by Gloria Mendez
A vast amount of people suffer from headaches or migraines and unfortunately, don’t know how they can get better. Headaches are usually treated with over-the-counter or prescription medications. Though taking medication can be highly effective, it is a temporary relief from a chronic issue.
Massage therapy has proven to be profoundly efficient in treating headaches, migraines, sinus pressure, and TMJ pain.
Massage can help! It can...
… increase circulation in areas that may be lacking in blood flow and as a result, it will help relieve any pain.
… reduce the chances of migraine attacks or tension headaches using trigger point therapy. Areas of hyper-irritable tissue are tender and may transfer pain to other areas of the body. In this case, trigger point therapy helps in decreasing the pain from the neck and head. The masseter muscle (your primary chewing muscle) harbors some of the most common trigger points in the human body. Specific massage therapy and stretching can also ease the pain and stiffness that comes with TMJ.
… help with muscle balance and neck alignment by loosening tight muscles and taught bands of tissue. Loosening the muscles that are attached to the base of the skull will help relieve tension headaches that reach the back of the head and into the eyes.
...decrease the levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) and increase endorphins, resulting in relaxation. Another benefit of massage therapy is better sleep. By improving the quality of your sleep, there will be fewer migraines and ultimately the amount of pain and discomfort will decline.