Background

Margaret is in her mid fifties. She has a stressful job with a lot of responsibilities. She came to me with tension in her neck and shoulders. This tension was causing a lot of pain and tingling originating in the base of the neck and travelling up in to the back of the head. Margaret was also suffering with headaches. Margaret suffered with headaches on a weekly basis. They started at the base of neck, reaching over the top of the head in a tight band of pain and making her eyes sore.

Treatment

We felt that the tension and stiffness with accompanying headaches was due to stagnant Qi (energy) affecting the muscles and the head.

We prepared a blend of Lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia), Roman Chamomile ( Chamaemelum nobile) Everlasting ( Helichrysum italicum) and Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) .

The massage worked on her legs, back, neck and shoulders, head and face.

Margaret enjoyed her first treatment and found work to the neck and shoulders beneficial. Margaret returned in two weeks time. Her shoulders were much better but her neck was worse. She had a headache after the last treatment but it went the next day after which she felt good.We adjusted the blend and used Lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia) Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) Marjoram ( Origanum majorana) Roman Chamomile ( Chamaemelum nobile) and Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis ct cineole) Once again  work to neck and shoulders was particularly beneficial especially supported work to the back of the neck. I gave Margaret a bath oil made with a combination of the same oils used in the massage to use in between treatments.

I continued with the same blend of oils and massage as Margaret was finding this combination particularly beneficial.

Results

Margaret’s appointment gradually decreased from being fortnightly to monthly. I continued with the same blend and focussed on tense and stiff areas in Margaret’s neck and shoulders. After her second treatment she had one headache in 3 months. She was free from headaches from June until September. Margaret suffered occasionally with headaches but they were not as severe or as regular as they had been when she initially came to see me.