“I’m finally headache free & enjoying my retirement, thanks to Apex Headache Clinic”

For 58-year-old retired teacher, Mary Rice, life was a struggle. Battling daily headaches and migraines for 5 years, the quality of her life was ruined. Today, she shares how finding Apex Headache Clinic cleared her headaches and migraines, meaning that she can finally enjoy her retirement.

Mary, tell us how your headaches began.

My headaches began many years ago when I first started teaching, but five years ago, with an increase in workload they became much more frequent. Suddenly headaches were a daily occurrence and on top of that, every four weeks, I would get a severe migraine. The pain was unbearable and I couldn’t carry out normal daily tasks, which are usually carried out without thinking.

Then in April 2016, my neck and shoulder seized up, leaving me hunched over and suffering intense pain. During an appointment with my GP, she asked about my headaches.  I followed all the advice that she gave me but as my workload increased as a teacher, the severity of my headaches and migraines also became worse. As the use of iPads became part of our teaching practice in school, I noticed that when I was looking down at them this stressed my neck.

How did the pain affect your life?

I could never leave the house without knowing I had pain medication with me. I was taking pain killers daily and I noticed that these were having little to no effect. My headaches were now coming on about 5 times a week and I was at the stage that it was rare not to have one. I was living with constant pain and it was really wearing me down. Even when I had a headache free day, I knew the next one was just around the corner so I couldn’t relax. I felt sick from worry about my headaches. It was a vicious cycle and I couldn’t see anyway out of it. I thought this was something I was going to have to live with for the rest of my life.

What led you to Apex Headache Clinic?

I was sitting in a hairdressers one day, flipping through a copy of the Ulster Tatler and I spotted an article by Apex Headache Clinic. I read the article from start to finish and went home and looked at the Apex website. I read testimonials and interviews with patients and for the first time I felt that there might actually be a cure for my headaches. I knew I had nothing to lose, so I booked an appointment. It was the best decision I ever made.

How has Apex Headache Clinic changed your life?

At my first appointment, I felt hope for the first time. My specialist physiotherapist Michelle took a genuine interest in me. She listened to my story and took a thorough history. I was treated as an individual and not just another patient. She was very genuine and determined to help me get better. Following an examination, she diagnosed my headaches and migraines as stemming from my neck, and so treatment began.

I had a course of treatment and I can’t believe how much my life has changed. I no longer have to take medication, or indeed carry it with me as I’m so confident that my headaches have gone. It is now almost one year since I’ve had a migraine and it has been months since my last headache.

Both my life and health have been dramatically transformed. I no longer wake up expecting to have a headache and I get great enjoyment from the simple things in life such as driving or walking the dog. I am so thankful that I can now enjoy my retirement, headache free.

What advice would you offer someone suffering from headaches?

Absolutely visit Apex Headache Clinic. A cure for your headaches or migraines could be waiting there for you, as it was for me.

To book an appointment at Apex Headache Clinic, call 028 9048 4153. No GP referral is necessary.