On Migraines

I have just gone searching back through my blog. It seems that I have written about migraines on a number of occasions. There is probably a reason for that - I get migraines with irregular frequency.

I have another migraine right now.

This migraine has come two weeks after the last one cleared, and that one lasted four days. I have no idea what caused this one. In fact I don’t have any idea what have caused any of the migraines that I have had since I was in my mid-teens. In the last 50 years their frequency has varied from once a month to once in a blue moon. This short spell between migraines has happened before, but is rare for me.

This one just came on as my wife and I were bringing the Christmas Tree inside. They always start for me with an aura getting bigger and bigger around and in front of my left eye, usually until I can’t see anything. After 5 or 10 minutes that clears and the pain slowly increases.

I hesitate to call migraines headaches. Dare I say that I believe that that does them a disservice for the pain and discomfort that they produce. Mine are unpleasant, but I am aware of others who get much worse ones than me. Mine can be accompanied by nausea, weakness, light sensitivity, and just a general struggle to function effectively (though I do push myself against them at times).

For me the only real treatment is rest and quiet. I have found nothing that has produced a lasting cure - though I do wonder after the acupuncture treatment that I received during my last migraine if back to back acupuncture might have some lasting effect? I would need there to be a drop in price of the treatment for that to be a viable option.

I have things to see to this coming week, so I will need to pace myself. Ultimately though it will depend how severe or debilitating the pain is. Hopefully, like now, I can come for air and get some things done. With fewer noises and distractions around me, getting things done bit by bit can be possible.