Headaches are terrible, especially when they are chronic or when typical over-the-counter remedies don’t seem to help much.
Did you know that massage therapy is a great solution for many types of headache?
If not, you may want to try a massage the next time you start getting headaches again.
From frequent tension headaches to chronic migraines, techniques like myofascial massage, Swedish, and relaxation massage can all help to relieve the pain of frequent headaches in a natural, drug-free way.
How Are Headaches Helped by Massage Therapy?
But exactly how does massage therapy help chronic headaches?
When the right techniques are used, massage affects the body in a number of ways that can reduce the very conditions that cause those headaches.
Relaxation Helps
First and foremost, massage therapy causes the body to relax physically, which helps to lower blood pressure.
Many tension headaches are caused by tense muscles and tendons and higher blood pressure.
Swedish massage, general relaxation massage, hot stone massage, and other relaxing techniques done regularly can reduce damaging tension that is responsible for headaches, anxiety, depression, and other physical and mental problems.
Myofascial Massage Helps
Yet beyond tension and general headaches are the more serious migraines which can also be lessened through regular massage therapy.
Research studies on the effects of massage to migraine sufferers indicates that done twice weekly, myofascial massage can start to reduce the frequency of migraines after about four or five weeks.
Although that may seem like a lot of massages, any migraine sufferer can tell you that anything that helps in the long run is worth it to them.
Myofascial massage therapy of the face, neck, head, and trigeminal area is especially useful for reducing blood pressure, anxiety, cortisol levels, and many other factors that contribute to migraines.
Seek Other Intervention for Ongoing Headaches
We all get the occasional headache from time-to-time and have our own preferred ways to deal with them.
When headaches become chronic, however, more intervention may be needed.
Always talk about chronic headaches with your doctor first as headaches can be a symptom of many different health issues.
Then, schedule some massage therapy to help relieve the symptoms.
Got Headaches? Try Massage Therapy!
Before taking another pill or suffering in silence, see if massage can help when used alongside current therapies.
Whether you choose relaxation massage to relieve tension headaches or require trigger point myofascial massage to help with frequent migraines, you will appreciate the benefits.
Regular massages are an effective, medication-free solution for chronic and debilitating headaches that can help you regain your quality of life!