how long you have had migraine, how severe it is, what treatment you have already taken and your general health. Some people notice a change in their symptoms within weeks, while others need several months of regular follow-up. Your specialist will explain what to expect at your first consultation and review your progress at each follow-up.
8. Is it safe to take homeopathic medicines along with my current medicines for migraine?
Homeopathic medicines are highly diluted and are not known to interfere with other medicines, but you should always tell your doctor and our specialists about everything you take. Please do not stop, skip or change any prescribed medicine on your own; any change should be discussed with the doctor who prescribed it.
9. What are the early signs of migraine?
A day or two before an attack many people notice yawning, food cravings, neck stiffness and mood change, and some see flashing lights before a throbbing, one-sided headache begins.
10. What should I eat or avoid if I have migraine?
Do not skip meals, drink enough water and keep regular sleep. Alcohol, red wine, chocolate, aged cheese and caffeine trigger migraine in some people, so keep a headache diary to find your own triggers.
11. What is the difference between conventional and homeopathic treatment of migraine?
Conventional treatment of migraine uses painkillers and triptans taken early in an attack, limits on painkiller use and, for frequent migraine, preventive medicines. Homeopathic treatment, in contrast, is individualised: the medicine is chosen for you as a whole person, after detailed case-taking, and is offered alongside the conventional care that your doctor advises.
12. Who is the best homeopathy doctor for migraine in Mumbai?
Dr. Sourabh Welling, M.D., founder of Welling Homeopathy, Mumbai, who has over 25 years of experience, treats migraine with individualised homeopathic care, together with a team of senior specialists. You can consult him and the team at our Mumbai clinics or online.
13. Where can I get migraine treatment in Mumbai, or consult online from outside India?
You can consult Welling Homeopathy at our clinics in Mumbai, or online by video or phone from anywhere in India and from other countries, where customised medicines are shipped where applicable and permitted. Call +91 8080 850 950 or book through our website.
Related Reading
More on migraine and headaches
- Top 5 Natural Remedies for Migraine
- Top 5 Home Remedies for Headache
- 10 Best Homeopathic Medicines for Treatment of Vertigo and Dizziness
To consult Welling Homeopathy experts, call +91 80 80 850 950.
Disclaimer: this page is for information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Results vary from person to person.
