Researchers from the Laboratoires Boiron, at Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, in France have studied the use of homeopathic medicines in children with migraine.

The research, published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, was an observational, prospective, open, nonrandomized, noncomparative, multicenter study, undertaken in 12 different countries.

The researchers looked at results from homeopathic prescribing doctors (59) who were treating children (5-15) with migraine.

As in all homeopathy the doctors were able to diagnose their patients and come up with an individualised homeopathic remedy for them.

The results showed that the frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks decreased significantly during the 3-month follow-up period and children spent significantly less time off school during follow-up than before inclusion.

Almost all patients were given homeopathic remedies in order to try to prevent migraine (98%)

The most commonly used PREVENTATIVE homeopathic remedies were: Ignatia amara (25%; mainly 9C), Lycopodium clavatum (22%), Natrum muriaticum (21%), Gelsemium (20%), and Pulsatilla (12%; mainly 15C).

Homeopathy alone was used for the treatment of migraine attacks in a third of the cases (38%).

The most commonly used homeopathic remedies used as treatments were Belladonna (32%; mainly 9C), Ignatia amara (11%; mainly 15C), Iris versicolor (10%; mainly 9C), Kalium phosphoricum (10%; mainly 9C), and Gelsemium (9%; mainly 15C and 30C).