Help for my daughter

[helgy]

My twelve year old daughter has been suffering from headaches, stomach aches, hotflashes, & dizziness for the past 3 years.  Her headaches have been ruled out as migraines.  She has a headache everyday, but gets the "serious" ones at least 2-3 times per week.  She misses a lot of school -which she loves- and misses our on a lot of fun and activity with her friends.  She has been hospitalized 4 times within the last year.  Nothing seems to even touch her pain - even when she is in the hospital.  After laying in a dark room for 5-7 days with no outside stimulation, she is usually feeling better and can be discharged.  We have had so many Dr.'s looking at her.  Initially, she was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation in which she had the decompression surgery due to the numbness that she was experiencing.  We were hoping that that would eleviate her headaches.  It did seem to work for about 6 months.  It seems like over time the headaches are getting worse and it is really effecting her life.  I am hoping that someone has had a similiar case and was able to get some answers.  I am looking for any help that I can get.
Thanks

[pattig]

My heart goes out to you and your daughter. What part of the country do you live in and have you visited a Headache or Pain Center?  How does she describe her "headaches" and where in her head do they occur.

My daughter started having issues when she was 17, started with nausea, then dizziness, then progressed into constant head pressure which she is still suffering from.  I don't know if the head symptoms are similar, but perhaps we could exchange notes.

[helgy]

We live in Wisconsin.  Her daily headaches are throbbing/constant pain in the front or the back of her head.  Her severe headaches are in the exact part but are much more severe.  Aleigh gets a lot of hotflashes and dizziness with hers.

Do you find that anything makes a difference with your daughter.  Isn't it a completely helpless feeling to have your child hurt so bad and yet to be so powerless or their headaches.  That is the part that I haven't gotten use to yet.  As a mother I just want to "make it better" for her.  I bet that you can relate.

  How old is your daughter now?  What kinds of things have you tried?  

[sewingmom5]

i'm so sorry for you and your daughter.  when i was 12 i was in almost constant pain from migraines, and my mom was not able to be compassionate or supportive.  i'm sure just having your love and presence must soothe your daughter very much.  i wish i could help you more.  i know all too well what she is going through.  can you possibly research hospitals and find one known to specialize in headache pain/neurology?  for instance, i live in philadelphia, and we have the children's hospital of pennsylvania here, which is very highly acclaimed, and is where many top specialists are.  

[hava]

Your daughter can do these exercises and learn how to help herself. You can both do it together. Keep the eyes closed and concentrate on the forehead between the eyes, when doing the pranayam.
To to get relief from headache/migraine naturally, the full pranayam exercises are described below.
Initially do Anulom Vilom (as much as you can) for the fist few days and then start the full set of pranayam.This works gradually, so allow time (1 week upto 12 weeks) and concentrate fully on the breathing. Avoid cold drinks and drink warm water.

Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after 1 minute.
Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for upto 15 minutes twice a day. Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.

Anulom Vilom -  Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 20 to 30  minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep breaths into the lungs.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 15 times