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This volume offers original studies on relaxation and stress management. Practitioners will find a wealth of specific, ready-to-use, evidence-based suggestions for incorporating relaxation techniques into their clinical work. Part I summarizes practical advances in the theory, research, and assessment of relaxation. Part II is an anthology of 25 studies on relaxation focusing on individual differences; stress, coping and relaxation; factor analyses and correlations; and practice techniques. An appendix offers a complete relaxation inventory of scales for those interested in developing their own studies.

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This comprehensive guide shows readers how to treat common health problems using a variety of pressure point therapies: acupressure, shiatsu, reflexology, acu-yoga, and trigger-point therapy. For each condition, readers can experiment to discover which of these methods work best for them. Forem offers therapies for more than 65 complaints from acne, arthritis, and weight control to eyestrain, headaches, and impotence.

More than 50 clear illustrations show readers exactly what they need to do. A section of master drawings show the complete array of points and meridians — the same ones used in acupuncture. Then each section offers simpler drawings illustrating only the specific points needed for the condition being discussed. Concise instructions on pressure techniques accompany the illustrations.

Botox and Migraine

Botox treatment for migraine was approved by the FDA, as reported by WebMD in October 2010. The quote below gives the gist of the post, visit the source site for more details.

Botox to treat chronic migraines is given at intervals of about 12 weeks as multiple injections around the head and neck to try to dull future headache symptoms, the FDA says in a statement.

 

The FDA says it’s important that patients who suffer chronic migraines discuss with their doctors whether Botox is appropriate for them.

Many people report having found botox beneficial for their headaches.

However, as long ago as February 2011, the New Scientist produced an article discussing whether Botox treatment for migraine was:

Hollywood snake oil

The New Scientist article noted that several clinical trials had failed to find a significant reduction in the number of migraine and tension headaches experienced after Botox treatment.

Some time ago I posted elsewhere in this blog about Migraine and Botox and had some interesting responses.

Just recently, in April 2012, Florida Today reports that:

… a disappointing study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that injections of Botulinum toxin A, or Botox, had smaller-than-expected benefits for those with chronic, near-daily headaches, working only modestly better than a placebo.

Depending on the severity of your migraines, and the affordability of the treatment in your own personal circumstances, any chance of improvement may still be enough for you to wish to try it. After all, there are many success stories.

However, for me at least, the jury is still out. I have to confess I’ve never been tempted to try botox either for migraine or cosmetic reasons – but that’s just a personal opinion.

Please check with your medically qualified doctor for referral to a suitably qualified practitioner if you are attracted to this treatment.  If you are in the UK you may like to contact  Mr Ahmed Sadiq of Manchester who is an ophthalmic surgeon pioneering the use of Botox as a treatment for migraines. http://www.theeyespecialist.co.uk

I’d love to hear your experiences of botox treatment for migraine, to benefit other readers, so please post any comments you have.

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Your backyard becomes an all-natural pharmacy!

Colds. Headaches. Upset stomach, Allergy symptoms. Depression. Circulation problems.

This timely book goes beyond using herbs as medicine; it also focuses on beneficial foods for more than 100 common ailments and shows you how to grow them.

In that way, RX from the Garden lets you circumvent expensive meds with questionable side effects by explaining what foods to eat to help you feel better. In addition to aligning health problems with natural cures, this valuable resource provides step-by-step instruction on how to easily cultivate the corresponding vegetables and herbs in your lawn, garden, or flowerbed.

According to Hippocrates, "Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food." Now you can reap health benefits for your very own backyard bounty.

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LIVING MIGRAINE FREE! shows you how to take pro-active steps to neutralize your migraine symptoms and headaches. Foremost among these is the breakthrough resistance-breathing exercise that has given the author a migraine-free life for the last 20 years.

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Outwitting Headaches provides all the information needed to stop headaches in their tracks and, better yet, to avoid or prevent them entirely.

After a lifetime of suffering from splitting migraine headaches that were merely aggravated by attempts to subdue them with prescription drugs, Mark Wiley had had enough pain and frustration. He set out on a fifteen-year quest to research all the methods available for treating headaches. Working by personal experience through all the Western pharmaceuticals, all the useless psychotherapy, and all the alternative therapies of the month, he moved on in desperation to Asia to test the traditional remedies of Chinese and other indigenous medicinal traditions. His travels took him to the mountains of Malaysia, the barrios of the Philippines, and back-alley healers of Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan. He tried bone setters, shamans, faith healers, acupuncturists, qigong masters, energy healers, herbalists, and massage therapists. He studied and practiced various mind-body methods of qigong, yoga, meditation, and martial arts.

Nothing worked-at least, not for long. The headaches still struck with the sudden savage fury of a lightning bolt. Then, at long last, like Newton and Archimedes, Mark had his Eureka! moment. And, of course, it was simple and self-evident. The key to ending suffering from headaches is proactive avoidance of causes rather than reactive treatment of symptoms.

Outwitting Headaches sets out systematically the noninvasive methods Mark has developed to avoid the chemicals, drugs, drinks, foods, and even behaviors that serve as triggers for headaches, while removing from the personal environment as many of the immediate causes of headache as possible. In addition, this book teaches how to quickly restore the balance necessary to live headache free when there is inadvertent exposure to triggers or causes.

It’s not just adults who suffer from migraines. There is an increasing number of children with migraines, and many of them may be undiagnosed, simply because they can’t actually put into words what is happening to them. The quote below from the South End News gives some idea of the extent of the problem – and bear in mind that the study quoted was a long time ago, so the numbers are most probably even higher now.

