Posted by Thys on October 12, 1998 at 18:23:50:
In Reply to: psychologist with cluster, some recommendations posted by GERHARD STEENKAMP (JERRY) on October 12, 1998 at 09:44:37:
Jerry,
I also live in Johannesburg. You asked for a South African doc specialising in clusters; how about one who has himself been suffering clusters, for many years? Dr. Errol Noik is an ENT specialist at the Park Lane Clinic (tel 643-8047) and he's been treating my clusters for several years.
Given your specific interest, you may also be interested in chatting to Dr. Jules Leeb, also at the Park Lane (tel 643-3118).
Other sufferers may also be interested in this; many of you know the dread of going to sleep, knowing you're going to wake up with an attack too far in progress to stop with anything except Imitrex/Imigran (if it works for you). Dr. Leeb is, amongst other things, a hypnotherapist. He gave me a suggestion under hypnosis that I'd wake up at the first, early signs of a headache. Since then, I woke up every time when it was necessary. What a pleasure to be able to go to sleep without fear!
He also taught me a self-hypnosis technique called 'glove anesthesia'; you basically 'turn' your hand into a 'local anaesthetic' and by 'touching' (physically, or virtually, for inaccessible places, like the red-hot poker at the back of that aching eyeball) the different places where you experience pain, you actually stop the pain.
I had the hypnotherapy at the tail end of a debilitating seven-month bout, my longest ever, and by then the demon was somewhat subdued. However, I successfully STOPPED AT LEAST THREE HEADACHES using glove anesthesia! Unfortunately, as always, this is bound to work for some and not for others…
Jerry, in fact, anybody, e-mail me if you want to get more information or simply to chat.
Thys
PS I can endorse the view that smoking is not a factor. I believe neck, spinal, head and face injuries are, though, and there seems to be mounting evidence relating to bacteria playing a (separate) role.