One of the most common symptoms of a migraine is an acute throbbing pain which is normally located on just one side of the head near to the area of the temple. Migraine headaches are also frequently accompanied by other symptoms which include sensitivity to noise and light, queasiness and sometimes vomiting.

Migraine headaches are relatively common and affect about one in ten people in America, or more than 28 million Americans. They are also much more commonly experienced by women rather than men (about 3 times more women suffer from migraine) and can also be sse sometimes in children.

Although migraines are so common and often very painful with attacks lasting anywhere from a few hours to two or three days, only roughly half of all sufferers consult their physician and the remainder choose to suffer in silence.

Migraine headaches had long been thought to be were caused by a of dilation of the blood vessels in the head but, even though there is no general consensus, medical opinion seems to be moving away from this theory in favor of a genetic cause for this condition. It is now believed that migraines results from the interaction of brain chemicals such as serotonin with the nerve cells. At present however the truth of the matter is that we are really not sure what cause migraines.

In fact there are two types of migraine, the first of which is known as ‘classical migraine’, which is characterized by an associated ‘aura’. Here the term ‘aura’ is used to refer to visual light effects that are experienced just prior to the arrival of a headache including such things as flashing lights and bright light spots. In some people a total loss of vision can be experienced for some minutes before the onset of the headache.

The second form of the condition is simply a migraine without the ‘aura’.

Just as we do not know what causes a migraine, we also have very little idea about exactly what triggers an attack, although there are a number of factors that do seem likely to trigger an attack. For example, too much sleep appears to be one factor and so does missing meals or eating certain foods like cheese.

Hormonal factors are also thought to influence the onset of attacks and their severity and one piece of evidence for this is the increased incidence of migraines in women. In part this is thought to be because of the effect of estrogen on the blood vessels and some studies have noted that there is a link between contraceptive pills (which contains estrogen) and migraines.

However, just to confuse matters studies have also shown that everyday activities like walking up stairs can trigger a migraine attack, as can exposure to loud noises, cold and heat, flashing lights and even stress.

Happily, there are several migraine medications available, although no one treatment is really effective in all cases. Over-the-counter medications are however seldom effective and, if you are unlucky enough to suffer from migraine headaches, you are best advised to ask your doctor for help in finding an answer which works for you.

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Safe, Pain Relief with Thought Field Therapy (TFT)

Wall Street Journal article says “Top Pain Scientist Fabricated Data in Studies, Hospital Says”

“The anesthesiologist allegedly faked data in 21 studies on the use of various painkillers, including Vioxx”.

Pain is the reason most seniors, age 65 and older, visit their doctor. The older adult population is rapidly increasing as the baby boomers age.

Leading experts often consider pain a silent epidemic. An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain caused by an accident, disease or disorder.  An additional 25 million people suffer acute pain resulting from surgery or accidents.

The loss of workplace productivity due to pain continues to be a substantial burden on society. In a study done in 2000 it was reported that 36 million Americans missed work in the previous year due to pain and that 83 million indicated that pain affected their participation in various activities.¹

From these statistics it is clear that pain and its treatment is a major problem confronting our modern culture. A survey done by the American Pain Society² in 1999 revealed that more than 40% of people suffering moderate to severe pain were unable to find adequate pain relief.

Inadequate pain relief is one of the top reasons people experience a reduced quality of life.  Chronic and increasing anxiety is another of the top reasons quality of life diminishes.The medications for both pain and anxiety are usually toxic, leading to many complications and side-effects, even death.  Individuals on blood thinners can’t even take most medications for physical pain and are left with little or no option for their pain relief. 

Thought Field Therapy (TFT) is a little-known, but highly effective, drug-free and non-invasive way to reduce or eliminate even chronic pain without the risk of medications.  TFT was discovered and developed by California clinical psychologist, Dr. Roger Callahan.TFT combines the acupressure meridian system and modern psychology to work with nature’s healing system.   

With the known risks of painkillers, the fraud appearing regularly in the studies of these painkillers, suggesting unknown risks, we need to help pain sufferers learn and use safer methods for managing pain.

