Posts Tagged ‘Migraine’

Hypnosis for Pain Relief


At one point or another each of us has experienced pain.

Though few people actually welcome it, few would deny that it has an essential role to play in our survival. After all, without pain, we simply wouldn’t be aware that tissue damage is taking place somewhere in our body and that we need to do something – fast.

In any approach to pain, of course, we need to first check with a qualified doctor or other medical practitioner. It is essential that we get a proper medical evaluation of our situation and the correct treatment for any disease or injury that we may have suffered.

But what if we have already done this? But what if we have already received and understood the message pain brings, done all we – and the doctor – can do and yet still the pain exists?

This is the predicament faced by millions of us on a daily basis. And living with this kind of pain seriously affects the quality of life for anyone forced to experience and endure it.

Generally speaking, pain may be divided into two distinct types: Acute pain and chronic pain.

Acute pain is useful and indeed, essential. It informs us of what needs attention and this is the reason for its existence. It’s a signal relayed from the wounded area to the brain alerting us to take action.

But chronic pain is altogether different. With pain of this kind, we have already received the message and still it persists. It is ongoing and relentless. It’s as if we seem to be just stuck with it.

Indeed, the chronic pain generated by conditions such as rheumatism, back and shoulder pain, arthritis, migraine headaches, post surgical pain, cancer (and sometimes its treatment), fybromyalgia etc serves no useful purpose. It is unneeded for our survival.

Put simply, chronic pain is useless pain.

When pain outlives its usefulness it needs to be muted or silenced.

Perhaps the most surprising thing is that we almost always look to ourselves last in any attempt to control our chronic pain. Yet it is within our self and our own mind that real pain relief and truly effective pain control can be found.

Because we are so accustomed to looking outside of ourselves for help with pain, we seem to have a learned mind-set of helplessness when it comes to chronic pain. We have been conditioned to accept that something or someone external to ourselves is responsible for making pain go away.

Understanding that we have it within our self to control pain is a major step forward in releasing its truly debilitating grip on our life.

And this is the wonderful power of using hypnosis and self-hypnosis for pain relief.

With properly applied hypnosis we are empowered to instruct our own mind to dramatically reduce – and in many cases totally eliminate – any pain we may be experiencing.

No drugs, no apparatus, no TEMS machines are needed. Indeed, hypnosis is so powerful that it can be, and sometimes is, used instead of local or general anaesthetic in order to completely eliminate pain even in major surgery.

All that’s required is your mind’s own innate capacities and abilities.

If you or someone you care about suffers from chronic pain, there really is something you can do about it.

By working with an experienced and fully qualified transformational hypnotherapist, you can learn how to control even long-standing chronic pain.

Using the power of your own mind you can indeed learn to control pain – and regain control of your life.



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How Does Caffeine Affect Migraine?


The well respected Lancet Journal published an article in 1979, including caffeine as a potential migraine trigger. Other theories about caffeine and the compounds within caffeine have subsequently been investigated.

As is frequently the case with food intolerances, one person will not react to a specific food, whilst another can suffer a severe reaction to the same food. Consider the shellfish – a killer for some, a healthful food for someone else.

Reports of the effect of caffeine on migraines are contradictory; some people believe it to be a trigger, but it remains a major ingredient in many headache medications. Many studies have been carried out, focusing on the efficacy of caffeine when used to relieve migraines; as a natural vaso-constrictor, it would seem that caffeine might help rather than intensify migraine pain. Some studies have found that the inclusion of caffeine in migraine medications promotes faster relief(1).

However, there is some evidence to suggest the link between caffeine and migraines hinges on a borderline addiction. Weekend headache or Sunday migraine often occurs when the usual daily routine is disrupted – or in other words, when a person sleeps in and misses their 6am, 7am and 8am cups of coffee. The body goes into withdrawal mode, resulting in a migraine. Upon caffeine intake, the headache disappears.

A study on the subject at the Princess Margaret Migraine Clinic, London in 1992, concluded that amongst a chosen group of migraine sufferers, there was a noticeable tendency towards high caffeine consumption during the week. Among the 151 patients, 33 were identified as having weekend migraine. Of these, everyone reported sleeping in late on weekends; with a subsequent average consumption of 734 mg. per day of caffeine.

In contrast, of the remaining 118 patients only 43% slept late on weekends, and of these the average caffeine was only 362 mg/day(2). This lends credence to the idea that it is the withdrawal from dependency that is the trigger rather than the coffee or tea being the cause.

