I have been a migraine/headache sufferer for years! It started around 11 years of age. Knowing your triggers is important. Some of my triggers are strong scents and cigarette smoke/odor. I only had a few strong headaches as a teenager but then became monthly migraines that usually lasted about 3 days, after my first pregnancy.
As a massage therapist, I strive to be respectful of others and their different health issues. Therefore, I do not wear perfume or strongly scented body products. My oils and lotions have either a light fragrance to them or not at all, paraben free, organic ..... The linens are washed with a mildly scented detergent but are not bleached (unless necessary).
If you have a sensitivity to a nut, an oil or a certain product, or require no scent, please let me know before your first visit. I, in turn, would appreciate your cooperation, as you prepare to come to your appointment. Please refrain from wearing perfumes, hairsprays, scented lotions, essential oil blends or sweet scented products (deodorants, after shave usually dissipate quickly and should not be a problem). If you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
If you are a smoker, this is one of my worst triggers! So, please take a shower before coming to your appointment, put on freshly washed clothes and refrain from smoking until after the appointment. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
The rest of my story.....
I will try to make this short.... In 2008 I was in a car accident. I was rear ended and pushed into a dump truck. My car was totaled but I had no major visible injuries. I was told I had double whiplash at the time. I, within a few weeks to months, was overwhelmed with pain, all over my body! I went from my physician to physical therapy to finally a pain doctor who after 9 months diagnosed me with RSD/CRPS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). I went from being a vibrant young mom to bed ridden and unable to do anything. The pain doctor tried different medications which incapacitated me even more. I was angry, my body was becoming completely foreign to me, the constant stabbing and burning pains were overwhelming. After a few months of this, I stopped all medications and decided to try alternative treatments. I first did massage with a friend, then craniosacral therapy, contacted Mara Gerke from Energy Wellness, who had the same chronic disorder. All of them helped me tremendously! Being able to talk to someone who had RSD was relieving. Before that, I felt I was the only one who was going through this or that no one understood my level of pain/distress! From there, my health got better, slowly but surely. I had a craniosacral session every week for a year. It helped me manage my pains, calm my nervous system, be more aware of what my body was needing and most of all get some sleep! Also, craniosacral therapy has helped lessen my migraines! I still get them from time to time but nothing like after the car accident. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention how my migraines got much worse after my car accident! I would have daily headaches, jaw pain, at least 2 to 3 migraines a month which lasted 3 to 5 days. I had a second car accident (yep, rear ended again) 2 years after my first one. My body flared up again and it felt as if I was starting all over again.... but.... i knew what to do! I was back on my feet much quicker than the first time. I made many changes to improve my health since. I became educated about my condition, treatments etc. I used different devices to boost my immune system, help my body heal from the inside out and help me to get moving. I had to learn to do only a few things during the day to not flare my pains or be exhausted for the next 3 days. I have changed my diet, exercise program (yoga,walking), take supplements to support my body, and most of all de-stress my life. I also went back to school in 2010 to become a massage therapist. Hope is not lost, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am proof of that. I am not pain free but my life with pain is manageable. Since 2012 I have been a part time massage therapist helping others in pain. I absolutely LOVE IT!
Share your journey with someone. There is HOPE!