No More HeadachesEliminate headaches without medication

The other day, I almost had a migraine. I felt a tingling numbness on the left side of my face and a slight pain near my left temple. Because I had ignored some earlier warning signs, it took about fifteen minutes to apply my techniques and prevent the migraine from escalating. I am relieved to say that once again the headache went away without medication.

By the strictest definition, I have a propensity to experience cortical depression. This alteration in brain pattern may be identified as a neurological disease and is associated with migraines. I have learned that it is possible to alter the effect of cortical depression by changing my reaction to the symptom. As a result, migraines no longer occur. Though on occasion I may experience the initial waves of cortical depression, through practice I have learned to diminish the neurological activity rather than letting it build into a migraine headache.

When I recognized the initial signal of a migraine, I was surprised. I have not experienced that feeling for quite a while. The first thing I did was to shift focus. I was sitting around a table talking with some friends and excused myself. If I had left the table five minutes earlier it would have been easier. However, I waited until the point where action was necessary. I moved to another room where I could be alone and directly address my physical condition.

First, I began breathing deeper. Extra oxygen makes a difference. I also use breathing as a tool to help quiet my mind and relax my body. Instead of allowing the mind chatter that contributes to headache, I shift my attention to breathing. I pay attention to how the air feels going in. I pay attention to releasing tension so that my chest can expand further. Since I have practiced this technique many times, it only took a few moments to quiet my mind.

The next thing that I did was evaluate my body. I recognized that a cortical depression had initiated. I could feel the aura developing on my left side. I felt the tingling sweep up my neck and over my scalp. I felt pain beginning near my left temple. Realizing that the source of pain was different from its location, I identified extreme tension in the large muscles parallel to the spine, particularly on my left side.

To address the tension I applied techniques used in shiatsu or acupressure. I located a corner with a sharp edge and leaned against it, positioning my body so that the appropriate muscle was directly against the corner. I stepped both feet out from the wall, increasing my body angle and increasing the pressure on the muscle. By moving slightly I could position for the perfect location and pressure to help the muscle relax.

As I leaned against the wall and muscle tension began to decrease, I focused on the feelings in my head. The most important skill applied is the ability to manage thoughts. Upon feeling initial temple pain, a common reaction is to expect the pain to escalate. Emotions attached to that expectation could have the affect of encouraging cortical depression. Instead, I chose to release my fear of pain and let the headache go away. The first step in overcoming migraines is believing that you can overcome migraines.

Using visualization, I allowed the pressure in my head to move up and out the top of my skull, like a geyser. As I pretended to be watching a geyser releasing its steam, I could feel the pressure in my head reduce. Combining deep breathing and thought management while leaning against the wall, I could feel the impending migraine diminish. I continued this exercise until the cortical depression had subsided and my body began to recover. The entire exercise took about five minutes.

Once I had dealt with the initial crisis of preventing a migraine, I took another five minutes to help my body move towards balance. I did some stretching exercises, especially concentrating on releasing back, neck and shoulder tension. I also gave special attention to grounding, ensuring that my feet felt really connected to the floor. I continued to focus on breathing deeply and evenly while relaxing and balancing my body.

Once I had completed my stretches, I sat down and began quiet meditation. While keeping thoughts to a minimum, I focused attention on moving into a comfortable balanced condition. As my body tension released I shifted position slightly, comparing my left and right sides and adjusting accordingly. For the next five minutes I sat in peace, allowing my body to heal.

By the time I had completed these exercises, I was ready to return to the social event. No medications, no pain, no migraine. In retrospect, if I had dealt with my bodily tension earlier I would not have required fifteen minutes to deal with an impending migraine. Because I was busy this week I skipped daily stretches. I have also been clenching my teeth at night. Though business stress has increased this week, I am the real culprit. I neglected to care for myself for a few days and my body responded. Even as I write this article I recognize that I still have personal work to do.

It took substantial practice to be able to prevent and eliminate migraines through intention rather than medication. I am not saying that this skill is easy, just that it is achievable. It is possible to learn how to reverse the escalation of a migraine headache.

Copyright 2008 Glenn Stewart Coles

Read the previous article, Concepts of Holistic Healing