I have used EFT for about 2 years. I attended a workshop in hopes it would help me with a weather phobia (my job requires being outside in bad weather). After a month of so of practice the weather phobia was under control. I have since used it for emotional issues like food cravings with some success. I used it on my daughter to help her come to terms with breaking up with her boyfriend.

I have tried to use it for my migraines with NO success at all. I have come to the conclusion that it just won’t work for things that are purely physical (at least for me: I’m happy others have had success). Ditto my carpal tunnel syndrome. My headaches are physical, not emotional. They are caused by hormone fluctuations: my mother had them, I have them, now my teenage daughter is getting them. My neurologist agrees with me and explained at great length about the fluctuations triggering a biochemical imbalance that  causes a domino effect. I can’t take the usual triptan drugs because of a heart rhythm irregularity.

For my last headache I was tapping for an hour or more, I was so desperate, until I literally couldn’t raise my hand to my head anymore: it aggravated the nausea that sometimes comes with the headache. Then I continued to “do” it in my mind for another hour.

I just can’t buy into the idea that emotions cause every kind of pain like this. I am certain they are not caused by any repressed emotions, etc. I am an expert at self-examination: believe me: and there are no deep dark situations of abuse, denial etc., in my history.

If EFT would take them down even 1 point on the intensity scale I would be happy to keep trying. But I have had, as I said, NO luck with this at all. I tried just tapping to accept the headache and not struggle against it, to relax: still no luck. Tried just tapping for the nausea separately too.

Same with my carpal tunnel syndrome: I injured my wrist, now I have it. When I overuse my wrist it gets inflamed and hurts. It doesn’t mean I’m failing to accept “whatever” and so I have pain. And the pain does not go away unless I take an anti-inflammatory or use an ice pack.

Sometimes if you have a toothache it just means you have a cavity! I would be so happy if I could have success with using EFT on my headaches: but it’s just not happening.

Shadow,

I am glad to hear that you have had some successes with EFT, and it sounds like you are feeling pretty frustrated with your results, so far, with dealing with physical pain.

My experience in helping people with pain is that usually it isn't enough to just tap on the physical pain itself. However, sometimes just tapping on the physical pain does works.

Some things that could cancel out EFT:

• if your cell phone is on your body

• if you are too close to a computer or TV

• if you are reacting to something that you have eaten in the last few days (another words, if you have an allergy or sensitivity)

  • coffee

  • herbs

  • chocolate

  • wheat

  • corn

  • refined sugar

  • tea

  • caffeine

  • alcohol

  • nicotine

  • dairy

  • night shade family (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant)

• chemical sensitivity

• if you haven't drank enough water

Here are some set-up phrases that you might want to look at and see if they might work for you. Even though:

• I have had some successes with EFT, there is a part of me that finds it hard to believe that EFT can help with my migraine, and I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

• I don't think that EFT can make my migraine go away, because I don't have any emotional aspects to my headache...

• I feel frustrated that EFT hasn't worked on my migraine, and I have done it until my arms ache...

• I feel angry that EFT hasn't worked on my pain, and that just isn't fair...

The above thoughts may or may not be helpful. Feel free to change them in anyway to help yourself. You may want to say them LOUDLY while you are tapping on karate chop point on the side of your hand, and if other thoughts or feelings come in to your head—tap on those. The idea is to flush whatever it is in your head that may be causing it to ache.

One other idea that just came to me is do you remember when you had your first migraine? Was there something traumatic for you that was going on in your life at that time? If so, it would be good to clear that—it could possibly make it so you wouldn't have any more migraines.

I strongly encourage CUSSING, too. Even if it is to say PISSES ME OFF instead of makes me angry. We are trying to move some really OLD, STUCK energy.

Oh, one last idea, after a couple of rounds of tapping about your migraine. Close your eyes and go inside, then ask pain in your head—what is it that you are trying to tell me? Then listen to the answer. If you get one, let it know that you heard it and it doesn't need to continue giving you PAIN—that you understand what it is telling you. Then thank it for it's gift, and release it.

I hope that you find at least one thing of value here.

Gratefully yours,

JoAnn

Thanks for your reply, JoAnn: nice to know there are EFT experts reading about my problem! I have wondered myself if my set-up could be better, but didn’t know what else to try.

I have been tested for food sensitivities and have none. The only one I have a problem with is alcohol and that is easy to avoid. The only triggers I have are alcohol, a change in air pressure when a storm is approaching, and bright lights driving at night: but only sometimes for those. There are times when my head feels “sensitive” (mostly the week before my period) and then I know I may get a headache if I do something wrong. So I am extra careful then and drink no alcohol, don’t drive at night, etc.

I have not done EFT with a cell phone on me or near a TV or computer, but I’ll keep that in mind for the future. So far I have gone to a quiet room to do it. When I have a headache I don’t use any of those things anyway!

