I've mentioned on here before that I despise taking medication. (I have certain opinions about pharmaceutical companies and I tend to steer clear of anything with a laundry list of side affects.) But at the same time would be willing to do almost anything to make the pain go away FOR GOOD, as would most anyone with CH. I want to say first to the people that are taking a handful of pills please don't think I am criticizing. If it makes the pain stop then that is what really matters. I'm not a doctor and would never ask anyone to give up the one thing that makes these headaches go away. I just wanted to see if anyone has tried this method I am about to explain.

I am in the middle of a cycle right now and after seeing my neurologist I have decided to bravely try something new. I quit taking all medication (which was ending the pain but but not the cycle) and started trying meditation. After ending my medication, sure enough, i had a cluster headache that very night....so i continued to proceed with my experiment. I was successful in ending an episode within minutes of having a headache, concentrating not on the pain itself but on the nerves in my face and neck. Imagining them being pulled away from my skull with every exhail. I felt the pain start to fade away after only a few mintues. I not so sure that it is in fact the meditation doing the trick, but it apears that if you can get to a quiet place quickly enough and manage to relax and visualize the root cause melting away that it does make the pain go away. my plan now is to step up my efforts and meditate daily to try and kill the cycle all together. Does anyone have any experience with this or have any additional tips?  

Meditation, bio feedback, all have a place in helping the secondary issues surrounding CH. Helping to reduce the damage I do to my neck and shoulder muscles by fighting so hard against the pain. And helping to reduce the over all pain of an attack.

As far as breaking a cycle, or completely aborting an attack, I haven't seen anyone have that degree of success with it. I admire your attempts at going med free. I don't have the will to try that. I'd strongly encourage you to try oxygen, if you haven't already. It's as close to all natural and med free as you can get. Combined with the meditation you may find you can achieve the upper hand on the beast! Whichever road you take, wishing you all the best.

Joe

Hope that works for Ya.

I used to try that, thinking that I would drop my heart rate. (read somwhere that it may help)

The pain alway won out.

                                       Good Luck To Ya
                                             JPC

I have not tried meditation, as there is no way I can be calm enough or think straight enough during an attack to do so, but have you read Charlies technique here?  You may want to give it a try along with your meditation rountine.  More power to you if seems to work for you.  Also you didn't mention if you were also giving up the use of 02..along with Pharmaceuticals.


Quote:

Dr. Wright’s Circulatory Technique:     I am not sure what mechanism is triggered by this but whatever it is, at least indirectly helps kill the pain. I do know that this technique has nothing to do with meditation, relaxation, or psychic ability. It is entirely physical and takes some work. It involves concentrating on trying to redirect a little circulation to the arms, hands, or legs. It can described as a conscious circulatory flexing. Increased circulation will result in a reddening and warming of the hands. Try to think of it as filling your hands with redirected blood. The important and difficult part is that it has to be done without interruption through the pain. Do not give up in frustration. It may not work on the first try. Every now and then it will work almost immediately. I lived for those moments. Try experimenting between attacks. You will find that it gets easier with practice.     I was given less than five minutes instruction in the use of method. The doctor, while placing his arm on his desk, showed me that he could slightly increase his arm and hand circulation. After several attempts, I was able to repeat this procedure and use it successfully. I have had about a 75% success rate shortening these attacks. My 20 minute attacks were often reduced to 10 minutes or less. Once proven that I had a chance to effectively deal with this horror, I always gave it a try as I had nothing to lose but pain.     Perhaps it will help if you think of it as trying to fill the arm as if it is were an empty vessel. I used to try to imagine I was pushing blood away from my head into my arm. Use your imagination. There is one man who wrote that his standing barefoot on a concrete floor shortened his attacks. This may be similar as it draws some circulation away from the head. Cold water, exercise, or anything affecting circulation, seems to be worth a try. My suggestion is to not let up immediately when the pain goes. Waiting a minute is probably a good idea. So long as you do not slack off, this has a chance of working.     This technique is very useful while waiting for medication to take effect or when none is available. It costs nothing, is non-invasive, and can be used just about anywhere. It is not a miracle but it helped me deal with this horror. It can be a bit exhausting but the success rate was good enough for me and a cluster headache sufferer will do just about anything to end the pain. It gives us a fighting chance.     Charlie

No i don't have any oxygen yet. I've just recently been told i have CH....so all of this is fairly new to me. Up until now i just thought "this is my life...grin and bear it". So I'm kind of exploring all possible solutions.

I'm not all that keen on meds either... and I do agree that meditation is a fantastic tool while being hit. One of the simplest methods for meditation is to sit quietly and clear your mind... To do this I concentrate on nothing more than breathing... I feel the air going in and concentrate on exhaling. I do this with 100% Oxygen @ 15 lpm.

I truly believe that in addition to the effect that the o2 has on a Cluster headache... the benefit is amplified by the basic principles of meditation that we all must exercise while using it.

Good luck in your very brave and insightful experiment... I wish it brings you the results that you're after. Please keep us posted with the results and some of your observations.

with warm regards,
Tony

I have been pretty much flying solo with these headaches up until a few weeks ago. So I haven't been using O2, just Varapamil. that article is interesting though. I may try to work that in tonight....if I have an attack (which i probably will)

I think what helps is the fact that my attacks come on after I have already been asleep. So I am already in a relaxed state of mind and I can more quickly "get to work"...so to speak and force these headaches out. Meditation, I know takes practice just like anything else. I read that it is believed that the hypothalamus portion of the brain is kind of what bring these things on. Maybe there some way to focus on that during meditation in order to bring the entire cycle to an end. I don't know. I know I sound ridiculous but l am certainly willing to try anything.

nimrodson wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2009 at 1:31pm:

I have been pretty much flying solo with these headaches up until a few weeks ago. So I haven't been using O2, just Varapamil. that article is interesting though. I may try to work that in tonight....if I have an attack (which i probably will) I think what helps is the fact that my attacks come on after I have already been asleep. So I am already in a relaxed state of mind and I can more quickly "get to work"...so to speak and force these headaches out. Meditation, I know takes practice just like anything else. I read that it is believed that the hypothalamus portion of the brain is kind of what bring these things on. Maybe there some way to focus on that during meditation in order to bring the entire cycle to an end. I don't know. I know I sound ridiculous but l am certainly willing to try anything.

There is NOTHING ridiculous about trying to stop the pain... and you do NOT sound ridiculous at all.

See if you can get your doctor to prescribe you some 100% Oxygen at 15 liters per minute (LPM) and a non-rebreather mask. Then see if basic meditation with the O2 makes a difference.

with warm regards,
Tony

I like that idea. I am going to do that. I know breathing is a big part of meditation so why not do it with O2.

I am going to attempt to squash this cycle alltogether! I will keep you guys posted on my results. MED FREE!

thanks for the feed back all!

good luck.

When I first arrived here I had given yoga and meditation a try and had some success -- and then my cycle really landed and I realized I had only banished a couple shadows to the side.

I gave up meditation for concentrating on deep breathing with my O2 mask. It's lovely and doesn't require so much focus.