Journaling-Headaches

It's been a long time since I've journaled...And my heart needs to unload some of the thoughts that swirl around my head.  I need to write them either to remember them or to at least get out of the circle of thoughts that repeatedly spin.  And this is the way it is with my headaches....

For over a year I have been battling these-things that make my head hurt, myself sad, my heart anxious and that I have never had to work though before in my life.  They came out of nowhere, but after I had the flu last Christmas. I just never got over the headaches.  I know that people have migraines or stress related headaches but for me they rarely every come.  I can think of taking medicine only a few times in my life for a headache that couldn't be reprieved by sleep or food or a good hot shower.

But thats where I have found myself these last months.  At some points I have been desperate and simple closed my eyes on the couch or sat on the floor with the kids running around playing and tried to sleep/will them away.  At most points I have prayed and prayed and prayed that something would help relieve them.  I've asked others to pray about them and they have.  I have googled so many times I feel my keyboard has little indentions in those keys.

And from where I sit today, God hasn't healed them, but my heart has been encouraged, myself refined, compassion extended and they are better though not gone. Instead of 4-5 days a week with a headache I have one every few weeks for 2 days, much better!  I would love to say that something specifically has helped me and if you are struggling with them try this, but I cannot.  I can tell you that I have tried a lot of things that one should try if having almost daily headaches.  So in hopes that someone is encouraged to try and find the root cause of their headaches and to share this with my kids if they ever find themselves in this season, below are my thoughts.

Don't give up.  Keep praying for wisdom.  Be HUMBLE and ask people to pray for you. Try just about anything so that you can live your fullest for God/husband/kids/friends.  Recognize you are human and if needed take things off your plate to reduce some of the load. Ask your Dr for help. Ask your friends. Ask about alternative ideas. And above all believe that God hasn't left and is allowing what is best for you, trust Him in this.  Oh and don't go about it alone embarrassed that you are struggling.  The enemy wants nothing more then to isolate you and me.  And finally, don't be proud, ask folks to ASK you how you are doing.  You need community with dealing with all of life, especially something that no one else can see.

Here are the things I have tried.  The *'d ones are the ones that have helped the most and that I am still doing.  The other ones I know have influenced my total body health in a good way, but not effect my headaches.

-Try drinking more water.
-*Try not picking up your kids so that you don't strain your back/neck/shoulders.  Come down to their
     level.
-Try going refined sugar free for at least five days and up to 3 weeks to see any change. (sugar does
    seem to effect me as well...so I mostly eat maple syrup, honey or sucant which seems ok)
-Try going gluten free for at least five days and up to 3 weeks to see any change.
-Try going dairy free for at least five days and up to 3 weeks to see any change.
-Try going corn free for at least five days and up to 3 weeks to see any changes.
-Try going nut free for at least five days and up to 3 weeks to see any changes.
-*Try a medical message for at least 3 sessions, once per week. (this has been the best help for me!)
     And a medical message is different then a spa massage.  MMassage is more pressure points and
     trying to see what muscles are tight and therefore putting pressure into my head.  Normally these
     folks also don't except tips.  Their price is their price and they consider themselves part of the
     medical community.
-*Try getting more sleep. (8-10 hours per night)
-*Try taking more Vitamin D
-Try a steroid shot if there is inflammation
-Have a CT scan of your sinus/head
-*Try taking Migravent
-*Try eating no processed foods with artificial colors/flavors. (this wasn't that difficult as most of our
    food is simple and made at home. But artificial sweeteners seem to cause havoc with my head-so I         do avoid those whenever I am out. :)
-Try some sort of exercise program that helps you stretch.
-Have your eyes checked
-Do a yeast cleaning program
-*Limit your caffeine or go off caffeine
-Take extra zinc, vitamin c and other vitamins (olive leaf or L-Lysine) that hinders a virus reproduction in your system.  Some headaches are caused by a virus.
-*Drink Kombucha (1billion probiotics in this drink!) to help build your internal good bacteria to fight off anything.  Some headaches are caused by a bacteria.
-*Have a medicine on hand that will work.  For me, Tramadol is that medicine.
-*Essential Oils like peppermint or Frankincense help relieve headaches
-*Place cold packs on the area your headache is concentrated
-*Chiropractor adjustments to make sure everything is in line and you don't have anything pinched.
-Check on any medicines you are taking to see if there is a side effect of headaches
-*Try wearing NO makeup since it can contain heavy metals.
-*Take quercetin with bromelain for soothing sinus support on an empty tummy


Anything else you all have tried that has helped?  If so I'd love to hear about it!