Calming the Storm in Your Brain: Migraines
If you suspect you suffer from migraine headaches and you’re looking for an alternative drug-free solution to best manage your symptoms, this article is for you. Migraines occur in 10-15% of kids and adults and only half of people know they are having one. In this blog, you’ll learn about what causes migraine headaches, the criteria that doctors use for diagnosing migraines and easy tips to help you relax even though you’re suffering. My hope is you’ll get more clarity on migraines as well as on next steps to help you better manage migraine headaches with a safe and holistic approach.
What is a migraine headache?
Doctors tell us it is an electrical storm in the brain. The brain cells or neurons are firing too much or too little creating temporary changes in the brain. This electrical imbalance in the brain causes head pain.
Doctors reassure us that head pain isn’t damaging the brain tissue and that 95% of headaches are safe.
Check out this educational video about migraines.
If you are a migraine sufferer, you’re not alone. Migraines account for more difficulty doing regular activity than any other neurological problem.
Unsure if Your Headaches are Migraines?
According to the International classification or headache disorders, the current agreed upon criteria for migraine diagnosis:
- At least 5 attacks, 1 fulfilling criteria B-D
- Migraine lasting 4-72 hours untreated or unsuccessfully treated
- Headache has at least 2 or the following characteristics:
- Unilateral location
- Pulsating quality
- Moderate or severe pain intensity
- Aggravation by or causing avoidance of routine physical activity
- During headache at least one of the following:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Photophobia and phonophobia
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, photophobia is the intolerance to light especially painful sensitiveness to strong light. Phonophobia is an intolerance of or hypersensitivity to sound.
If you’re reading this and you suspect you suffer from migraines, I suggest you make an appointment with your family doctor as he/she will perform a physical exam to confirm this diagnosis.
So, it is a Migraine…Now What?
Since here is no cure for migraines, once you have been diagnosed, there are many suggestions as to how best manage your symptoms.
Headache doctors and neurologist recommend:
- Drinking water
- Getting regular sleep
- Relaxation techniques
At Apana Bodywork we specialize in not only relaxation but resetting the nervous system, often mitigating symptoms of migraines before they start.
Trame Vibrational Therapy has a great track record for helping migraine sufferers. During my initial training I had 9 volunteers receive one Trame session every 3 weeks for a total of 4 sessions each. In exchange they made observations about the effects they felt from the sessions mentally, physically, emotionally and energetically.
There were 4 of 9 case study participants that suffered regular (at least once a month) migraines and the intensity reported was debilitating enough to affect their daily activities. Of the migraine sufferers, none of them experienced a migraine during the 4 months study, that’s 100% effectiveness for this small sample group.
Screaming in Pain
It’s really tempting to get angry at the pain. We’re missing out on work, family and play. We might be hiding out in a dark room waiting for the pain to pass. When we’re suffering for hours or even days it can be very frustrating to wonder when you will feel better. If you’re tempted to scream out in pain let me reinforce what the doctors say; it only makes the situation worse. Your brain is trying to find balance and adding more volatility in the form of anger only gives the body more work to do to calm the storm in your brain.
Solution: Laugh at the pain.
This may seem like a ridiculous suggestion but when you laugh at the pain or think of the pain less seriously, you diffuse it and take away it’s power over you. Is it difficult to do? Yes. Will it help immediately? No. But, over time you will get better at detaching yourself from the pain making it less debilitating.
Relaxation Tips for Migraines:
- Feel another part of your body that doesn’t hurt
When we pay attention to another part of our body that does not hurt, our reality shifts away from the pain and we experience less stress mentally and emotionally helping ease the pain we’re experiencing.
- Wiggle your toes until you fall asleep
When you’re lying in bed and the pain is stopping you from falling asleep, try slowly and gently wiggling your toes. Start with your left foot and feel your toes wiggle gently and then wiggle the toes of your right foot. Keep alternating from side to side making it your job to only you’re your toes and commit to keep doing it while staying easy about the exercise. You will eventually drift off to sleep just keep at it no matter how long it takes. Surrender to this movement and you will distract yourself from the pain and sleep more soundly.
- Using another sensation
Using another sensation such as light physical touch or temperature interrupts the pain signal. Simply stroking your forehead, light massage or placing an ice pack on your head.
Migraines can be a real pain and necessitate days off work, missed family time and opportunities. Finding ways to prevent them, in my opinion, is a smart way to go. In the absence of that, finding the strategies that best help you to manage the pain and minimize the length and intensity of your migraines is the second priority because you have places to be and things to do!
If you’d like to come in and talk more about what you’re going through as well as solutions we offer, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact Apana Bodywork at 647-801-2424 or find us on Instagram @apana.bodywork.
Check out our Youtube video talking more about migraines or watch below:
Muscle Activation Techniques Helps with Chronic Pain
