A lot of people who are suffering from migraine are probably revolting to my above statement thinking; ‘what does she know what it is go through Migraine!!’. I understand, but, trust me on this; Migraine is something that we can comfortably manage. We have to understand what really is causing it.
Let me share a case that I recently treated who ‘presented’ with Migraine. I have stressed on the word ‘presented’ because usually Migraine is an outward expression of an internal imbalance of the body and/ or the mind.
She is a 28-year-old working woman who came down to the clinic with headache and wanted to see if Acupuncture can help in managing headache. She said she suffers through headache almost throughout the day, with rush of symptoms, mostly unilateral pain and heaviness, throbbing type, aggravated with noise, light, sunlight, hunger and lack of sleep. She did not have aura (Some patients do have aura vision with migraine).
As I asked her the pattern of occurrence or aggravation of headache, she said, whenever she had gastritis or acidity, her headache aggravated. She also has a history of long-standing constipation. A lot of other clients say the same thing that gastritis or acidity aggravated their migraine. Therefore, the point here to be noted is that migraine is one of the external expressions of gastro-intestinal disharmony.
Our gut and our brain have a very deep connection. Any issues with the latter affect the former and vice-versa. So, my next questions were about her stress levels and about her psychological well-being. She was going through stress and anxiety, some recent and some long standing. Work pressure was also there. By nature, she was also an introvert. Therefore, the point here to be noted is that the stress or other emotions and migraine are also correlated.
Migraine is a transient inflammatory condition of the brain tissues that is usually triggered by stress, anxiety, irregular food habits, noise, bright light etc.
Understanding her case, if we see, long standing stress and anxiety created a lot of stagnation of energy within the body and the mind. It was like a pressure cooker with pressure gradually increasing within and every time it rushed out is when there was a migraine attack. Along with that, her food habits were irregular, resulting in acidity and gastritis which directly aided the inflammatory process.
With few sessions of counselling, acupuncture therapy, yoga therapy and dietary modifications, she saw that initially the intensity of the headaches reduced, then frequency reduced, her bowel movements improved, her acidity and gastritis were episodically appearing because she had not aligned her food habits yet, she slept well and mentally she seems to be at ease.
So, when one has Migraine, is it sufficient that we take Acupuncture and do yoga?
It is not that easy. But it is not very complicated either. We just have to stay in tune with nature. Follow nature’s cycle, harmonize your mind, eat natural food, sleep on time and the rest will be taken care. The above-mentioned therapies will only aid the process of healing which begins the moment you tune yourself with nature.
-An effort to put across the right information
Dr. Deepashree S, BNYS, CPBA, (MSCCFT) - Consultant, Anandamaya wellness Center