Advice - Headaches

I SUFFER FROM HEADACHES

Most people have suffered headaches in their life and the chances are, they have taken pain killers to take the symptomatic pain of a headache away.The problem with painkilling medication is that it does not address the cause of the problem. Also prolonged use of painkillers is not recommended. Amongst others, one of the side effects of prolonged usage is, ironically, a headache.

Massage can help TENSION headaches and VASCULAR headaches, the two most common types. Headaches due to eye problems or other underlying problems would need to be addressed. If you have concerns go to your GP and voice your concerns. It is important to relay to your GP you are ruling out underlying causes rather than looking to mask the pain.

VASCULAR headaches present themselves as a throbbing pain and are caused when blood vessels in the head and neck swell and become constricted. Circulation becomes impaired and the nerves are put under pressure as the surrounding structures become inflamed. While massaging, these swellings can often be felt. Massage to the head and the back of the neck eases the muscle tension which relieves pressure on the nerves and blood vessels. Circulation improves allowing the removal of waste products and a much needed supply of rich oxygen.

TENSION headaches show themselves as an ache in the front or sides of the head. It can manifest as a dull ache or as the feeling your head has been put into a vice. These headaches tend to start in the neck. As the OCCIPTAL muscles at the base of your skull tense and spasm they restrict both the nerves and blood flow up to the head and face. For this reason you may experience other symptoms as well as pain. It is worth pointing out here these symptoms are do not always accompany the head ache, relatively speaking they are far less common. These symptoms include pain or the feeling there is a ‘lump’ behind one ear, lethargy, dizziness, partial and fleeting losses of vision and nausea. If you have any of these symptoms it may be worth getting them checked out by your GP to rule out anything more serious.

I have, on many occasions, been massaging the back of a client’s neck and found the occipitals in spasm. When I ask if they suffer from headaches the answer is invariably Yes, how do you know? I explain that their occipitals are in spasm and they answer, but the pain is always at the front or side of my head? I then explain that as these muscles connect to the muscles at the front and side of the head via flat, broad tendons. So, when the OCCIPITALIS at the base of the skull become tight they pull on the tendons, which pulls on the frontal muscles which causes the TENSION headache pain.

Massaging the OCCIPITALIS softens the muscle fibres and relaxes the muscle. Often, the surrounding muscles in the lower neck and shoulders and sometimes in the jaw throat, shoulder joint and chest are involved and need to be massaged too to prevent the occipital muscles becoming tight again.

If STRESS is causing your TENSION or VASCULAR  headache, regular massage can help by reducing stress hormones and increasing levels of the pain relieving hormones, endorphins.

Please see the section on STRESS for a more detailed explanation on how stress affects the body and how massage can help.