Unfortunately, almost everyone has suffered the pain of a headache at some time. They can last for a few hours up to several days, and sometimes involve symptoms such as sensitivity to light and nausea. They can seriously impact daily life when they occur frequently or for an extended period of time.
A great hidden benefit of massage therapy is that headaches are relieved whilst the side effects that are often accompanied by prescription medication are avoided.
Since many tension and migraine headaches are accompanied by neck pain, headache sufferers find that manual therapies such as massage offer relief from headache pain and related symptoms. Because massage therapy relaxes tense muscles, relieves muscle spasms, improves blood flow and aids relaxation, it can be helpful for relieving the pain of both tension and vascular headaches.
The most common types of headaches are muscle tension and vascular headaches. Muscle tension headaches produce dull, constant pain on both sides of the head and may also involve an aching neck or sensitive scalp. They generally start slowly and can last from hours to days.
Another term for muscle tension headaches is muscle contraction headaches due to the tightening of the groups of muscles around the area of the head, face and neck that is the cause of the pain. This is why tension headache sufferers often describe their pain as a "vice-like grip" at their temples or as tightening bands around the forehead or along the base of the skull.
Vascular headaches are the ones many people describe as "pounding" or "throbbing." They occur when the blood vessels that supply the brain and the muscles in the head swell and constrict. Vascular headache pain intensifies with physical activity and typically lasts from 4 to 72 hours. It may be associated with other symptoms such as vision problems, extreme sensitivity to light, and nausea. Vascular type examples are migraines, cluster headaches and headaches that are a result of high blood pressure.
The relief that is created by massage therapy for both types of these headaches includes easing muscle tension and spasms, releasing shortened muscles plus the important effect of the relaxation of tension that is held in the muscles of the head, shoulders and neck. When muscle tension eases, there is less pressure on the nerves and blood vessels that supply them. Oxygen-rich blood circulation improves, which also relieves pain. Massage therapy will not only assist the body's muscles in relaxing but it will also have the effect of reducing the anxiety and mental stress that can cause or worsen headaches in the first place.
Regular, ongoing massage therapy can also help to prevent headaches by helping to reduce overall stress and the muscle tension that can trigger headache pain and by helping to maintain emotional balance.
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