The Doc is in

Here we go! This familiar bully who follows me around robbing me of sleep and peace and letting me know that I am not always in charge of me. Though she leaves, she always returns, often with a vengeance and for the past three days she has been ever present, reminding me that I am not in control of me. I stood up while in the house alone....my head started to swim and I lost my balance. Thankfully the chair caught me as I fought to clear my head. It took me a minute to get my bearings. Yesterday I tried to eat dinner but you wouldn't even allow me that. So while the sun was still out, I showered and went to bed. Still you did not relent. Hour after hour, you punished me... Hence I climbed out of bed at 3AM and moved to the center of my house to try to find peace. Dear Migraine... You win.

Are my migraines the result of year of domestic abuse?

A 2011 Peruvian study found that domestic violence increases the risk of having migraines by over 40 percent. For women like me, who also suffer from depression, the risk doubles. And, while most of us associate physical violence – hitting, kicking, punching, etc. – with the term domestic violence, abuse doesn’t have to be physical to have devastating consequences. In fact, reports indicate that emotional abuse may be a more potent trigger for chronic pain issues than physical abuse.