An Update on the Headache

Bad news: The headache persists.

Good news: It really is getting better, and I haven't had a full-blown migraine in a month. I was at about a 7/8  with three migraines a week before, but now my normal is about a 4/5. (It's just taking longer than my chiropractor thought for my body to re-adjust.)

After hard work and a lot of research and absolutely no help from the western medicine community, Dr. Frazier (my chiropractor) and I figured out what the main cause of my pain is. For now, I'm not feeling brave enough to publicly address it, but rest assured, I don't have cancer or anything of the sort.

The nature of this main cause is such that it will take a few more months for the headache to completely go away. In addition, Dr. F and I have pinpointed a few other secondary causes that also take time to balance themselves out.

So for now, the most I can really do is continue to exercise patience. I'm coming up on fifteen months of this headache, and honestly, I thought that the "patience" part of this experience was over. I guess God wants me to be more patient.

Fortunately, I have found through trial and error that there are things I can do to get temporary partial relief without drugs:

• Running. However, in the throes of a headache, it requires a Herculean effort to push myself out the door. The "runner's high" is the best and longest-lasting natural pain remedy for these headaches, though, which is nice. 
• Frequent chiropractor visits. Dr. F and his assistant know how to put an achy body back together with spinal adjustments and massage. Dr. F also does nutrition therapy and homeopathic medicine, so I take whatever he tells me to--I have supreme faith in his expertise.
• Ice on anything that hurts.
• Trying to eat as healthily as possible and drinking boatloads of water.
• Sleeping enough, which I may address in more detail in a later post.
• Drinking herbal teas is a nice way for me to relax and clear my mind a little.
• Avoiding caffeine--caffeine does initially take the edge off of the pain and give me more energy, but the crash later is NOT worth it.

Hopefully my progress towards being pain-free will continue. Everyone's continued love and support really helps.