Just completed week 4 of 10 in the informal migraine case study. To date, one subject with complete resolution of headaches after 8 sessions. We worked with her outside the study period due to time constraints so she is ahead of the rest of the group in the study. A second subject with chronic migraine of more than 15 days/ month and multiple triggers, reports she is doing very well and seems to be smiling a lot these days. Two others are reporting a shift in headache patterns. One subject continues with little movement but her reports are promising. One subject has been released from the study due to unreported health issues during the assessment period. That's it so far.
Stay tuned for future updates as the study progresses. Study ends mid July and data should be available by the 1st of August.
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When we think of migraine we often associate it with women. 75% of migraineurs are women but it's been estimated that as much as 10% of men are sufferers. The difference is that men are incredibly under-diagnosed. Check out this article about men and migraine.
Migraine statistics are staggering. It's the third most prevalent disease process in the world and that one alone is mind boggling.
In the US there are 37 million suffering from migraine Some studies suggest that 13% of the US population suffers from migraine 18% of women 6% of men though this has been estimated to be as high as 10% 75% of migraineurs are women More than 70% have a family history Almost half of all migraine sufferers have not been formally diagnosed 25% have one or more migraines a week Loss of productivity in the US is estimated between 5.6 and 17.2 billion dollars The most common symptoms: 85% describe the pain as throbbing or pulsing 80% have light sensitivity 76% Sound sensitivity 73% report nausea 59% have pain on one side 44% have vision changes 36% have an aura 29% report vomiting In fact, it's not really about being a headache at all but it is the part we remember most. There are 4 distinct phases of a migraine: Prodrome, Aura, Headache, Postdrome, putting it squarely on the seizure-spectrum. We'll save that for another post. In the meantime check out this article
If there's anything we know about migraines, as with any malady, it's that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for the other. There is no such thing as a panacea. If any practitioner claims a 100% success rate it's probably time to move on and find another.
One thing that worked consistently for me was EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). I had classic migraine (30% of sufferers) which means I had an intense visual aura preceding all headaches. It means I had a warning with about 40 minutes to decide exactly what I was going to do. Enter EFT or tapping. OK, so it's not going to work for everybody but, it might just work for you. It sure did for me. The thing to keep in mind is that it has to be started as soon as you recognize the aura coming on. As I said previously if I started the process at the onset of the aura I could completely avert the headache. I still had the postdrome (final phase of a migraine) but that I could live with. Please watch the YouTube video. Educate yourself. This video is the intro to EFT and though it doesn't really teach you how to do it, it's a nice production and a good intro to the process. I encourage you all to learn this amazing technique to see where it can take you. It can mean the difference between headache or no headache and it can be a wonderful stopgap while working on finding what's right for you. Here's a great new award winning short documentary video about low energy neurofeedback, or The LENS. I hope you enjoy it.
The LENS can help with any of the following and more: PTSD ADD ADHD migraine anxiety & depression Exciting news. Beginning April 15, 2018 I will be conducting an informal case study for migraine and the LENS or low energy neurofeedback. Requirements are as listed below:
1. Currently taking no meds or stable on current meds 2. Formally diagnosed with mirgraine with aura (classic migraine) 3. Willing to commit to every Saturday for 10 consecutive weeks 4. 6 participants required for the study to proceed 5. Thorough Assessment process 6. Telephonic Post Study follow-up for 3 months Call me for more information at 971-221-7845 Email: tom.maxwell756@gmail.com For many of us when we think of PTSD, the first things that come to mind are first responders and combat vets. What we don't think about is what treatment looks like for them and the reasons they don't seek help.
Let's start with first responders. Their reasons for not seeking help are many, often too many to list and we'll touch on the most common barriers. To begin, let's think about what it must be like to witness horrific events on a daily basis: car accidents, death, destruction, and watching how poorly people treat one another. We must also consider other first line responders such as doctors, nurses and other medical professionals exposed to more than any human should be expected to endure. Knowing and understanding are two completely different things. The culture of police departments, fire stations, etc., doesn't help. They believe, "It's your job and you should just suck it up." "Asking for help is a sign of weakness." "If I seek help everyone will think I'm a wimp." These attitudes are promoted internally among the ranks but leadership in these areas recognizes the seriousness of ongoing trauma and encourages treatment. Enduring PTSD without seeking help can adversely affect job performance. For combat vets the reasons are similar but there are other complexities inherent to this sector: Believing you will get better on your own. Not knowing that PTSD treatments work. Thinking services are for other people, not you. Stigma. Mistrust of anyone who is not a vet and hasn't been through the same things. A diagnosis of PTSD will affect benefits. One vet was overheard saying: "The trauma is the one thing that holds me together. If I get help I'll just unravel at my core." Knocking down the barriers to treatment: Know your treatment options and that in addition to conventional medicine the alternatives include acupuncture, neurofeedback, EFT (emotional freedom techniques), EMDR. Talk to someone you trust such as family, friends, clergy, other vets and first responders. Join a support group. Our vets are a national treasure. We are where we are because of them and they deserve whatever help we can give them when they need it most. Let's be there for them. If you know a vet or first responder in need of help for PTSD, help them recognize the necessity of getting the help they need. Having your first migraine can be a very scary experience. Trust me, I know. Even with all the knowledge I have, the last thing I expected was to have my first migraine at age 52. But it happened.
It was early afternoon at work when suddenly I developed a hole in my vision just to the left of center and the effect of that was not being able to see the 2nd half of all the words when trying to read. Yes, panic began to set in. A short time later it was followed by what looked like squiggly lines, electricity if you will, in the periphery. But, when the dancing rainbows started that's when I really started to get scared. With a history of unrelated ocular events in the past, I chalked it up to just another and immediately called my ophthalmologist who agreed that I should come in right away. By the time I arrived at the doctor's office all the visual effects had subsided at which time he told me I'd just had an ocular migraine. That's when the pain started. Left temporal eventually resulting in an inability to open my eye. On his advice I went home, took some Advil and went to bed. To this day no one can explain why I would have my first migraine at age 52 and the doctor made it clear that I might never have another one. If only that had been true. By the time I was able to get real help almost 5 years later, the events were getting to be about every 2 weeks apart, the last obviously being related to food. The auras were getting so intense as to result in confusion and disorientation but luckily I had a tool at my disposal to prevent the onset of the headache-EFT or Emotional Freedom Techniques. If I started the tapping immediately at the onset of the aura I could completely avert the headache but it required intense tapping for at least 20 minutes. Great, no more headaches but since I was unable to pinpoint any triggers I could never figure out how to prevent them from happening in the first place. I started seeing a naturopathic physician for things unrelated when the issue of the migraines came up. He told me there was a practitioner in his office, another ND, who practiced a technique called low energy neurofeedback (The LENS) and I saw her for a total of 10 treatments. Miraculously I have not had a migraine in 3 years and yes, I find myself counting the days and the months since that last dreadful experience. I refrain from ever using the word cure and I especially don't like hearing it from conventional practitioners. At this point in time I will say that my issue with migraines has been successfully eliminated, not cured. At any rate, I knew at the time that I wanted to learn how to do this technique so I could share it with the world. It really is so simple, effective and affordable. My office is located in Greenland, NH. You can set up an appointment here or call me anytime at the number listed. |
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May 2021
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