Soda seems a slightly different story – a study done on adolescents who drank a liter of cola a day and suffered from daily migraines showed a marked improvement across the board when cola was cut from the diet. This led to the recommendation that children with daily recurring headache be researched as to caffeine intake(3).

The scientific studies are fascinating and useful, but however much we enjoy it, caffeine is a substance we can live without. The simple way to discover if it’s a problem for you is just cut it out for a few weeks. If your migraines are severe, exclusion could be worth the effort. However, be aware that there will be a tendency to suffer an initial increase in headaches, due to the possible “withdrawal syndrome” as discussed above. Consult your GP or health professional if you are concerned.

For coffee, tea and cola drinkers, instead of complete elimination, a gradual lessening of daily caffeine consumption may be the best way to remove the possibility of the excess or lack of it triggering a migraine. On a personal note, I was a heavy coffee consumer and suffered severe and regular migraines. I rarely get a migraine now and enjoy one cup of coffee per day, having found this an acceptable level which doesn’t cause any me problems.

(1) Stephen J. Peroutka; James A. Lyon; James Swarbrick; Richard B. Lipton; Ken Kolodner; Jerome Goldstein Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, Volume 44, Number 2, February 2004 , pp. 136-141(6)

(2)EGM Couturier, R Hering, and TJ Steiner, Weekend Attacks in Migraine Patients: Caused by Caffeine Withdrawal? Cephalalgia 12(2):99-100 (Apr 1992)

(3) Hering-Hanit R, Gadoth N. Caffeine-induced headache in children and adolescents. Cephalalgia 2003;23:332-335.



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Get Rid of Migraines


Migraine is a type of headache and a recognised medical condition. Migraine is widespread in the population. In the U.S., 18% of women and 6% of men report having had at least one migraine episode in the previous year. Migraines afflict about 30 million people in the United States. They may occur at any age, but usually begin between the ages of 10 and 40 and diminish after age 50. Some people experience several migraines a month, while others have only a few migraines throughout their lifetime. Approximately 75% of migraine sufferers are women. Migraines’ secondary characteristics are inconsistent. Triggers precipitating a particular episode of migraine vary widely. The efficacy of the simplest treatment, applying warmth or coolness to the affected area of the head, varies between persons, sometimes worsening the migraine. Migraines are classified as either “with aura” or “without aura.” Migraine is a neurological disorder that generally involves recurring headaches. Other symptoms may occur with the headaches. Migraines are often classified based on whether they include an early symptom called an aura. Visual aura is the most common of the neurological events.

Migraine is a true organic neurological disease. Migraine with aura is characterized by a neurological phenomenon (aura) that is experienced 10 to 30 minutes before the headache. Most auras are visual and are described as bright shimmering lights around objects or at the edges of the field of vision (called scintillating scotomas) or zigzag lines, wavy images, or hallucinations. Migraine without aura is the most prevalent type and may occur on one or both sides (bilateral) of the head. Tiredness or mood changes may be experienced the day before the headache. Nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light (photophobia) often accompany migraine without aura. Migraine headaches affect about 11 out of 100 people. They are a common type of chronic, recurring headache. They most commonly occur in women and usually begin between the ages of 10 and 46. In some cases, they appear to run in families. A migraine is caused by abnormal brain activity, which is triggered by stress, food, or some other factor.

Migraine-specific therapies are designed specifically to treat migraine attacks. Ergotamine preparations are no longer readily available. Several medications may need to be tried before you find one that works. A class of drugs known as triptans can relieve a migraine once it starts. Rest in a quiet, darkened room. Drink fluids to prevent dehydration, especially if vomiting occurs. Several medications may help relieve symptoms. However, the effectiveness of migraine medications is highly variable in different people. Some medicines can prevent migraines. These include propranolol, amitriptyline, ergonovine, cyproheptadine, clonidine, methysergide, calcium channel antagonists, valproic acid, carbamazepine, topiramate (Topamax), and many others. Ergotamine tartrate preparations constrict the arteries of the head and may be used alone or in combination with other drugs such as caffeine (Cafergot), phenobarbital, or Fioricet. Propoxyphene or other medications that relieve pain or inflammation may provide relief for some people. Nausea should be treated early with Reglan, Compazine, or other anti-emetics.

