What is a Migraine?
The word “Migraine” originated from the ancient Greek word “hemicranos” which means “half-head”. Each year approximately 50 million people in the U.S. suffer from migraine headaches. The exact cause of migraines has yet to be discovered, some people get them, some don’t. What is known is that women are most affected (3:1 versus men), and most commonly associated with the premenstrual cycle. Additionally, 70 to 80% of migraine sufferers have a family history of migraines.
A migraine is thought to be caused by an inappropriate activation of the pain warning system in the brain. The system stays “on” and continuously repeats the pain warning. During a migraine, the blood vessels in the brain expand the tissue surrounding the brain causing the pain to intensify. Most headache medicines increase blood vessel dilation which increases inter-cranial swelling, worsening the migraine. Taking too much of some medicines can cause what is known as a “rebound headache”.
What is known is that elevated stress levels, hormonal imbalances, environmental toxins and reactions to certain foods are responsible for triggering the majority of migraine headaches.
Kelly Lott, massage therapist/instructor developed Migraine Miracle® after seeing so many of her own clients and students suffer from debilitating migraines. Early on, she discovered that while experiencing a migraine all sufferers wanted to have something cold applied to their head, neck and/or face. Kelly worked with various materials to find one that would maintain the right temperature for an extended period of time, which proved to be marble. Through trial and error she developed the right shape of stones to fit the contours of the face and neck to provide maximum relief. The treatment also includes the use of specifically designed aromatherapy especially designed to counteract the top four kinds of headache pain: Food Allergies, Environmental Agitation, Stress (#1 trigger) and Hormonal Imbalance.
Migraine Miracle – a breakthrough natural and holistic treatment – how it works:
Aromatherapy is a gentle, non-invasive natural remedy utilizing the scent of essential oils to produce general well-being, and promote balance and harmony within the body. Many essential oils have therapeutic properties, but just the act of smelling specific oils can lift the mind and produce physiological changes that diminish migraine headache pain.
One first step in stopping a migraine headache is to calm the brain, and an effective way to achieve this is with aromatherapy. The client will smell each separate essential oil one at a time, which helps to identify one of the four triggers (food, environment, stress, hormone). The most appealing oil is used during the treatment session. The body and brain instinctively know which blend will help to bring back balance. If a client reacts positively to more than one blend, there are probably multiple triggers involved, which is common. Aromas must be subtle, as migraine sufferers commonly have reactions from strong smells.
Cold stone therapy:
Heat causes pain to worsen by increasing blood flow to affected areas. However, cold stones cause a decrease in inflammation. After cooling to approximately 36 degrees in the refrigerator, specific placement on the face and neck of my custom designed marble stones have the desired effect of decreasing inflammation. Most migraine sufferers love the feeling of the cold stones, and within a very short amount of time, start to feel relief. Marble stays cold enough, long enough to bring true relief, whereas gel packs just don’t stay cold long enough.
Presented by Kelly Lott , LMT, MTI, NCBTMB, CIMI,
Creator of Migraine MiracleÒ Cold Stone Therapy for Migraine Headaches
817-797-3387