Tension Headaches: Know How Massage Therapy Can Help

Tension headaches are a common problem in today’s stressful life. The busy work schedules, performance-based jobs, peer pressure and family responsibilities all contribute to the tension headaches.

However, it is not easy to figure out the reason for tension headaches. There are many other reasons like anxiety, fatigue, low iron levels, or even bad posture. People experiencing the headaches may not know the exact reason for their problems.

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Even the physicians are not sure of the exact reasons for tension headaches as every patient’s lifestyle is different. Medications can help but temporarily, and they might not treat the problem forever. However, there are massage therapies that can help provide relief and cure the pain completely.

The patients of tension headaches may feel a band like pressure around their head. The tension usually begins in the neck, head, shoulders due to the tight and contracted muscles and trigger points. The trigger points are the sensitive spots that refer to pain in other areas.

Massage therapy
Massage therapy is the application of techniques to manipulate the soft tissues to provide relief from pain, fatigue, and injuries. It can be used to treat problems like tension headaches and other types of pain in the head.

The tension headaches are a result of the tension that builds up in the muscles of the head and postural alignment. Massage therapy is an effective treatment for such headaches. A professional therapist can treat the muscle-imbalances in the head by the proper massage sessions.

The therapy also rectifies the misalignment of movement patterns in the jaw and neck by which the patients can get a long lasting relief for headaches.

Headache factors
Tension headaches are a result of the excessive contraction of muscles in the head, neck, jaw, and face. The stress of daily life and busy work schedules can easily trigger these actions and contribute to the tension headaches.

Moreover, the other factors include depression, anxiety, low blood sugar and lack of sleep. The intensity of tension headaches varies from person to person. Some individuals are sensitive to bright light and sound while some experience pain even in low light.

How massage therapy can help relieve in tension headaches
A head massage can help reduce the pain sensation, decrease muscle tension, and the feeling of stress and anxiety. It significantly reduces the chances of the tension headaches by releasing the trigger points and relaxing the muscle spasms.

Improves blood circulation

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The massage therapy makes the muscle tissues more pliable which enhances the blood circulation. This helps in eliminating the irritating wastes and provides more oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. The improved blood circulation and supply of oxygen and nutrients helps provide relief from the tension headaches.

Injuries and incorrect postures
If you suffer from a headache due to a head injury, a massage therapy can help in making the restrictive scar tissue in the muscles and neck ligaments more pliable. In case of incorrect posture, a massage can help increase the awareness of tension patterns that are directly affecting your posture. When the patients are more aware of the reasons for incorrect posture, they can easily take steps to correct them.

Physical and mental stress

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The patients of tension headaches suffer from both physical and mental anxiety. As the brain controls every part of our body, tension in the mind leads to stress in the body. It also leads to mental stress as patients feel pain and the stress of not feeling well all the time. Massage therapies can help relieve the physical and psychological stress from the body.

Address the individual needs
Your massage therapist can draw various strategies and techniques such as stretching, hot and cold applications to address your headache issues. The patients can experience an immediate short-term relief in a single session.
The therapist may design a series of sessions that the patient needs to attend to achieve complete relief. However, the patient needs to tell all the symptoms to the therapist. Some massage therapists also coordinate with the physician to know about a headache in detail.

Frequency of headaches
Patients undergoing massage therapy can feel a decrease in the frequency of headaches. Research has also proved that massage can reduce the rate of head pain and the patients feel the headaches less often. Although massage is not a sure shot alternative to allopathic treatment or medications, it can aid the treatment and provide relief much faster.

Relaxes the entire body

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The patients of tension headaches may suffer tension in other parts of the body like legs and back. The leg and back pain may be associated with a headache in some cases. The massage therapy can help release the tension in the head as well as other parts so the body. The head massage may not entirely relieve the back or leg pain, but it helps to relax the tissues leading to the reduction in pain.

Balance the energy
The tension headaches occur due to the accumulation of energy in the nerves and muscles of the head. Massage therapy helps release the tension and promotes the flow of energy to other parts of the body. This relieves the nerves and tissues from the excess energy and reduces the pain. Patients attending the massage sessions experience a balance of energy in the body.

Final Note
Massage therapy can be a powerful ally in the treatment of headaches. It is also helpful in the treatment of migraine and cluster headaches. A massage works on multiple levels to reduce the stress in the head and body. As headaches are a result of multiple factors, a multifaceted approach is more effective in their treatment.
Patients should practice other healing practices like tai chi, yoga and meditation as all these practices helps balance the chemicals and energy in the body. The balance of energy provides fast relief and helps the patients to enjoy a sense of well being both in the work and family life.