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Migraines & Massage
- Victoria Zorich
- Sep 21, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 19, 2020
In an earlier post we discussed Tension Headaches, and how identifying Triggers is a large part in managing and preventing them from occurring. It was also mentioned that there are thirteen, yes THIRTEEN different types of migraines. Many types of migraine headaches can occur solely on their own, but others are due in part to other health conditions.
Primary Headaches are those that occur on their own with no attachment to any medical conditions. No one quite knows or understands what sets the process of this headache off. The pain itself is caused by blood vessels and nerves located inside and outside of the skull that causes pain signals to be sent to the brain. So HOW the pain is created is no mystery, but WHAT causes them has yet to be determined. Primary headaches can be further divided into four groups; Migraine, Tensions Headache, Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalgias, and a miscellaneous group.
Secondary Headaches are just symptoms caused by an underlying condition. The headache is due to the pain-sensitive nerve endings being misplaced, pressed or pushed on.
12% (more than 37 million) of the U.S. population experience migraines. Migraine headaches are characterized by throbbing and pulsating pain caused by the activation of nerve fibers that reside within the wall of brain blood vessels traveling within the meninges. They are recurrent attacks leveling from moderate to severe pain that can last from 4 to 72 hours if untreated. Those suffering from migraines find they occur immediately upon waking or at predictable times. This may be due to menstruation, changes in the weather, or stress.
There are multiple triggers that have the ability to increase migraine symptoms. Some include strong odors, not enough or too much sleep, light, alcohol, hormone changes, missed meals, overusing medication and missing dosages. Roughly 50% of migraine sufferers have found food to be what triggers their pain, whether it be due to an allergy or a caffeine withdrawal. It is noted and suggested by neurologists and health specialists alike that keep a journal of the diet will help to identify if food is a trigger.
Other Triggers May Include:
Overexertion
Depression/Anxiety
Head Trauma
Tobacco
Motion Sickness
Emotions/Stress
For those whom suffer from migraines, symptoms range and vary just as triggers do. Some become sensitive to odors, light, noise, physical movement and touch. Any number of these have the ability to cause nausea and vomiting. Less common symptoms include cognitive dysfunction, vertigo, weakness, and numbness on one side of the body that can be mistaken for a stroke.
As noted before, migraines have the ability to occur in children as well as adults, but seem affect adult women three times more often than men. Migraines are also believed to be "a genetic disorder; the majority of people who get it are born with a predisposition," says Stephen D. Silberstein, MD, FACP, FAAN, FAHS, professor of neurology and director of the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
Treatment of migraines is based around relieving symptoms and preventing any additional attacks. Some quick ways sufferers ease symptoms is by napping or resting in a quiet, darkened room; a cool cloth or ice pack on the forehead, and drinking lots of fluid, particularly if the migraine is accompanied by vomiting. Caffeine in small amounts can also occasionally relieve symptoms in the early stages of a migraine.
Many migraine sufferers take preventive and acute or "abortive" treatments in order to find relief. Preventive treatments means taking daily medication to reduce the severity of future migraine attacks or to keep them from happening altogether. Acute or "abortive" medications are only taken when symptoms begin to relieve pain and restore function.
Alternative treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractics and massage therapy are all used to treat and prevent migraine headaches. A survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association reported that 30% of the people who had at least one massage in the last five years reported going for reasons connected to pain management, migraine control, or overall wellness. A massage session as short as 30 minutes has been shown to improve headache pain.
Dr. Ben Benjamin, Ph.D., founder of the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, stresses the importance of massage therapists understanding the cause of a client's headache in order for massage to be effective. “If [the client] has an injury that’s causing the headache, such as a neck injury, it is important to address both the migraine and the neck injury with massage to relieve headache pain,” he explains.
Techniques that have been found to help reduce migraine headaches include:
Deep Tissue Massage: firm pressure accompanied with slow, gliding strokes using the knuckles or thumbs to massage deep muscle layers. This technique is used relax strained muscles that may be the root cause of headache pain. This technique of massage works the facial muscles in a direct and focused way by using compression. This firm pressure helps to alleviate pain that affects specific areas of the head.
Craniosacral Massage: light pressure is applied to the head, neck, and spine to ease tension and compression. This type of massage is not appropriate for people with conditions that could be affected by intracranial pressure changes, such as acute aneurysm, cerebral hemorrhage, or hydrocephaly.
Trigger Point Massage: relaxes strained muscles by using direct pressure. Compression focused directly on the point of pain described by the client and followed back to the originating muscle to release the spasm held within the muscle belly. Direct compression can be applied to the adhesion anywhere from 30 seconds to 90 seconds or until the massage therapist feels a shift or change in the tissues.
Susan Juczak, a massage therapist in North Carolina, notes the importance of finding and using the right amount of pressure with this technique. She also adds, “it’s also important to make sure to work on one side of the head at a time so that each muscle is treated."
Cold Stone Therapy: this technique addresses the vascular component of migraines. In order to reduce and remove the pounding sensation being experienced during the migraine, there needs to be a reduction of the overabundant blood flow to the head and brain. Using stones, cooled to approximately 36 degrees and applied to specific areas of the face and neck, initially causes the blood vessels to begin narrowing and constricting (vasoconstriction). Once removed, the blood vessels dilate (vasodilation), bringing fresh blood and oxygen to that area, which increases circulation and normalizes blood flow in the area.
helps relieve the migraine pain
relaxes muscle spasms
encourages circulation
restores energy levels
reduces swelling/inflammation
decrease soreness
helps to decrease high blood pressure
Migraine are complex and have the ability to adapt and change with every individual that is afflicted by them. Massage therapy has had success in helping manage the pain some individuals suffer from due to migraines. Dawn Buse, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Director of Behavioral Medicine at the Montefiore Headache Center in New York, says “data on the efficacy of massage for migraine are somewhat limited,” she explains. “However, many patients find massage therapy helpful, in which case I encourage them to make it a regular part of their treatment plan along with other healthy lifestyle habits, relaxation and self-care activities.”
If you or a loved one suffers from migraines, it may be worth it to look into any of the above treatments for relief. Speak to your neurologist, practitioner, or therapist about what techniques you would like to try.
Sources:
Cold Stone Therapy for Migraine Headaches
Massage and Headache Relief
Tackling Migraines Head-On
The Remarkable Healing Touch of Therapeutic Massage
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