In November 2024, I was contacted by Louise (not her real name); a long-term migraine sufferer, who was now also recently struggling with dizziness, brain fog and increasing anxiety, which she attributed to perimenopause.
Louise has a long history of debilitating migraines over the last 14 years. Following extensive investigations under a Private Neurologist, Louise was given the all-clear from anything other than migraine and the decision was made to transfer her care to Pain Management.
Following this, Louise had been prescribed multiple kinds of strong pain-killing medications and Triptans and herself paid for costly and painful nerve blocks to her neck, back and head, the effects of which did not last. Her migraines had now increased in frequency from twice to around six times monthly.
Meet Louise
Louise contacted me when she was in excruciating pain, taking various painkillers every day, but finding them ineffectual. She had got to the point of arranging her working hours around her migraines, and her family’s daily activities were carefully limited to avoid causing her fatigue and pain.
This was not sustainable, and she felt desperate and worried. She wanted an alternative to a future of medication and, having learned about my services and level of training, was open to trying Acupuncture.
Louise had previously had a bad experience with massage treatments triggering a migraine, so I reassured her we would take things gently and that part of the way I treat people is to regularly check in with them to ensure their comfort.
OUR APPROACH
We spent the first hour of her initial treatment talking at length about Louise’s current conditions, state of health and health history. I explained that my listening and asking questions helps me to form a diagnosis from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, as well as understanding the involvement of any muscles and nerves from a modern viewpoint.
Once this was done, I used a combination of gentle slide cupping and light needling to treat not only local areas of discomfort in Louise’s body, but to work on the underlying cause of her pain, anxiety, and other symptoms, according to my Traditional Chinese Medicine training. She was surprised to find her treatments so relaxing that she slept during them.
Results & Follow-Up
Louise saw me for six weekly treatments to begin with and before the end of that time, felt able to stop taking her Triptans for the first time in 8 years and reported her dizziness and brain fog had disappeared.
We tapered to fortnightly and now monthly treatments. Louise’s occurrences of headaches and anxious spells are very rare (and she can normally pinpoint any external cause for them). She is no longer forced to limit her activities around her health and tells me that visiting me has completely changed her quality of life.
