Healing from Within
How I managed my migraines naturally
Growing up, my mother suffered from debilitating migraines. I had to tiptoe around the house while she was laid up in bed. Lights would be off and blinds closed.
When I turned forty, I got my first migraine. It felt like an ice pick was lodged in my skull. My vision blurred and I felt nauseous. Tylenol did nothing.
Thankfully, my mother’s triptan migraine meds eased the pain. I didn’t get another migraine until about six months later. Then they became more frequent and the pain more severe. I started seeing a neurologist. I went from one migraine every few months to two or more migraines a month. Then a migraine a week. They used to last one day and then eventually, four or five days.
My neurologist encouraged me to keep a migraine chart. I discovered heat, lack of sleep, stress, and alcohol were my triggers. But despite all my efforts to avoid alcohol and get plenty of rest, they continued to worsen. I put a red star on my chart for every migraine day. Each month, more and more red stars filled my chart. One month I had more migraine days than non-migraine days.
My triptan drugs gradually started to lose their effectiveness. I tried others but nothing worked.
My neurologist suggested prophylactic medications like anti-depressants which have been known to lessen the frequency and severity of migraines. I would have to take one pill every night before bed. If it worked, I would increase the dosage.
I’m not sure why but that awakened something in me. I needed a new approach. Something had to change. I just wasn’t sure what.
My answer came in the form of a brochure in the mail. A beginning Reiki class.
“Are you stressed? Do you suffer from anxiety or chronic pain? Learn Reiki for self-healing.”
I signed up, having no idea what to expect. What I learned in this six-week class changed my life. I discovered my migraines could be managed naturally and I had the tools within me this whole time. I just needed to know how to access them.
Mindfulness Meditation
Meditation was probably the hardest thing for me to learn but my Reiki teacher encouraged me to practice daily at home until it became routine.
First I found a quiet spot and focused on my breath. I took inventory of how my body felt. Did I feel pain anywhere? She advised me not to fight the pain but rather to go into it. If I felt anxious about the migraine, then I needed to let those anxieties pass until eventually my breathing slowed and my body and mind became quiet.
She also taught me how to do a walking meditation by concentrating on my feet, one foot in front of the other. To be aware of my surroundings like birds chirping or cars buzzing by. Even if it was only five minutes out of my day, I was signaling my brain to slow down.
Yoga
My Reiki teacher also touted the benefits of yoga, something I had tried previously but never had the patience for. She said yoga lowered inflammation and increased blood flow to the part of the brain associated with healing. In a clinical study, a consistent yoga practice reduced migraine intensity and frequency. After trying different classes, I discovered I enjoyed hatha yoga which focuses on the breath and balance. Now I do it three times a week and it’s a game-changer.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture was another treatment I had previously dismissed as ineffective. My Reiki teacher encouraged me to try it and said once you find the right acupuncturist, it makes all the difference. Now I completely agree. My acupuncturist is very knowledgeable about Chinese herbs and all the meridians and pressure points. I find myself so relaxed and calm after I leave her clinic.
After about six months of consistent yoga, acupuncture, and meditation, my monthly migraine charts gradually displayed fewer and fewer red stars. I’m not entirely migraine-free, but I now have 5–7 migraine days versus 15–20. I’m hopeful for a migraine-free future, but even if that doesn’t happen, I know how to take it all in stride as a more relaxed and happier person.
