How I Supported a Migraine Client

I’d like to share with you my experience and success with supporting a client who suffered from debilitating migraines. I know that I usually present myself as having experience and expertise in gut health and acid reflux, but that isn’t all I do!

How it began

This client came to me suffering from regular debilitating migraines going back 10 years. He had tried conventional medicine for the migraines which were occurring up to three times a week, but he did not enjoy the unpleasant side effects.

My client had a clear sense that it was probably multifactorial and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. He also wanted to see if he would address his health issues more naturally.

My client would often wake with a headache in the morning. Frequently it would be accompanied with mild nausea and a throbbing pain. Often it would build during the day and linger on until the next day. When it was really bad, he simply had to take to his bed in a darkened room. Not great for someone with a stressful full time job and two small children to cope with!

Interestingly, he also had eczema on his hands, anxiety and digestive issues including bloating, flatulence and diarrhoea.

I began as I always do, with an in depth investigation into my client’s health picture, along with everything else that may have contributed to the development of his current issue e.g. diet, sleep, stressors, past medical history, family medical history, medication & supplements.

How we worked together

I began by making simple changes to my client’s diet. For instance I could see that he was generally low in protein. I explained to him that dietary protein is broken down into amino acids which the body then uses for growth and repair, and for the production of hormones and neurotransmitters. And since migraines are thought to be linked to neurotransmitter imbalance, it made sense to give the body the building blocks to make them! I also suggested an increase in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods to help with neurological activity, digestion and skin health.

As a nutritional therapist, I work holistically, so I also looked at how my client might ameliorate the effect that stress was having on the frequency and severity of his migraines, his undesirable digestive symptoms and the flare ups of the eczema on his hands. We talked about meditation and lifestyle changes that might support him.

I requested a GP blood test to see if we could discover anything relevant. While we waited for the results of these tests, I suggested an initial supplement protocol.

Progress

At our first follow up, the first thing that my client wanted to share was how empowered he felt by making these changes. For the first time, he hadn’t had a headache for 5 days, the duration of some of the headaches was shorter, with fewer occurring on waking and less nausea. In addition, his digestion had improved, sleep was better and he had more energy.

I made more changes to his diet based on his symptom picture. I also continued to offer support for the nervous system including sharing a guided meditation aimed at unlocking physical patterns and habits in the body, which he later told me had had a real impact on him.

In this particular case, we decided that it would be worthwhile paying for a more comprehensive functional test to get as broad a picture as possible of what might be going on. This flagged up deficiencies in a whole range of nutrients that were a clue to why he may be experiencing headaches. Armed with this valuable information, I adjusted his supplement protocol, and introduced further changes to his diet.

We also decided on a food sensitivity and gut health test as my client had long suspected this might be a factor. Once we had the results back, we could move forward with an elimination diet and support for gut healing.

We continued with the dietary changes and brought in specifics for detoxification and liver support.

The outcome

When we next spoke, my client had not had a headache for 7 days. Generally they were less often, less painful, subsiding naturally, with no morning headaches and no nausea. Almost all of his digestive symptoms had gone and the rash had hugely improved.

Significantly, my client had begun to understand how he could prevent the development of his migraines. He was beginning to feel really good and this was having a positive impact on his relationships at home and work.

Working with this client was so rewarding because he was willing to put the work in and be open to change. Yes it took patience, but the results were so encouraging. His headaches don’t dominate his life like they used to, and when they do occur, he is armed with knowledge that enables his to deal with them more effectively.

When I sent him his initial health questionnaire, he did not tick the box to give permission for me to share his case with peers for educational purposes, but later, he asked me if he could go back and tick that box because he wanted others to know about the work we had done together.

If you or anyone you know experiences migraines or frequent headaches please do share my details or get in touch to see if I can help. I offer a free 20 minute initial chat to see how I might be able to help.