Herbal Formulas Used for Headaches

The Chippewa Native Americans used the two formulas below to relieve the pain from headaches.

One formula they used was Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium L.) root was dried and pulverized. This herb was used for a headache and for a serious affection of the nerves, the headache being a symptom. May also be accompanied by outh twitches, dizziness, and in the case of insanity another herb was added. There were 5 ways of administering this herb.

1. 4 pieces of the dried root about the size of a pea were pulverized and the dry powder was snuffed up the nose.
2. The powdered root was put on hot stones. The patient's head was covered and the fumes inhaled.
3. The powdered root was moistened with lukewarm water and applied to incisions on the temples by eans of soft duck down.
4. Dried, chewed.
5. A decoction make and taken internally

Other simple formulas like the ones below were alos used:

Yarrow leaves (Achillea millefolium L.) was made into a decoction, sprinkled on hot stones and the fumes inhaled.

Bearberry leaves (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi L.) were dried and pulverized, combined with tobacco or red willow, smoked in a pipe, and the smoke inhaled.

Solomon's seal (Polygonatum commutatum) root was made into a decoction, sprinkled on hot stones and the fumes inhaled.

Pasque flower leaves (Pulsatilla hirsutissima) was dried and pulverized and "smelled."