Alternative Methods

One thing that doctor’s teach you when you suffer from migraines or any chronic pain is to take medicine as soon as you start to feel pain.  Don’t wait until it gets unbearable.  And I have learned that lesson well – after years of resistance.

I used to wait until I could barely stand the pain and then took the strongest pain reliever.  In the last few years I have finally understood the process and started taking gentler pain relievers like aspirin or ibuprofen as soon as pain started in order to avoid getting the migraine.  It has really worked well. 

Now, I see by doing that, I have been masking the levels of pain I was experiencing and I know that pain is the body’s way of telling us we need to address something.  I had no idea that my back was hurting so much.  I had no idea that my neck hurt so much.  I didn’t know how disrupted my sleep was by pain.  I have not been sleeping much in the last week.  It doesn't mean that it was wrong to take the pain relievers, as much as it gives me awareness that there is an opportunity to look at the root causes of the pain and work from that angle.

In the last six days I have had to abstain from all pain relievers, vitamins, herbs, minerals, and allergy medicines.  It has been weird and for the first four days I was mostly angry that I had to do it.  It has been challenging to say the least.  I have three more days to go and I am settling into the discovery aspect of the process. 

I started out just trying to get through this situation and now I am seeing where I can learn things.  I have learned other things I can do to address pain besides medicine.  I have also learned when medicine would be the only answer.  I know that I will continue to take the pain relievers for certain to sleep, but when I can use some of the other tools like stretching, changing position, walking around, ice, heat, showers, or massage; I’ll do those. 

I have found it very interesting to have such a drastic change in my routine – medications, exercise, eating, sleeping.  It has allowed me to re-evaluate what is working and what is not working.  I know that I will resume my vitamins and allergy medicines right away as I affirmed I need them.  I will also continue to use the neti pot and breathing exercises.  It is so easy to fall into the habit of using one tool because it is handy and easy. 

I was accustomed to doing things one way and not questioning if it was really addressing a need correctly.  It has also opened my mind to the many foods, exercises, solutions, and modifications I wasn't even seeing.  Sometimes it takes an external force to pull me out of my rut and help me become willing to try something new.  I am reminded how many choices I really do have and how free I really am to choose.  I am grateful to be getting insight into new ways to feel more agile and be more fit.