Manipulating Bamboo and the Third Eye

Last night I felt it coming on. It sort of built up all day. With the feeling comes the anxiety that something bad is coming. Once that feeling begins, there is often times, no turning back. Pain, Dear Readers. Pain is an unwelcome guest in our bodies. It arrives without warning and takes up residence in our heads, backs, stomachs or neck. Pain is well, a PAIN!

This morning Pain woke me up, the little sh!+. I did not and do not appreciate being woken up by Pain. Is there any worse way to be woken up? Pain decided my head was the perfect place for a little vacation, so that is where it parked. Pain broke out a beer and a lounge chair and got comfortable! (Even opening my eyes hurt.) I knew this was not a "breathe it away" kind of headache but a "take migraine medicine, go back to bed, put the lavender eye pillow on and then breathe" kind of headache. Our dog, Lollipop came to keep me company and she was blissfully quiet and comforting. She laid there and cuddled up to me as I tried to do some yoga breathing. If you're not familiar with yoga-type breathing, it's the type when you inhale as fully as possible and sigh it out. The sound of my "sigh" actually hurt me head more so I just exhaled without noise (unless moans count) and they don't. I placed a lavender eye pillow over by eyes and breathed in its calming scent. My mother, Ellen, made it for me and it's filled with organic flax seed, garden-grown lavender flowers and some lavender essential oil. It is perfectly weighted to provide just the "right" amount of tolerable pressure on my eyes to be comforting and not cause more pain. Lavender eye pillows are fabulous for relieving stress or pain. Try making or purchasing one and you will thank me, believe me.

Thankfully, between the medicine, the breathing and the lavender eye pillow, my headache had all but disappeared by the time I began by day. I knew a good workout and strong coffee would help me and if I was careful, I should be able to keep the little prick, I mean Pain, away. I can still feel Pain, hiding behind my eyes just waiting to pounce when I let my guard down but I know it's there so I will try to keep hydrated and keep breathing deeply all day.

I started thinking about migraines and the different types of migraines. I wondered what it is called when a migraine causes the sufferer to see flashing lights in particular. Wouldn't you know it, there is a name for that type of migraine, they are called "Aura Migraines." Doesn't that sound almost fun?  It sounds like a ride at a carnival or a fair. The "Aura Migraine" is five tickets to ride please... ​Hard Pass! It's the type of ride you realize too late is not for you!

Now that you have a migraine, what can you do about it? Well, for one thing, breathe. Breathe fully. For another, hydrate, with water please. There are other home remedies for migraines such as acupressure. Two that I have tried might help you too but of course there are many others. 
1. Activate/stimulate the Third Eye area. The Third Eye is that spot right between your eyes. Simply apply gentle yet firm pressure there for one minute.
2. Drill for bamboo. Say what? Yep, drill for bamboo. You know that place where one of your three pairs of glasses sits on either side of your nose bridge? Yep. That is where you "drill." Apply gentle yet firm pressure to one or both sides for one minute too. 

The thing about these two pressure points is they are places you are drawn to apply pressure because you probably have pain there from your headache. Other places on the face, like just below the cheek bones are pressure points too. I say, try any and all of these remedies to help you feel better. A dark, quiet room does the trick too and my mother likes a heating pad applied to her face. I say whatever works.

Please share your remedies to alleviate headaches in the comments section.


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