Enlightenment

The Road To Enlightenment

The Use of Oxygen

Therapy for Symptom

Relief in Cases of Migraine

and Cluster Headaches

One’s own House

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The Road To Enlightenment

Life can sometimes feel as though we are walking along a dimly lit road, only to come gradually, or sometimes burst suddenly, into a patch of brilliant illuminating “sunshine”, where every question we have been asking along the way becomes clear; we then slowly, almost unknowingly, drift back onto that dimly lit path again until we glide imperceptibly into another bright light patch.

The key to moving smoothly with our own life’s flow, is to be aware of, and gravitate more quickly to our sunshine patches, whilst never negating the dimmer ones, for they are all part of our interwoven tapestry of life and learning.

Discernment and interpretation are key players within this journey, and need a finely tuned “Energy eye and ear”, to see and hear them; this as with all else improves with acceptance and use.

The Use of Oxygen Therapy for Symptom Relief in Cases of Migraine and Cluster Headaches

During the course of a meeting I recently attended at Yeovil District hospital (part of The East Somerset NHS Trust), it came to light that medical knowledge of the use of oxygen, hereafter referred to as O2, in cases of migraines and cluster headaches was at best patchy, and at worst non existent.

As I work and write in the broad fields of self development therapy, and have first hand knowledge of the efficacy of O2 under these  circumstances, I agreed to write this paper for use in the training of junior doctors and nurses; a task I willingly undertake in the name of human expansion of awareness, (and therefore evolution), as to the amazing results that O2 can bring about in areas of medicine which are still little-known, and which I personally, along with many other therapists and medics  would like to see much more extensively researched.

I hope that the writing and delivering of this paper, may lead to this road, and interlink with other appropriate networks on the journey to knowledge and therefore enlightenment.

A fact that few people are aware of is that  Oxygen Therapy has been in existence since the 1930’s, and due I am sure, to the situation which we all know only too well, that of “lack of funding”, has been taken only a short way down  the long winding research path along which it has the potential to travel.

The purpose of this paper, is not to look at the many causes and triggers of migraines and clusters, for although they are of course all part of the migraine/cluster headache pattern, they belong to a separate research programme; here we are looking at symptom

relief through a better understanding of the physiological changes which take place in the body during an attack.

A point which I must make clear at this stage, is that a migraine is not simply a severe headache, one-sided or otherwise, but constitutes a whole body function shut-down (function, not organ shutdown), whereas cluster headache symptoms are based more within the skull, with less effect on other parts of the body; this is not to say however that the symptoms are less severe within their encapsulation, for this is certainly not the case.

Looking at the way this function shutdown comes about can help us to understand more about how O2 can play a significant part in reversing the symptoms, thereby bringing about a rebalance within the physical body, and therefore ultimately on all levels of our being.

The symptoms of a migraine in particular, and to a slightly lesser degree those of cluster headaches, appear to originate  within the endocrine (or chemical message) system of the body, commencing with the fact of the pituitary gland within the brain, appearing to pass incorrect or scrambled messages via the blood, i.e. the circulatory system, through to the other endocrine glands within the body such as  the liver, kidneys, adrenals, heart, thyroid, reproductive glands etc, causing the sensory nerves to become over sensitive and deliver incorrect messages throughout the body. This creates a “snooker ball” effect throughout the whole endocrine system, and therefore throughout the whole physical structure which the endocrines feed; this then causes all bodily functions to become imbalanced.

These imbalances create many symptoms, among them being nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, hot and cold sensations, “jumpiness” or “nerviness”, back and joint pains, dizziness,

slurred speech and a general feeling of “woolliness” within the head, causing a feeling of difficulty in expressing oneself during conversation, along with perhaps flashing lights before the eyes, and difficulty in hearing clearly.

Most “common” migraine sufferers will not experience all of these symptoms, but all migraine sufferers will experience some of them; there exists a little-known, severe and thankfully relatively uncommon form of migraine which takes a more sinister turn, resulting in the patient losing consciousness, sometimes for several days at a time with no warning, and with little or no recall of events prior to, or during an attack; the symptoms presenting rather like those of a stroke.  This type of migraine is known as haemorrhagic migraine, and as previously stated is not common, but by the same token of symptom relief through O2 for the more usual types of migraine, however severe or mild, great benefit could be derived from the same application of such to these extreme migraine attacks.

Let us now look at the physiological changes which come about when these related imbalances within the endocrine structure take place.

