The Benefits of Massage for Headaches

Regular headaches and migraines afflict millions of Americans every day. They can range for mild to severe, and in some cases they can be debilitating. Migraines in particular can be very difficult to live with.  Headaches not only decrease your overall sense of well-being, they can affect your work productivity, lead to lost work hours, and make you irritable. So finding a way to alleviate them can make a significant difference in your life. 

If you suffer from frequent headaches or migraines, it may seem that medication is the quickest, easiest, and best solution.  It may also feel like the only solution. But there are much safer alternatives which can be very effective. One of these is massage therapy. Massage therapy is an excellent treatment to consider because it is much better for your overall health than taking medications, particularly those regularly prescribed to migraine sufferers. 

Migraine headaches occur when there is inflammation or dilation of the blood vessels in your head. They can make you particularly sensitive to light as well as sound while you are having the headache. People often feel dizzy and nauseous during a migraine, as well as very tired. They can disrupt sleep and last for as long as 3 days. They can be triggered by various things, and stress can exacerbate them as well as make them more likely to occur. 

Other types of headaches include tension headaches, cluster headaches, and headaches caused by an injury to the neck. While non-migraine type headaches are usually not as debilitating, if they occur frequently they can be very distressing. 

Regular massage therapy can help decrease the occurrence of all types of headaches. Massage helps your body by keeping you more relaxed. It helps reduce stress and relieves tension in your muscles. It also helps reduce the occurrence of muscle spasms. Massage therapy also stimulates the release of serotonin, which is a brain chemical known for enhancing mood. Because massage helps improve circulation, you will have more energy and feel better in general.  

In addition to getting massages on a regular basis, many people who suffer from headaches have found that learning to massage themselves when they feel a headache coming on can greatly reduce the severity of the symptoms they experience. By massaging the area of your head around your ears, your scalp, and the back of your neck using gentle pressure, you can quickly start to feel better. 

Self-massage won’t take the place of regular massages from a highly trained clinician. If you are prone to headaches, and particularly migraines, massage therapy is definitely worthy trying. It may take a few to several sessions before you experience a long-term affect, but the benefits to your physical and emotional well-being are significant, and extend far beyond headache relief!