Headaches & Migraines

I am delighted to say that to date all of my clients that have suffered with headaches or migraines have seen a huge improvement in these through reflexology.  They have experienced fewer incidences or less severe attacks, and in some cases symptoms have ceased all together.  Reflexology works to support sufferers of headaches and migraines through returning the body back into balance, allowing the harmony of body and mind to prevail in the midst of busyness, and pressures placed upon it by modern day living. 

Potential triggers
According to Nico Pauly (MNT-NR), migraine is a result of a sensitised sympathetic nervous system in connection with trigeminal nerve activity and inflammation in cerebra blood flow.  Throughout your Sole Therapy Reflexology sessions, from the initial consultation, where we discuss medical history and lifestyle, and during subsequent consultations,  I am looking for patterns in the occurrences and your potential migraine triggers.  These can include:

• Stress: caused by events, work, home or busy lifestyles.
• Digestive stress: stomach acid problems.  Nitric oxide is a vasodilator important in triggering migraines, it thrives in acidic environment.  A diet high in L-arginine rich foods, such as chocolate, nuts, wheat and oats, dairy and meat, seafood and soybeans can also be triggers, as L-arginine converts to nitric oxide in the body.  Foods that cause inflammation such as marmite, bananas, aspartame, alcohol, caffeine and gluten may also be triggers.
• Hormonal stress: monthly, puberty, pregnancy or menopausal links.
• Mechanical stress: recent or history of musculo-skeletal injuries, e.g. whiplash, posture with computer usage, neck and shoulder tension.  Teeth clenching and jaw misalignment can put pressure of the trigeminal nerve, whilst issues with the lower spine can impact the ‘s’ curve of the spine.
• Family history.

 
Self help
Dr Robert Cowan, Professor of Neurology and Director of Headache and Facial Pain Program at Stanford University recommends lifestyle tips to reduce the perception of pain.  These include:

• Sleep: focus on getting good quality sleep and rising at the weekends at the same time as during the week.
• Eat regular meals and snacks.
• Reduce stress: reflexology has been proven to reduce the impact of stress on the body and mind so is ideal.
• Exercise: muscular tension can be relieved and the endorphins released reduces pain.

Hand and facial reflexology self help
Self-treatment through hand and facial reflexology can be also be very helpful.  For more information contact Emma.