During a migraine attack, and as previously stated to a lesser degree during a cluster attack, the blood vessels within the brain become congested and  swollen causing the vascular system to become “sluggish”, creating  pressure,  extreme pain, and the classic woolliness and flashing lights  within the head, leading in the case of a migraine attack,  to the digestive system  slowing or shutting  down completely to the point where  it cannot process food, resulting in nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. The rest of the body functions including the liver are to a greater or lesser degree compromised, causing the aforementioned pains in various areas of the body, and a general feeling of malaise.

It is thought that the “sluggishness” within the vascular system may perhaps be contributed to, by over production of the enzyme Thrombin, which is responsible for thickening and therefore clotting of the blood.

The symptoms of cluster headaches as previously stated, are generally confined to the head area, creating a severe headache, but not usually any of the other related symptoms, suggesting that the endocrinal imbalances are not as far spread as with a migraine, although the “trademark” of the clusters themselves, as their name suggests, is the fact that they can, and frequently do, last for a considerable time, even stretching over  periods of weeks rather than days, and can be just as debilitating as a migraine.

Oxygen Therapy relieves symptoms by aerating the blood, enabling it to flow more freely, and therefore reducing the congestion in the blood vessels within the brain, allowing the endocrine system to return to it’s usual  pattern, and send the correct messages throughout the whole body. O2 also of course keeps the whole body tissues fresh, helping to prevent more serious problems that might otherwise ensue from a continuous glut of migraines or cluster headaches.

There are two very interesting facts about the use of O2 for these conditions; the first being  the need for O2 to help abate the symptoms of migraines and clusters, seems to be largely unconnected to the usual medical checks that take place to ascertain the “correct” amount of oxygen is present,  in a given patient’s   blood.

 This suggests that the need for O2 within the two imbalances of migraine and cluster headaches, goes far beyond what has always been considered the “normal levels” required for the human body to function “correctly”.

The other interesting fact is that O2 when used as a therapy in this way, has quicker and more effective results if used on a fast flow setting, even up to a level 15.

Oxygen Therapy can be, but is not always, a “quick fix”, although when it is, it has an amazingly speedy result!

O2 can be used on a maintenance basis, whereby “a little oxygen a day can keep the migraines (or the clusters) away”, indicating again that we may all need different  levels of oxygen in our bodies to help keep us balanced.

After all we are individuals and our needs in many areas are different to the next person’s, so why should our oxygen needs be exempt from this premise?

Oxygen Therapy can be combined very well with other therapies and medications, both homeopathic and allopathic, if that fits an individual need, for as previously stated human needs are wide and varied, and just a little time spent seeing which combination, or even just O2 alone, is right for an individual patient could change the course of their lives forever.

What the NHS Trusts need, as well as more research into the causes, symptom relief, and rebalance, of migraine and cluster headaches, are more aware, open minded, informed, discerning medics, and I sincerely hope that this paper will serve to broaden  outlooks and combine compassion with broader knowledge, to bring about a brighter more enlightened future for us all.

One’s own House

They are forever young,

Men little more than boys,

Who willingly went to war,

To defeat the enemies’ ploys.

Commanded by the government,

Who in their “wisdom” chose,

To send them onto foreign soil,

To save Great Britain’s “nose”.

Her “nose” was bloodied o’er and again,

But the heroes of the night,

Unstintingly with heads held high,

Fought for justice and for “light”

What was it for prime minister?

Why did they go to war?

You said to build a better Britain,

Keep their families safe on England’s shore.

But you have disregarded such,

And ignored your forebears’ word.

How can you hold your head up,

And say it’s for a better world?

A better world indeed is sought,

But not at home expense.

We need to set our own “house” straight,

Before looking over the fence!

To give brothers and sisters a helping hand,

Is noble beyond belief.

But not, prime minister if it leaves

Our own land full of grief.

So we therefore please implore you,

To put pride and ego aside.

And look hard at what you’re doing,

And the reasons our countrymen died.

Yes, let us pick our country up,

And raise our standards high,

But sort the dross out from the gold,

So our forces in vain don’t die.

Sometimes it’s right with fire to fight,

Sometimes with water douse.

Discernment ever will be the key.

Let’s start with our own “house”

When we have balanced our own space true,

We can turn and help another,

But if we think destruction brings forth peace,

We are hiding beneath the “cover”,

Of fear and disillusionment.

Let us stand our ground so tall.

Having courage, truth, conviction.

We then will balance all.

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