• Acupressure
• Neuromuscular Massage
• Deep-tissue Massage
• Shiatsu/Acupressure
• Swedish Massage
• Lymph Drainage
• Trager Therapy
• Craniosacral Therapy

Testimonial by:

Sonya Anderson

Seven years ago I was diagnosed with severe migraines. The symptoms I was experiencing was: unbearable pain on the right side of my head, sweating, weakness, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity and nausea. At this time I had an infant and kindergarten aged children that needed my attention. I received narcotic migraine shots, starting with one shot a month and found one medication (preventative) that seemed to help, plus one abortive medication. The pain increased in frequency and intensity. Stress and illness seemed to be the two main triggers. Narcotic pain shots became once a week, plus a trip to the hospital for another pain shot on weekends. I slowly became a prisoner in my own bedroom, not able to cook, clean or enjoy my kids. Our family could not even take a vacation because I was so afraid of when the pain would strike again and could not be controlled.

I was sent to a pain management clinic. I was instructed to return to the clinic when a migraine became “beyond help”. Predictably, my husband took me in and, since no one had any idea of the problem, they started to “experiment” and randomly guessed at the problem. After two hours, I thought I was going to actually die. I felt so much worse and began to lie – telling the medical staff that I was feeling “much better”. I just wanted to go home. My husband helped me to the car. I went home, really not sure if I was going to live (I felt so incredibly worse) and cried wondering “How do terminal patients do this? Is this my life?” I refused to go back to the pain clinic for any further treatment. Next, my primary doctor doubled my dose and referred me to a neurologist.

The neurologists approved two narcotic pain shots a week and put me on five other medicines. Month after month, having severe pain every day, no improvement. I had missed four years of my kids life, I was getting desperate to be a part of life again. I began bio-feed back. Unfortunately the bio feedback person wanted to threaten me into being well. Her attitude made my already unbearable condition worse. I felt guilty because I was letting my family down, depressed because I had no quality of life and angry because my condition could not be pin pointed. I longed to hear the words, “you have a tumor” something concrete, a reason.

Finally, my neurologist quit, I had already given up biofeedback, my medicines were close to empty – this was my lowest point. I had been taking heavy narcotics for pain every day for the last two weeks. My primary doctor was trying to get me into another pain clinic while attempting to keep my pain at a “tolerable” level. We were all out of ideas and my doctor suggested trying massage and chiropractic with Dr. Peter Ray.

I was told by my Primary Care Physicain that Dr. Ray had succesfully treated many of her headache patients. I was extremely skeptical and reluctant. What could he do to help? What if he made things worse? It had happened to me in the past. My doctor called for me and made me an appointment that afternoon. I remember being very afraid and anxious when I met Dr. Ray. I cried when I told him my history and explained that I had a horrible “migraine” and felt ill. After 30 minutes of treatment, the nausea subsided and the pain was almost gone! I went home stunned. I pursued this course of treatment and rejected any more talk of pain management clinics.

I've been in treatment over 4 weeks. Daily pain is a thing of the past! I go to my kids activities, holiday functions – I even work part time. I'm down to one prescription and am currently stepping down from it. My life is mine again and I look forward to my pain-free future. This will be a long healing process but I feel confident that I am becoming the happy healthy person that everyone has missed, and the one I deserve to be.

I owe so much to Dr. Ray, he had hope at a time when I had given up hoping and gave me a dream when I couldn't bear creating my own. I just can't find the words to adequately communicate my life now. Thanks Dr. Ray!