G'day Black Walnut,

I recently had an interesting experience with a migraine:n It wasn't a gig, rather I was running my usual Monday Night Workshop at the Bush Music Club (Sydney, Australia) when I realised that I was getting a migraine. I normally get strongly "visual" migraines and ... sometimes ... if I am aware early enough ... can 'meditate' myself out of them - but this was beyond that point when I realised I was losing vision in the centre of my eyes.

I knew that I would be quickly feeling ill ... and would have an increasing "black hole" of no vision - ringed by vivid, jaggy, flashing lights like a 'psychodelic' fire ... and not be safe to drive home. I asked the Workshop attendees to work without me and to close up at the end of session. However, as I was packed up and leaving, one of my old friends (and past band-mates over the years) said he believed he could ease my migraine with massage and 'gapping' (lifting the head to ease nerve points.

This was difficult for him, as he is in remission from a spinal cancer, but he has studied both chiropractic and therapeutic massage. He sat me down in a chair, positioned himself and gently lifted my head and performed some gentle rotations ... and I could see the visual "aura" start to shrink and recede - with my vision returning in the 'blacked-out' areas! The 'aura' almost vanished, I was considerably improved in the sickening 'ill' feeling I normally experience ... but I decided it was best to head home while I was so relieved of the migraine!

I have seen reports of medical researchers identifying the specific 'pressure points' associated with migraine attacks ... and this convinces me that there is a lot in what they have found ... and my friend (John Poleson, a great stalwart of the BMC ... and father of a bunch of fine younger musicians!) has accurately identified the points and the 'treatment'.

The point of all this is to say that there are some successful treatments for migraine ... Would I, having had a migraine stopped this way, go on stage for a major gig? ... That's hard to say, but it certainly changes the odds!

Regards,

Bob Bolton