Migraines Treatment Tips

1. Conventional treatment focuses on three areas: trigger avoidance, symptomatic control, and preventive drugs.

2. Moderation in alcohol and caffeine intake, consistency in sleep habits, and regular meals may be helpful.

3. Triptans are a mid-line treatment suitable for many migraineurs with typical migraines.

4. Ergot drugs can be used either as a preventive or abortive therapy, though their relative expense.

5. Sumatriptan and related selective serotonin receptor agonists are now the therapy of choice for chronic migraine attacks.

6. Anti-emetics by suppository or injection may be needed in cases where vomiting dominates the symptoms.

7. Amidrine is sometimes prescribed for migraine headaches.

8. Intravenous chlorpromazine has proven very effective in treating status migrainosus—intractable and unremitting migraine.

9. Diet, visualization, and self-hypnosis are also alternative treatments and prevention approaches.

10. Massage therapy and physical therapy are often very effective forms of treatment to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines.

11. Massage therapy of the jaw area can also reduce such pain.

12. Botox is being used by many headache specialists for patients with frequent or chronic migraines with encouraging results.

13. Try to avoid any factors that have triggered a migraine in the past.



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Causes and Complications of Chronic Pain – How to Manage


More people call out sick from work because of chronic pain than call out sick because of the common cold. Chances are you or someone you know suffers from chronic pain. Pain is a necessary part of life. It alerts us when something is wrong with our bodies. It’s normal to experience pain with an illness or injury. Normally, this pain fades as the injury heals or the sickness goes away. This is referred to as acute pain.

Pain becomes chronic when it continues after the healing time of the injury. This pain can hang on for months or even years and often causes depression in its sufferers. Chronic pain can also occur as the result of an ongoing condition, like fibromyalgia, arthritis, or cancer. Back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, and migraine headaches are some other examples of conditions that cause chronic pain. Some pain can result from injury to the nerves causing them send false signals to the brain. How massage affects your pain is partly dependent on its source.

If your pain is caused by a muscle injury massage can not only help ease the pain but also help speed the healing process. Acute or chronic – these are the two words that describe pain. Acute goes away easily and rarely lasts long. Chronic is its exact opposite. Chronic pain can last for six months and is expected to recur at anytime. The main cause of it is very hard to pinpoint. And it doesn’t help if doctors were more interested in addressing the pains rather than knowing what is actually causing it. As such, chronic pain relief can be elusive to patients.

But then again, there are certain medicines and therapies that are deemed effective for chronic pain. There are also a lot of medicines sold over-the-counter, which can truly help. While chronic pain is a major problem, patients do have options to treat it. Doctors normally prescribe medicines, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants, to address chronic pain. Chronic pain relief is also possible with physical therapy. Physical therapy corresponds to the low-impact exercises like swimming, walking, and stretching. If done regularly, these simple exercises can help your body a lot. It can help lower the intensity of the pain you’re going through.

However, these exercises are best performed along a trained physical therapist. Both occupational and behavioral therapies could also help. In occupational therapy, patients are thought how to pace and condition themselves when doing everyday tasks. Don’t get discouraged if you are one of the chronic pain sufferers for which a cause cannot be found. An unknown source doesn’t make the pain any less real. Fibromyalgia, for example, causes widespread pain in muscles and joints.

Yet, a person with fibromyalgia may not know the cause of the pain A healthcare provider may be able to link fibromyalgia to an injury or virus; but in other cases, a specific cause may go unidentified. Irritable bowel syndrome is another example of chronic pain for which the specific cause may not be known. Chronic pain may be related to changes in your nerve signals after a healed injury. Chronic pain may also be related to heightened pain sensitivity when your body produces lower than normal levels of painkilling endorphins. If you suffer from chronic pain do not ignore the warning signals. If you try to tough it out, the disease, illness, or injury may get worse. Left untreated, chronic pain can also mentally wear you down. Making massage therapy part of your treatment routine could help ease your pain and lessen your dependence on pain killing drugs. In the long run this will lead to less drug side effects and better health.



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Just Where You Should Look for Information About Migraines


There are a lot of reasons why you may be on a search for information about migraines.

You may for example suffer from migraine headaches yourself or someone you know and care about might be afflicted by migraines. You might have recently had a family member diagnosed as having migraines or might be a student doing a research paper about this all too common form of headache. Regardless of why you are looking into the topic of migraines there is plenty of information on the subject.

