Effectiveness of Massage Therapy
In 2008, a study was done in Colorado at Boulder College of Massage Therapy. Researchers selected individuals who suffered from tension headaches 2-3 times per week for a minimum of six months. They were given treatment for 4 weeks and saw significant improvement compared to the group of individuals who received no treatment during that time frame. During treatment, clients experienced the following things: massage strokes over the base of skull and neck; myofascial release strokes on shoulder and neck muscles; trigger point therapy; and stretching techniques. During the first week, clients said they experienced headaches half as much as they were before treatment. At the end of four weeks, headaches had declined significantly. Also, clients said that when they did get headaches, the severity of pain had decreased after treatment. When clients came to treatment with a headache, they said the pain would go away about 30 minutes after the session was over. The conclusion of the study states that pain can be alleviated through massage therapy when treatment is geared toward cranial and cervical muscles.
Other Massage Treatment
Massage oils have also been known to relieve headache pain. Oil is blended together specifically to sooth migraine and headache pain. The pain relief oil is massaged into the temples, back of the neck, and base of the skull. If you don’t want to apply this on your skin the other option is too add oil to the bath. Oils can be purchased in massage therapy stores and are quick and easy to apply to the body. Another massage therapy method is called trigger point therapy. The head, neck and shoulder areas are the muscles that send pain to the head. During a trigger point therapy session, pressure is applied to the muscles in the neck, upper back and shoulders. When pressure is applied to these major muscles, it helps release tension which reduces the severity of the headache.
General information
Some individuals rely on medication to relieve pain, but it’s not always helpful. It can be addictive and lead to other negative behaviors if taken too much. It’s important to get the right amount of nutrients, sleep and exercise every week to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Your overall health status plays an important role in reducing headaches. People who are more stressed are likely to get headaches more frequently. It’s important to review your lifestyle habits and decide if something needs to be changed around in order to improve your current condition.
