Migraines can cause misery and affect more than ten per cent of the UK population. Health Reporter CHARLOTTE PERCIVAL spoke to a North Yorkshire sufferer during Migraine Awareness Week about a gentle way to ease the pain.

POUNDING pain, flashing lights, nausea, and fatigue - for thousands, migraines are so much more than "just a headache".

The average sufferer has 13 attacks a year, lasting between four and 72 hours. Over ten per cent of a sufferer's time could be spent nursing a migraine, affecting their sight, sound and smell.

Attacks can be triggered by many factors, often a combination which can be tolerated individually but not together.

Caroline Newland, of Tollerton, suffered agonising attacks for years before discovering Daoyin Tao, a soothing treatment using Chinese face, neck and shoulder massage.

The technique is based upon the traditional Chinese medical approach of identifying, releasing and encouraging the flow of "trapped and stagnant energy". If left, the energy could lead to illness and disharmony within the body, such as migraine.

Now a practitioner, Caroline is keen to see how the technique could help others.

"Daoyin Tao encourages a gentle release of stagnant energy and releases tight muscles and areas where stress is held, allowing the body to begin the process of healing itself from within," she said.

"It is a gentle yet amazingly deep therapy originated by Anna-Louise Haigh, at Lavender Court, in Harrogate," said Caroline.

"Anna-Louise developed the therapy particularly in response to the needs of clients who suffered from migraine, headaches and sinus problems, although the massage is effective in helping to alleviate many other common ailments such as depression, stress, stiffness in the neck and shoulders, digestive problems and asthma.

"Some would call it an energy healing therapy and they would equally be right alongside those who witness the positive changes in physical conditions and symptoms. Ultimately, Daoyin Tao is a totally holistic therapy which reaches the areas and levels of need presented by the recipient."

Caroline and fellow practitioner Judith Russell will be offering taster sessions at

on Wednesday, September 28, between noon and 5.30pm at The Guildhall, St Helen's Square, York.

A 15-minute massage will cost £5 and all proceeds will go to the Migraine Action Group.

For more information, phone Caroline on 01347 833006 or Judith

on 01977 680118.

Tea break leads to pain-free life

LORRAINE Leaf, of Copmanthorpe, suffered debilitating migraines for more than 20 years - before discovering the answer was in her teapot.

The 41-year-old suffered up to three attacks a week and would often have to go into a darkened room for two to three days until the symptoms had gone.

After a Yorktest foodscan test revealed she was intolerant of several common foodstuffs including tea, she adapted her diet, and has been virtually pain-free since.

"I suffered with migraines for years, it started in my teens," said Lorraine. "The attacks came on without warning and the frequency increased throughout my 20s and 30s.

"The pain was constant and I felt I wasn't on this earth - it was terrible. I just didn't have a life and couldn't make plans to go anywhere because I didn't know if I'd be well enough.

"Life was put on hold and looking back I did muss out on a lot of things."

Now, she has learnt to understand her triggers and intolerances.

She noticed the difference within a week of changing her diet.

She added: "It's liberating to finally control my migraines; they controlled me for so long."

For information on Yorktest phone 0800 074 6185.

Updated: 08:47 Friday, September 09, 2005