MIGRAINE

CHIEF COMPLAINT(S):

• Migraine since 8 year
• Low backache since 2 year

BRIEF CLINICAL HISTORY:

The client came with a history of recurrent attacks of Migraines. She was taking medicine for the headaches but the relief was limited only till the effect of the medicine lasted. In addition, she also had a complaint of low backache for which she was taking physiotherapy on and off. She was fed up with the medicines and wanted to try hypnotherapy as an alternate therapy for relief in migraine pain and low backache.

THERAPEUTIC SESSIONS

SESSION 1:

The option of hypnotherapy was discussed in detail with Mrs J. She was apprised about the concept of pain and suffering and maintaining a healthy Psycho-biological state. The case history was taken in detail wherein she confided that she was living continuously under stress. The stress was due to differences with her husband who was in a habit of shouting on minor household issues. The husband was also not very supportive of her doing business and wanted her to remain confined to the four walls of the house. There was constant tension between husband and wife and lately husband’s mother also came to stay with them. Mrs J now felt as if her every action was under scrutiny by both her husband and mother in law. Also, she was constantly ticked off for everything by her mother in law and husband, adding to the stress. She has been married for about 12 years and had to leave her job of steady regular income with a multinational. After that, she remained a housewife for 2 years and got fed up with the life of a housewife and started her own business. Since then her husband became critical of all her decisions and she started feeling stressed and from then onwards migraine attacks and low backache also started troubling her.

SESSION 2:

Pain Management through Hypnosis – Ice Melting Techniques

Trance was induced by breath watching and PMR and was deepened by the visualization. The arm levitation method was used to further deepen and confirm deep trance. When in deep trance, she was asked to identify the area affected/ covered by pain and visualize it. After she confirmed that she has visualized the affected area where pain persisted in her head, she was asked to assign a shape to it, explain what kind of pain it was and what was the colour and temperature of this shape.

She confirmed that she visualized this pain as a warm, black coloured cloud that was throbbing and causing pain. She was suggested that as she was seeing this black cloud it was starting to become colder and colder and soon would turn into ice. She was told to confirm with a ‘yes’ finger whenever this black cloud turned completely into cold, solid ice. After a few minutes, she raised her yes finger to confirm that the affected area was now a solid piece of ice. She was then guided to visualize, that, this solid ice was now melting and a pleasant feeling was developing with the melting of ice. She was told only to observe, what was happening. After a few minutes, she said that now this ice was melting from all sides and becoming smaller and smaller in size. Again she was told to only observe this shrinking melting ice. After a few minutes, she said that the ice is not there but only the residual water is left and that too was draining out. At this time the suggestion was given “as this ice is melting away slowly, all the feelings causing this pain, which was stored in your deep subconscious are also draining out and bringing a soothing feeling in your head and slowly spreading to all other parts of the body. As this soothing feeling is spreading to your stomach and lower back, your lower back is also becoming relaxed. Now whenever you are uncomfortable in your head, your subconscious would become aware of underlying feelings and release them in the same manner as you are doing now. You would experience this relaxed feeling now in your entire body & mind as long as you wanted it to or you feel relaxed.” Thereafter the trance was terminated permissively.

Feedback: After the trance, she looked relaxed and conceded that the pain was significantly reduced in her head and low back. She also felt light and happy.

SESSION 3 & 4:

The proceedings of session 2 were repeated in session 3 in the same sequence in which trance was induced by breath watching and PMR and deepening of trance was achieved through visualization technique. In session 4 Ego Enhancement was done to achieve relaxation through visualization and SIC. She was also taught to do eight-step self-hypnosis and pain management techniques to manage the symptoms of migraine or low backache if they ever re-surfaced. There was a visible improvement in her after the first two sessions only. On asking she conceded that her happiness quotient had started improving from the first session onwards.

Feedback & Follow Up: In further follow-ups on the phone Mrs J told me that she has been practising self-hypnosis & ego enhancement regularly. The bouts of migraine had reduced significantly, and if at all they re-appear she can manage them through self-hypnosis and pain management techniques. She was now aware of the situations which may cause or trigger these conditions and would actively adopt self-hypnosis methods to counter them. She was feeling much more confident now because she felt that now she was better equipped to deal with her own emotions. Further sessions were not required after the 4th session as she showed remarkable progress. She has been living peacefully and happily since then. Though differences with her husband still exist she has developed the coping skills to lead a peaceful life.