Headache

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Thuja (Eastern White Cedar, Thuja Occidentalis) [1, 16, 17, 18]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Little is known about the full effects of Thuja, so it is not recommended for medicinal use. Thuja can be poisonous if ingested in large amounts.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Thuja helps to treat headaches)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Strychnos Nux-Vomica (Maqianzi, Poison Nut) [1, 13, 14, 15]:

WARNING! This substance is HIGHLY POISONOUS. The seeds contain Strychnine, which may cause convulsions, breathing difficulties and death, even if as little as 5 milligrams is ingested

Recommendation: Strongly against (There is no evidence in the form of clinical trials which reports the effectiveness of Strychnos Nux-Vomica, because it is highly poisonous to humans, and is not recommended.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Six Flavor Tea (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, Rehmannia Six) [1, 11, 12]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that Six Flavor Tea helps in any way in the treatment of headaches)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Mugwort (Artemisa Vulgaris) [1, 8, 9, 10]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It has been proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has been discounted due life-threatening side effects

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that mugwart helps to treat headaches. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Kava (Piper Methysticum) [1, 4, 5, 6, 7]:

WARNING: In rare cases, kava may lead to liver failure and other life threatening problems. The FDA warns that those who have had liver problems, or are on medicacations which may affect the liver, patients should check with their doctors before taking Kava. Other side effects include headache, upset stomach, drowsiness, weight loss, bloody urine, and muscle weakness.

Recommendation: no recommendation (Early studies indicate that Kava may be helpful in reducing the symptoms of headache. However, subsequent studies have yielded contradictory results. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Chamomile (Matricaria Chamomilla) [1, 2, 3]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: weakly against (Available evidence does not support claims that Chamomile helps treat headaches. In addition, allergic reactions and side effects like cramps, itching, rashes and difficulty breathing can be relatively common)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Red Pepper (Capsaicin):

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that red peppers help to treat or prevent headaches)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Transcutaneous Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is very little or no evidence supporting claims that TENS helps treat headaches)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Therapeutic Touch:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is very little reliable evidence supporting the positive effect of Therapeutic Touch on headaches. More studies are needed)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Reflexology:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: weakly in favor (Although yielding positive results, the studies testing the effects of Reflexology on headaches were not reliable. Further study is necessary)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Polarity Therapy:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly  help with the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (there is insufficient evidence supporting claims that Polarity Therapy has any effect on headaches)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Osteopathy:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly  help with the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (Available evidence does not support claims of Osteopathy alone helping to treat headaches)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Neural Therapy:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly  help with the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (No reliable conclusions have been found on the effect of Neural Therapy on headaches)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Massage:

Recommendation: strongly in favor (Massages are used to relieve symptoms of headache)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

Magnetic Therapy:

Recommendation: no recommendation (There has been no evidence that Magnetic Therapy has any effect on headches)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Craniosacral Therapy:

Recommendation: no recommendation (A few well-controlled trials have been performed, which state that successes in treating headaches have not been found)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Chiropractic:

Recommendation: weakly in favor (Results have only suggested that Chiropractic may lead to less frequent cases of mild headaches in some people)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Acupuncture:

Recommendation: weakly in favor (Although scientific evidence is not strong, early reports suggest that Acupuncture may healp to treat headaches when combined with mainstream therapies)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Aromatherapy:

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that Aromatherapy will have any effect on headaches)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Curanderismo:

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that Curanderismo will have any effect on headaches)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

 Meditation: [ 19 ]

Recommendation: Weakly in Favor ( Some limited studies have indicated a benefit in treating headaches with Meditation)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Therapeutic Touch: [20]

Recommendation: Weakly in Favour 

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

 Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Cham

3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-chamomile.html

4. http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=SP05005.pdf

5. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/kava

6. http://www.kavazen.com/pages/library.htm#KavaZen and Kava Safety

7. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/kava/index.htm

8. Anliker MD, Borelli S, Wüthrich B. Occupational protein contact dermatitis from spices in a butcher: a new presentation of the mugwort-spice syndrome. Contact Dermatitis. 2002;46:72-74.

9. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/mugwort

10. Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2004.

11. Shen JJ, Lin CJ, Huang JL, Hsieh KH, Kuo ML. The effect of liu-wei-di-huang wan on cytokine gene expression from human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Am J Chin Med. 2003;31(2):247-57.

12. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/six-flavor-tea

13. David Michael Wood et al. Case report: Survival after deliberate strychnine self-poisoning, with toxicokinetic data. Critical Care October 2002 Vol 6 No 5

14. Arnold, M.D., Harry L. (1968). Poisonous Plants of Hawaii. Tokyo, Japan: Charles E. Tuttle Co.. p. 20. ISBN 0804804745.

15. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/strychnos-nux-vomica

16. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002769.htm

17. http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_thoc2.pdf

18. http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v%3Aproject=medlineplus&query=thuja&x=0&y=0

19. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/head.12420/abstract

20. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3633503