³Researchers at Oxford University in the United Kingdom have found that the anxiety caused by the anticipation or experience of pain makes the perceived level of pain much worse.  This often leads to the addition of anxiety medications, which have their own set of risks and side-effects.  TFT effectively reduces or eliminates anticipatory anxiety in addition to reducing the pain. 

Length of relief from pain, per occurrence, is also important to the sufferer.  In a ⁴study, TFT provided longer relief than that experienced from pain medications.  (a free copy of this study is available on www.TFTRX.com).

⁵Statistically significant results were obtained with all problems and symptoms treated with TFT in a study at Kaiser Behavioral Health Services.  These problems  included anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse, anger, anxiety due to medical condition, bereavement, and chronic pain along with others.

“When I observe a number of suffering patients who did not respond to our usual treatment modalities, suddenly get better after TFT treatments are given, I don’t need a double-blind controlled study to tell me the value of Callahan Techniques® TFT.” 
James McKoy, MD, Chief, Pain Clinic, Chief, Rheumatology Service, Assistant Chief, Neuroscience Department    

Pain relief can be one of the most important means for improving the quality of life for thousands of people.Those suffering with chronic diseases such as arthritis, cancer, heart disease or fybromyalgia can use TFT in conjuction with their medications to reduce the risk associated with continued medication use and at the same time enhance their effect.

Doesn’t it make sense to use a natural, drug-free option for pain management and pain relief before spending any sum of money on medications with side-effects and risks. 

To learn more about this safe alternative for pain management, visit www.TFTRX.com, Self-Help Products, TFT and Health Series.  The study mentioned above is available as a free download.

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1. Pain in America: A Research Report, Survey conducted for Merck by the Gallup Organization, 2000.
2. Chronic Pain in America: Roadblocks to Relief, survey conducted for the American Pain Society, The American Academy of Pain Medicine and Janssen Pharmaceutica,1999.
3. Plonghaus, A., Tracey, I., Gati, J. S., Clare, S., Menon, R. S., Matthews, P. M., & Rawlins, J. N. (1999). Dissociating pain from its anticipation in the human brain. Science, 284(5422), 1979-81.
4. Thought Field Therapy and Pain, by Robert Pasahow, PhD, in The Thought Field, Volume 11, Issue 2,  
5. Thought Field Therapy Clinical Applications: Utilization in an HMO in Behavioral Medicine and Behavioral Health Services, Kaiser Behavioral Health Services, Sakai, Caroline, et al., J Clinical

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Headache medication is commonly prescribed to treat the pain frequently attributed to tension and stress headaches.  These headaches can become a frequent problem for some patients, striking seemingly at random and seriously impairing quality of life.  In some cases, headaches become a very real impediment to daily functioning.  It is important to treat these headaches promptly, in order to bring quality of life back up to normal levels.

Over the counter medications such as ibuprofen, aleve, and acetaminaphen can do a great deal to alleviate headache pain.  In some situations, more powerful headache medicine could be required to cure the issue.  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can usually do a great deal to reduce pain and symptoms, but sometimes more serious measures must be taken.  Triptans are a family of medications prescribed for serious pain, and are usually prescribed to sufferers of migraine headaches.  Hormonal headaches are another serious cause of heavy headache pain.  This kind of headache is due to shifting levels of hormone production, and are difficult to prevent.  Ibuprofen and Aleve are oftentimes effective in these cases.

Sinus problems are another potential source of severe headache pain.  Under these circumstances, sinus pressure that builds up behind the nasal cavity causes an uncomfortable sinus caused headache.  In severe cases, the nasal cavity becomes the site of an infection.  When this happens, the pain can be quite severe.  A dull ache behind the eyes or nose is a good sign of such an infection, as is any swelling or blood discharge from the nose.  Decongestants, nasal sprays, and antibiotics are all powerful measures against a sinus headache, and may be necessary headache medicine.

In addition to headache medicine, preventative treatment is crucial.  Primary headaches are by far the most typical kind of headache, and occur due to added tension or stress, either physical or emotional.  Stress management can play a large role in treating headaches, thereby helping to prevent them.  Stress and tension headaches frequently develop as a band like feeling above the eyes.  This can act as a definite signal to take preventative measures.  Regular anti-inflammatories are typically a decent treatment when headaches begin to develop.  Further treatment can include biofeedback, or massage therapy.

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