I find I do become angry when I have a migraine, more so when it goes on for more than a few hours. Really angry if I have one for multiple days and am vomiting and paralyzed with pain. I am angry and resentful at God for “making” my body with this flaw. Of course anger is not helpful and I try to do relaxation exercises (I am a long-time yoga practitioner), meditate, repeat a mantra at these times. But the anger is stronger than those.

I have been through two labor and deliveries with no medication and I can tell you some of my migraines are much worse than childbirth. Throughout pregnancy they were very intense. I feel like a prisoner held hostage by these for so many years. I had my first migraine when I was about 12, a year or two before puberty. There was nothing negative going on in my life then: I was enjoying school and my friends. I remember it as being a very happy time, and my family was loving and supporting. As I said, my mother had them too. She did not tell me until much later because she hoped I would be free of them and did not want to create a self-fulfilling prophecy situation. Hers went away after menopause. For years I have been waiting for the day when I would be free of them too. I am 51 and believe I am entering menopause. About 2 years ago the headaches were getting gradually lighter and less frequent and I was overjoyed. My neurologist has said, though, that menopause may not end them for me: that I can’t assume that because they ended then for my mother they will for me. I continued to feel like they were improving.

Then recently they cranked up in intensity. The feeling of “sensitivity” is almost daily and I am being very careful about sleep, food, water, everything.

I will try your suggestions; please advise if you think something else can be added or tried. Thank you for your help and encouragement.

Shadow

Shadow,

I am new to EFT and suffer lengthy and largely hormonal migraines as well.  Certainly it makes sense to do all you can to get that anger out but something in your response jumped out at me, speficially the feeling of being held prisoner.  You described a very lovely childhood that, with puberty, was suddenly interrupted by bouts of pain that could not be controlled and must simply be endured...we know it doesn't just ruin one day, it's often MANY days and nights of continuous agony until they mercifully abate.  And this has interrupted your life for decades with no end in sight.  You bet that would make me furious!

The 9/16 newsletter had two great links, one about Calming and Clearing Chronic Pain and one about Connecting To Our Birthright of Fertility.  This setup, with appropriate modifications, might be a starting point for something to hopefully work as well for you as for me (I'm usually tapping because of pelvic pain caused by endometriosis and the migraines I get from the hormones I must take to try to control it) because rather than tapping for the pain itself I am tapping for the feeling of frustration of being out of control and betrayed by my own body.

Good luck...let us know how you do.

 Not everything works for everything.

It's great that EFT already helped you in other areas.  It may work for other people's migraine but obviously not for you.  There are different kinds of migraines.  

I am a therapist and have a success with migraine in 3 to 4 sessions even when it is 20 years or older chronic one.  Try and find experienced Bowen or Neurostructural Integration therapist.

Djun 

 Shadow,

Here are some more ideas for set-up statements, All of these have to do with ANGER. I sense that there are other issues, but anger is an excellent start. I honor you for doing this work.

Even though:

• there is a part of me that doesn't want to get over this, I deeply and completely love and accept myself

• there is a part of me that doesn't think that I truly can overcome this...

• I become angry when I have a migraine that lasts for hours, I deeply and completely love and accept myself

• I get really angry if my migraine last for days and I am vomiting and paralyzed with pain...

• I am angry and resentful at God for “making” my body with this flaw...

• I get angry at myself because my anger then overrides my meditation and relaxation practice...

• I feel that I should somehow be above the anger that sweeps over me...

• I am angry that my migraines are much worse than childbirth...

• I am angry because I feel like a prisoner held hostage in my own body for so many years...

• I feel so angry that sometimes I feel that my head is exploding...

• I am angry that my mother had to suffer from migraines, and she hoped that I wouldn't get them, I deeply and completely love and accept myself, and I forgive my mother for possibly passing it on to me

• it pisses me off because migraines may be a part of my genetic make-up...

• I feel angry that my neurologist said that menopause may not end my migraines when I was so hopeful that they would be soon over...and I forgive my neurologist for giving me that idea

• I feel pissed off that I have to be so careful almost everyday about EVERYTHING or I may trigger another episode...

Also, if I am off base with any of these, just disregard them, and please embellish them as much as you desire—the more the better. When you can get to the point that you can see the cosmic HUMOR in it all, you might find yourself LAUGHING. Keep it up. That is where a good EFT practitioner comes in handy—they are creative with EFT and moving old gunky, stuck energy that no longer is serving us.

I find that women in particular STUFF anger. We learn how to do it from our mothers, and we unconsciously pass it on to our daughters. So, what may seem to be in our genes is in our thought patterns. When we become conscious, and get tools that help us set ourselves FREE, then we can break the chain. We can stop being a victim and step out of victim consciousness.

