FAQ Episode 2: What is holding you back from understanding and more effectively managing your migraines?

FAQs for Natural Migraine Relief for Women

Hi! Jeff Baker here again, as the physician host for Frequently Asked Questions about Natural Migraine Relief for Women.  Today we’re going to discuss what may be holding you back from finding fresh and effective answers for your migraine headaches.  If you’ve suffered headache pain, heaven only knows you want things to change for the better.  But for humans with headaches, it’s easy to be trapped in some common stalemates.  Let's identify some of them.

1:  You haven’t been fully or accurately diagnosed yet.  It is reported that as many as 60% (!) of those with migraine have yet to be fully and accurately diagnosed with the disorder.  Unfortunately, there's no specific test to diagnose migraines. For an accurate diagnosis to be made, you and your doctor must search to identify a pattern of recurring headaches, along with a variety of associated symptoms, while eliminating some potentially serious competing possibilities. Migraines can be unpredictable, sometimes occurring without the classic symptoms. Obtaining an accurate diagnosis for migraine can sometimes take time, along with therapeutic trial and error.

2:  You are in your comfort zone.  Wow, at first blush, that sounds like a totally ignorant comment about headache pain! More accurately, as with many situations in life, sometimes we have learned to live with ‘the way it is’.  80% of people with almost any problem are in this zone, and many times are unconsciously resisting the will or effort to make a change,  partially because it can be overwhelming!  Real change can be hard and there are substantial and legitimate obstacles on that pathway. The fact that you are here looking for more or better answers tells me that you are not willing to "stay in your comfort zone."

3: You have fallen into ‘learned helplessness’.  This comes from feeling chronically overwhelmed, for multiple good reasons, and at times, to be honest…we fall back on excuses we all have saved up to get us through moments like this.  Headaches can seriously mess with your schedule, your relationships, and your finances, as well as other health problems.  It can be an endless list and a vicious cycle.  Oh, is this ever an easy pattern to fall into. You can break out, but you need a plan.

4: You ARE looking for answers but might be following the path of least resistance.  It’s easy to get so beaten down that we are in survival mode. We are looking for an easier answer while knowing that anything worthwhile requires effort and can be a hard and persistent road.  Maybe next time, maybe tomorrow...right now I just need to hang on.

5: You’ve been given a prescription medicine that ‘helps some’, but isn’t getting at your migraine’s ‘root causes’.

This situation can lead one to believe that ‘we are doing everything we can’, without knowing that your migraine has definable root causes that the medication may or may not address.  There are many underlying genetic, biochemical, hormonal, cell energy based, nutrient deficit, brain chemistry, and structural factors that can combine to provoke your headaches.  If you understood which ones apply most specifically to your story, it could offer multiple specific options for non-drug therapy. Perhaps you could also break out of the headache pain dead ends mentioned above.  But how can you know what are the root causes of your migraine story?

How can I break out of this cycle of migraine headaches and find answers?

1.  Persist in getting the most accurate diagnosis for your headaches.  You may benefit from a referral to a neurologist, or further testing.

2.  Determine if you are at your 'teachable moment."  For me, I've found that there are moments when I am finally angered and even disgusted enough by a condition where my learned helplessness has found an acceptable comfort zone, and I become willing "to do whatever it takes" to find a way through and make the changes I need to make. Sometimes that's what it takes to get through sticking points, especially with a significant health problem.

3.  Identify sources of clarity and support that can help you make small steps forward.  It’s tempting to think one giant leap will do the job, but that's rarely the case. 

4.  Find out your migraine root cause factors and address them directly.

If you have been looking for a closer look at the core reasons you have headaches, I have some hopeful news to offer you. From my 39 years of clinical experience managing headaches and hormone support therapy, I’ve developed an online course that examines ten major root factors for migraine headaches and uses a unique Migraine Action Plan © to:

1) Consider in detail which of these specific migraine root cause factors apply to you.   Almost certainly several do, but which ones?

2) Triage from over 90 potential non-drug interventions which ones could be the most applicable for your migraine situation.

If you are ready to get unstuck from a pathway known for hopelessness, helplessness, and partial answers, please take a look at what this course can offer you.

To learn about the benefits of "understanding your migraine root cause factors", go to the course site at naturalmigrainerelief.online to learn more.

Also, subscribe to and read this free weekly blog where we address contributing factors that underlie migraine headaches.