Catalan UDI and Migraine Headaches

The old Bridge and Chapel at St Ives, Cambridgeshire

The dominating news today is Catalan's declaration of independence earlier today. This was followed by the imposition of direct rule by the Spanish government and the sacking of the Catalan Government. The intention is to work towards new elections late in December. Currently the EU, including the major players such as France, the UK do not recognise the Catalan as an independent region and are treating this as an internal Spanish matter. Europe is on tenterhooks to see how the situation develops and there is a fervent wish that it does not end in violence.

The news has overshadowed the release of secret US documents on the assassination of President Kennedy, though some documents are still withheld. The locally most intriguing item was that there was a call to the Cambridge Evening News, suggesting it get in touch with the US Embassy as there would be major news - 25 minutes before the President was assassinated.

Toast and marmalade breakfast at the taproom this Friday and conversation with Frances, Victor and Janet. Janet, a Reiki practitioner, mentioned that that the technique could help with migraines, if I was interested. A timely co-incidence as I was developing a growing sensitivity to the noise-level of conversation as the group grew and woke up. This presaged an rapidly developing migraine attack and I left early.

Having been a migraine sufferer since the age of 15, the invention of triptans has been a godsend. Consistently suffering on average 12 attacks a month over the past 45 years, it is now a case of ensuring that with the onset of aura and the first pain, that it is not lack of fluids or food causing the headache. This gives an hour or so grace before taking the half tablet with a paracetamol that will kill the onset over a couple of hours. Too little and too much sleep are triggers (as this early start after a late night). Otherwise, decades of trying diets, a range of prophylactic medicines, exercise, relaxation techniques, age etc have left the frequency unaltered. A longstanding member of Migraine Action,  now have a cautious view of any promises of assistance with a chronic condition experienced by up to 1 in 7 of the UK population.

One of the things that I discovered since setting up my own business and meeting the wider real world, is that there is a whole panoply of complementary and alternative philosophies and practitioners that people can turn to. The gamut ranges from the muscle and skeletal manipulators, using massage, osteopathy and chiropractic, to alternative medicines from herbal essences, Aloe vera, and homeopathic dilutions, to energy based treatments from acupuncture to energy healing, including Reiki, to relaxation and meditation. Of these I've tried a couple - and found only the relaxation techniques do offer some relief when stress creeps in.

Do they work for others? Some of them do for some people - it is really a very personal thing. Whilst broadly not for me, I do see  a healing/helping effect for others. Whether close to conventional medicine or absolutely far out, most of the complementary and alternative practitioners are caring people with a genuine interest and time to spend with their patients on a more holistic basis. I believe this is probably the thing that achieves the most positive result. It is something that the splintered medical world cannot provide, with it's financial pressures and maximum 10 minute appointment dedicated to individual symptoms. Caring for a person as a whole has a benefit, even if/or even because as a patient you have to pay for it.

My attack was under control and passed within an hour, aided by the distraction of volunteer work at the Norris, first concentrating on and distracted by a difficult digital challenge, and then helping out at the children's drawing half term activity.