Before you start tapping on the anger, remember to check your SUDS level (intensity level), so you have something to compare it to after you do several rounds of tapping. You can actually tap your Karate chop points together so you are getting both of them at once (fingertips pointing up, and thumbs out). It is really important that you BREATHE, and be LOUD and CUSS, too (it really can help move the energy). That is something else that we usually learn from our mothers is that we need to keep it keyed down. EFT isn't usually a quiet activity, especially when you are dealing with anger. It is kind of like a balloon with too much air, and it needs to come out. It can be scary because it seems so big. If it seems too big to do by yourself, find someone that you trust that can handle your anger.

I hope that I haven't given you too much. You are peeling off layers of an onion, and the programming (the writing on the walls) has been with you for most of your life. Be gentle with yourself. You really have been doing the best you could have with what you have known. Be sure and give yourself some positive strokes. Know that underneath it all that You are Whole and Complete.

Make sure you accentuate the last part of the set-up phrase: I DEEPLY AND COMPLETELY LOVE AND ACCEPT MYSELF!!!

Love and Light,

JoAnn

Hello Shadow,

I totally agree with all the options/suggestions offered to you. 

I have MS and have had some distressing joint pain at night, what seems to have helped is to welcome the pain rather than fight it, talk to it, it wants to be heard...I have even ended up stroking and singing to it! like a mother does to a child...usually I connect with some thoughts/situations that need resolving for which I use EFT, I have also had pictures like a fleeting snap of a dream which were very significant...more often than not the pain subsides...

I don't know if that approach could help you...

Best wishes, Fabienne

Hello,

Way to keep working with the process, and it is a process. Each person works at a different pace. Your willingness and persistence is paying off.

You wrote that during your last headache you tried acknowledging your body, and you got upset and it made the pain worse. Where you tapping while you found yourself answering “I KNOW already!...”? Who is it that is saying that? Which part of you? Is it your inner-rebellious teenager? You could do set-up phrases addressing that part of yourself, Even though:

• I KNOW all of this, I am not stupid, I DEEPLY and COMPLETELY LOVE and ACCEPT this part of myself (YELL IT!)

• it PISSES ME OFF that you keep bothering me, and this part of me just wants to be left alone...
  

I just had a thought, why does this part of you want to be left alone? How is this part accommodating you? Oh yeah, I would ask these questions after a couple of rounds of tapping. Close my eyes, and ask for that part of you or the rebellious teenager or the pain—whatever makes the most sense in the moment. What is the message?

Hope that something here may help...

Gratefully yours,

JoAnn

A component that I haven't seen addressed is the femininity issue. Puberty and womanhood is a boomerang for you. You just get to be more independent, more mature, more feminine, more [whatever is important to you about being >12] and zap-zowee, here come the headaches. Probably too simplistic, but even though being a woman is a headache...  even though to be grownup i have to have headaches... even though because i'm a girl i get the headaches and my brother doesn't.. even though i dread my monthly cycles... even though i'm (angry) (frustrated) (powerless) that i have these headaches... even though i can't control my body (both the onset of and progression of puberty and the monthly cycle of pain)....

Blessings to you and kudos for keeping on trying.

PS my cycle causes me to have more and worse bladder spasms at certain times of the cycle. I was on birth control pills continuously to try to level it out. Think they just made it worse more of the month than not. :-<

Hello Shadow,

May I suggest that you visualize holding the Migraine pain within your hand. Become aware of the colour and shape of the discomfort. Now, what do you need to add to the discomfort to start taking some of the pain away. For example, I may visualize a bit of comfort, coolness calmness. I then visualize adding and pouring these parts into the shape. Straight away I notice the colour changes and the shape too. Then when its changed colour and shape I do the tapping. Setup maybe "even thou I have this yellow oval shape on my hand, I choose to have a orange relaxing shape"

Give it a try and let us know.

Hi Shadow,

I used to suffer with migraines that lasted up to 4 days.  I used EFT but on one of Gary Craig's DVDs or newsletter (not sure which) he mentions toxins that may have an impact on the success of EFT. 

It may be effective to take a shower and eliminate perfumes, etc.  You need to look at your environment you are using when performing EFT.  for example, a room with a computer or a room where harsh cleaners have been used. 

I went organic with regard to food, water, cleaners for personal use and household use.  Perhaps you could try setting a mood with music and candles for a positive energy in the room when you are going through your EFT affirmations.  I found these changes to be extraordinary in my healing.  I don't know that I would have thought about it without Gary bringing it up as a possible obstacle.  As usual, he's always thinking of ways to get the healing energy to us faster and more efficiently.  I rarely get migraines anymore.

I use it with the animals I help through rescue sanctuaries.  It really speeds things up with regard to healing and behavior changes for them too.

I hope this helps.

Be Well & God Bless,

Melissa J. Miller :-)

EFT Animal Forum Co-moderator