Massage for migraine and headache relief

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Thursday, 27 October 2016

Millions of people are affected by chronic headaches, often resulting in unnecessary suffering and a diet of painkillers. Massage can relieve the muscular tension that causes headaches, reducing stress and easing pain, making it a powerful weapon in your battle against chronic headaches.

Different forms and causes of headaches:

Tension headaches

Headaches are frequently brought on by muscular tension. This may feel like a band of pressure around the head, caused by tight muscles and/or trigger points (irritable spots that refer pain elsewhere), occurring in the neck, head and shoulders. Other causes of tension headaches include postural problems, stress and disturbed sleep patterns.

Migraine headaches

A migraine headache is an intense, one-sided pain that can also spread to the face, jaw and neck. Migraines vary in duration from several hours to several days. Sufferers may also experience nausea, dizziness, extreme fatigue and sensitivity to light or sound. Migraines can be triggered by many factors including stress, lack of sleep, food allergies and bright lights.

Headaches caused by neck injury

Muscle or ligament injuries in the neck are a frequent cause of headaches. This may be as a result of a sudden trauma, such as whiplash, or repetitive injuries, such as working at a computer. This leads to muscle tension, allowing scar tissue to build up in the injured area. This in turn can restrict movement, reduce blood flow and cause trigger points to develop.

Other forms of headache

There are numerous other causes of headaches including postural problems, sinusitis, allergies and high blood pressure.

The Benefits of Massage:

Massage is proven to be hugely beneficial in treating all forms of headaches.  During your massage session, your therapist will massage your head and neck, easing pain and tension by releasing tight and shortened muscles, trigger points and fascia (the tissue surrounding muscles).

Massage also improves your circulation and removes waste products from the muscles, while also oxygenating the blood and replenishing healing nutrients. 

Migraine sufferers find regular massage is an extremely effective preventive measure. By relieving physical and mental stress, massage can reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines.  

Massage therapy is also beneficial if you experience headaches caused by an injury. Massage helps break down the tension and scar tissue in the muscles and ligaments of the neck and promotes rapid healing. Likewise, if your headaches are linked to poor posture, massage can help ease the pain. Your therapist will also make you aware of the tension patterns at the root of your headaches, so you can work on improving them.  

Stress Relief:

Most forms of headache are aggravated by tension and stress. As well as being extremely relaxing, our massage helps dissolve any anxiety that may be contributing to your headaches, calming your nervous system and returning you to a sense of well-being.