Do you suffer from chronic headaches? Massage can help!
After reading this informative and concerning article from the Washington Post about some of the issues from excessive texting, (tension headaches being one of them) I wanted to share how massage therapy can help. Chronic headaches or tension headaches can be debilitating and severely disrupt ones quality of life. The Massage Therapy Foundation recently followed a research team that studied the effects of massage therapy used as a treatment for chronic headaches and saw that massage was beneficial in reducing the intensity, frequency, and duration of the pain associated with chronic headaches.
The cause of chronic headaches vary and is often unclear but there is evidence that sustained contractions of the head and neck muscles, often associated with excessive computer work, cause ischemia (lack of blood flow) which contributes to the formation of trigger points within the head, neck, and shoulder muscles.
Massage techniques that increase circulation and blow flow and aim to decrease trigger point activity reduce the pain and frequency of chronic headaches.
Tips for tension headache relief
– eat healthy foods and don’t skip meals
– drink plenty of water
– use an ice pack or a heated neck pillow directly on the neck and upper shoulders to bring blood flow to hypertonic muscles
– do simple neck extension, flexion, and lateral rotation stretches
– get plenty of sleep
How can Georgetown Massage & Bodywork help?
Massage techniques including trigger point therapy, myofascial release, and muscle stripping and cross fiber friction can be applied to neck and upper back muscles including the trapezius, levator scapulea, suboccipitals, splenius capitus, and temporalis to help with tension headache pain.
All GMB massage therapists are well trained to target these muscles and help you combat chronic headaches.
Contact us for more information.
Chronic headaches and how massage therapy can help.