Migraine is a medical disorder called a neurological syndrome and its principle symptoms for most individuals are generally very painful headaches and nausea. This reasonably common condition is found less frequently in men than in women.

A migraine headache produces a pain that is usually felt on just one side of the head and is by and large said to be throbbing or pulsating in nature. The headache will generally last anything from 4 hours to 72 hours and may be moderate to severe in intensity. There may also be other accompanying symptoms such as vomiting or sensitivity to sound or light.

There is another aspect of migraines and that is the presence of an “aura” in at least thirty percent of individuals suffering from migraines. The aura happens prior to the onset of the migraine and might include such things as the appearance of bright lights, zigzag lines or distorted shapes in various different colors and sizes that appear in the normal line of vision. Your field of vision might also reduce and can appear like tunnel vision or possibly a curtain-like effect often over one eye or dark spots that slowly spread.

You may also experience auditory changes such as hearing voices or environmental sounds such as buzzing. You may also experience weird smells or possible feelings of numbness or tingling to one side of the face or arms and legs. You may experience a sense of being separated from your own body or a feeling like your arms and legs are moving independently from your body. You may feel anxiety or fear alongside the aura or an unsteadiness or weakness. On occasions individuals experiencing an aura are unable to understand or comprehend words being spoken to them and can become exceedingly tired and sweat profusely or feel warmth throughout the body.

As well as talking about migraines with or without an aura there are several other ways of describing migraines.

Familial hemiplegic migraines for instance are those which are caused by ion channel mutations. Individuals suffering from this type of migraine as a rule experience limb weakness on one side of the body with visual, sensory or speech problems.

Another type of migraine is the abdominal migraine in which children have many of the symptoms of migraines with the exception of the head pain. Typical symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting may last from 1 to 72 hours.

Lastly, menstrual and acephalgic migraines are two other reasonably common forms of migraine. An acephalgic migraine is one in which an individual as a rule experiences an aura but does not experience a headache. Menstrual migraines have two characteristics and are either menstrual related migraines (MRM) or pure menstrual migraines (PMM). The menstrual related migraine is moderate to severe in pain intensity and occurs around the time of the monthly period and at other times too. The pure menstrual migraine appears only around the time of the woman’s monthly period.



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Protecting Kids From Abdominal Migraine


Abdominal migraine is the pain in the abdomen even when there is no headache and it occurs often in children but rarely in adults. It is common in children aging five to nine years old. Abdominal migraine consists primarily of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and the patient may become flushed or pale. Typically, the pain lasts anywhere from one to six hours.

The most frustrating part of abdominal migraine is the diagnosis because young children have difficulty in trying to explain how they feel. Since migraine is believed to be genetically based, it is quite certain that there is a member in the family who also has a migraine. Besides medical history and family history, diagnosis usually involves a physical examination, blood and urine tests and tests such as sonography. Non-drug treatment like bio feed back is helpful in both children and adults and beta-blockers can be a preventive medication.

In most of the cases, a child with abdominal migraine would still have migraine as an adult, though the symptoms may change. It has been studied that migraines can do permanent damage and so, the sooner the treatment, the better. The children who experience abdominal migraine eventually develop migraine with or without aura. An abdominal migraine can be diagnosed through attacks of abdominal pain lasting 1 to 72 hours and characteristically, pain in midline location and periumbilical part, and of dull or just sore quality with moderate or severe intensity.

A child suffering from abdominal pain may have either one or any two of anorexia, nausea, vomiting and pallor (dark shadows under the eyes). The child suffering from abdominal migraine experiences pain, which is severe enough to interfere with normal routine activities. Most children with abdominal migraine are certain to develop migraine head ache in their later life. The attacks are self-limiting and resolve almost spontaneously and the patients have no symptoms between attacks.

The abdominal pain usually occurs in the morning, though it may also occur at any time of the day. The other symptoms are photophobia, phono phobia and dizziness. Since there is no diagnostic test to confirm abdominal migraine, it is achieved only through patient’s medical history and family history, evaluating the symptoms and ruling out other causes of symptoms.

If the abdominal migraine is of serious nature, the patient can be allowed to take rest and the condition usually improves with sleep and he or she should be allowed to lie down in a quiet and dark room, undisturbed.

If the abdominal migraine is not frequent, medications used for other types of migraine are given and when they are frequent, preventive therapies used for migraines can be given. But fundamentally, the choice of medication largely depends upon the age of the patient.



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This page is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a medical doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner or other qualified health professional.