Children with Migraines

In children, special challenges abound: migraines present themselves in markedly different ways, and, the developmental status of many kids makes history-taking more of a veterinary experience. As a classic 1962 study in Sweden found, lots of kids have had headaches (about 40% by 6 years old, and 70% by age 15). Migraine headaches are the most common type, occurring in 10% of younger children, and about 25% of children in their teen years. Source

So why may the number of child migraine sufferers be even greater now?

• Increased use of artificial additives to their diet (fizzy drinks, food colourings)
• More chemicals in the environment (e.g. home cleaning products)
• Possible exposure to toxic minerals, without the balance of nutrient minerals
• Less healthy diet than in 1962 (more processed foods, less whole-foods)
• Higher stress levels at school due to educational targets
• Hours spent in front of the TV or computer exposed to flickering image
• Less regular bedtimes could mean children are sleep-deprived
• Children using mobile phones regularly
• Less time spent outdoors exercising and playing

Do you suspect your child has migraine?

It should go without saying that if your child is unwell at any time, your first port of call is your usual medically qualified doctor. However, you know your own child better than a doctor, so your first indications that something is unwell will probably be based on parental instinct. Trust it, and seek help sooner rather than later, if only to set your mind at rest by excluding any serious illness.

Jack Maypole MD, who wrote the article referred to above, suggests watching out for the following symptoms:

Parents or health care providers should suspect migraines when there are recurring episodes of symptoms that are making kids miserable. Unexplained illnesses without fever, that recur between periods of wellness? Be wary. Extra high levels of suspicion should be applied for kids with strong histories of carsickness, or a family with a history of migraines (up to 70% of pedi migraineurs have a relative who suffer them!).

 

At the onset of a migraine episode, parents may notice a certain unusual behavior in their children, including fatigue, irritability or hyperactivity. These aura-like sequences may be important to watch for, as they may offer a window of taking measures or medication to head off (or, in medical parlance, abort) a nascent migraine. Thereafter, things may progress to any number of issues, including pallor, odd facial expressions, confusion, sleepiness, or prolonged bouts of nausea and vomiting.

Remember – an adult migraine sufferer probably knows what is happening to them, and can better describe their symptoms. Children are unlikely to give the classical descriptions – hence the reference above to veterinary diagnosis techniques.

How to Help Children with Migraines

Once the doctor has given his diagnosis, the bulleted list (above) of reasons why migraines may be more prevalent in children is your first port of call. Work towards correcting any life-style migraine triggers in the hope of avoiding the need for your child to take pain medication (which can, in certain cases, cause migraine-rebound headaches).

My own approach to treating adults any client who visits me for migraine relief is detailed in the ebook I compiled as a result of specialising in a nutritional approach to migraine during my college course.

Typically I would see a client 3 or 4 times, but as these consultation costs would quickly mount up, and distance is probably an issue for most of my readers, I have collected the information into one easily accessible ebook. It is as relevant for helping children as it is for adults. Learn more at my website Natural Migraine Alternatives.

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If you are one of the millions of people suffering from chronic pain, it can often seem as if your discomfort is running—and ruining—your life. Maybe you’ve even been told that “it’s all in your head” and you just have to endure the debilitating effects of migraines, arthritis, back and neck pain, and chronic illness. You can feel good again! Defeat Chronic Pain Now! is your survival guide to preventing, reversing, and managing chronic pain.

Referencing breakthrough medical research, two of the leading pain specialists in the field, Bradley S. Galer, M.D., and Charles E. Argoff, M.D., present hidden and little known causes of common chronic pain conditions, how to avoid misdiagnosis, and the latest treatments under development including:
—Myofascial Dysfunction: The real (undiagnosed!) culprit in 90% of Back and Neck Pain
—DMARDS and NSAIDS: Two breakthrough drugs that promise significant relief for Arthritis
—Nutraceuticals: The natural wonder treatment for Peripheral Neuropathy
—Focal heat trigger-point (FHTP) therapy: The new drug-free approach to Migraine relief

The first practical book on integrative pain management, Defeat Chronic Pain Now! gives you the latest information on surgical options, new medications, complementary therapies, and psychological interventions that can be used to rewire your body for pain relief. For each condition and procedure, you’ll learn what to expect in the hospital and the doctor's office, and what self-therapy solutions you can do on your own. Detailed illustrations and easy-to-understand descriptions help you select the best treatment options to improve your unique type of pain and take back your life.

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Health Educator Reports from the Pain & Stress Center are written by Drs Sahley and Birkner. Information and suggested supplements are for conditions you and your family my be facing. Reports are usually 2 to 3 pages long and have a protocol at the end. For questions about products please call 1-800-669-2256 and speak to one of our representatives.

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A complete program to overcome a new epidemic-The Fatigue Syndrome

Do you feel exhausted, rundown, and stressed-out all the time? Do you have trouble sleeping well at night and wake up feeling exhausted? More and more of us have these problems. In this groundbreaking new book, bestselling Inflammation Syndrome author Jack Challem tackles a new kind of syndrome tied to nutrition, adrenal fatigue, and thyroid problems. Challem explains what the Fatigue Syndrome is and spells out how the Five Circles of Fatigue contribute to it. Then he shares his comprehensive plan that combines nutrition, physical activity, and sleep solutions to help you combat fatigue and feel better. This energy-boosting book
Uncovers the role that eating habits, hormones, illness, aging, and other factors play in fatigueDiscusses the growing problems of adrenal fatigue and low thyroid hormonePresents a complete nutrition and lifestyle program to conquer fatigue and re-energize your body and lifeIncludes energy-enhancing recipes and meal plans to help you combat fatigue and stress

With No More Fatigue, you will rediscover the joy of feeling well rested, re-energized, and ready to take charge of your health and your life.