Visit 14

Today was great! I can actually say that I did not have any pain. I put a pain level of 1 on my sheet for today only because I don't think anyone over 40 can truly be pain free at any given time. Anyway, Dr. Chiro adjusted my back and neck which went fine. I was sore in the afternoon from the neck adjustment, but it was insignificant compared to the other times.  He would like to get me on the machine which puts some curve in the spine of the neck. That does not sound pleasant.  In the meantime, he asked me to roll up a towel and lie down with it under my neck for about 15 minutes before I go to bed and start working on this.  I will let you know how that goes.

I must go off on a tangent for a moment. I suffer from migraines. I have significant migraines. I do not have visual auras or anything like that, but I do have debilitating pain that keeps me unable to function. I just want to curl into a ball and float away into oblivion. Anyway, about a year ago, I did some research and decided that I would get off the medication gradually and seek alternatives. I am happy to say that I have had very few migraines since and the ones I have had, have not been debilitating.  I researched certain foods, the benefit of exercise and meditation and simply breathing.  No, it isn't hokey. It works. It just isn't as easy as popping a pill.  I have seen recent posts from a social media website where people are complaining about migraines and when I tell them about alternatives, they just don't want to embrace the fact that there is something out there besides drugs. Well, there is.  I had one lady tell me that I have never had a real migraine. Really? Are we in kindergarten? "My migraine is worse than your migraine."  I would like to say that putting chemicals into your body simply masks the underlying condition of the migraine.  It is a fix. Plain and simple.  I understand there are times when drugs are warranted, but I am completely convinced that migraines can be controlled without medication. I have heard many success stories from acupuncture, chiropractors, and biofeedback.  This is in conjunction with limiting processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, dairy products and hormone fed meat.  Yes, it takes work, but isn't it worth a drug free life?  I say don't discount the alternative until you have actually tried the alternative and don't assume it won't work because you believe your migraines are too severe.  Consider an underlying problem (i.e., a trigger). Find a neurologist who specializes in headache treatment and who is open to alternative therapies.  Seeking an alternative to medication for one thing will spill over into other areas of your overall health.  Drugs don't cure the migraines. Drugs make doctors and pharmaceutical companies richer because they have you convinced that this is what you need. A quick fix.  Don't fall for it.