Massage for Headaches
Written by The Blue Heron Clinic
By Elaine Doran - Holistic Massage Therapist: Did you know there are 150 types of headaches?! 90% of men and 95% of women suffer from a headache every year.
These can be divided into two categories, primary and secondary. With a primary headache there is no other known cause, whereas a secondary headache is the symptom of another problem. Some examples include,
- Severe hypertension/high Bp
- Infection
- Dehydration
- Parkinson's disease
- Stroke
There are just a few things that lead to a secondary headache. Mainly headaches tend to be primary, but if you are suffering with a chronic sore head it is best to see your G.P to outrule a more serious symptom.
3 most common types of headache
- Migraine
- Tension
- Cluster
Migraines are vascular headaches, meaning the blood vessels become dilated or inflamed. Migraine sufferers are sensitive to noise and light and often just want to lie down in a dark quiet room undisturbed when an attack is occurring. An attack can last from 1-72 hrs, and tends to be more common among women.
How massage helps!
Massage can help decrease the number of attacks and aid the sufferer in getting a better nights sleep. Massage raises serotonin levels, which is a pain reducing hormone. Many migraine sufferers have decreased serotonin levels.
Tension headaches are the most common. It's thought they are mainly caused by a chemical trigger. Migraines and tension headaches are very closely linked as they have similar chemical triggers. It feels like a pressure on your head, as if wearing a tight cap. These headaches can be very painful but are not debilitating.
How massage helps!
Massage can provide headache relief and shorten the amount of time your headache lasts. It's thought some deep massage around the shoulders and neck when you feel an attack coming on will provide relief.
Cluster headaches are thought to be among the most painful type of headache. They generally occur on one side of your head or behind the eyes and have been described as a sharp, burning pain. These headaches come in groups which is where the name comes from. Any individual attack can last 45-90 mins, and some people can have them several times a day, but mainly the attacks occur at the same time every day for weeks and even months. The pain associated with cluster headaches can be debilitating. The headaches can be accompanied by congestion, a teary eye and droopy eyelid on the side of the head experiencing the symptom. These occur mainly in men, with smoking and drinking alcohol placing you at higher risk of getting them.
How massage helps!
Massage is effective in reducing the number of attacks of cluster headaches and can shorten the length of the headache with frequent treatments.
Benefits of massage for those suffering with headaches – an overview.
- Decreases occurrence of attacks
- Decreases pain and discomfort brought on by headaches
- Improves sleep quality
- Maintains a level of relaxation and stress relief, decreasing the risk of a stress headache
- No side effects of getting a massage for headaches, as with some drug therapies
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