Migraines can be disruptive to your everyday life. Whether you get them regularly or every few months, they can be debilitating when they do occur. Massage therapy has shown promise for pain relief in people with migraines.
Many people with migraines have found that regular massage therapy improves their overall quality of life. This stress-reducing practice can even lead to other good lifestyle habits and relaxation. The frequency of massage therapy is up to you. Some people go every two weeks and some go once a month. You can also decide what type of massage therapy you want. Some people prefer gentle massages while some need deeper pressure to feel the benefits.
You may feel hesitant to get a massage during an active migraine, especially if you’re experiencing increased sensitivity to touch, light, smell, and sound. But a massage can help you recover from a migraine attack. Massages are also great for reducing the aftereffects of a migraine. It can calm you down while experiencing increased stress and cortisol levels and relax your muscle aches and tension.
There are two main types of massages that can help with your migraine pain. Both focus on putting pressure on problem areas.
Deep tissue massage. This kind of massage uses firm pressure with slow strokes to get into the deeper muscle layers. If you find your massage painful, let your masseuse know so they can ease up. You shouldn't be in pain while getting a massage. A deep tissue massage should help relax strained muscles that may be causing your head pain. This type of massage can also be applied to your facial muscles to alleviate some of the pain in your head.
Trigger point massage. This kind of massage also relaxes strained muscles, but with direct pressure on your problem areas. With migraines, you may experience pain in the upper region of your head, and around your eyes and ears. A masseuse or doctor may apply pressure briefly to your head and neck region to alleviate your pain in these areas.
One study has shown that people who received two 30-minute massages each week for five consecutive weeks saw promising results. Those individuals were found to have less pain, more headache-free days, better sleep, and increased levels of serotonin.
