Massage for Chronic Headaches

Are you someone who suffers from recurring headaches? For a lot of individuals, consistent, sharp pains in the head or pain on one or both sides are symptoms they deal with on a daily basis.

 Most individuals will experience headaches from time to time; however, if the headaches occur more frequently, you may be suffering from what’s referred to as “chronic daily headaches.” According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, an individual experiencing a headache for at least 15 days per month is classified as having chronic daily headaches.

While the name may sound specific, chronic daily headaches refer to a variety of headache subtypes. These include chronic migraines, chronic tension-type headaches, new daily persistent headaches, and hemicrania continua. 

What can cause chronic headaches?

There are a number of different factors that may cause chronic headaches, but the most common are:

• Stress

• Overusing medications

• Hunger

• Restriction in the neck, cranial bone or upper thoracic vertebra

• Restriction in the Sacrum

• Intense emotions

• Hormones

Common treatment for chronic headaches

Chronic headaches are very common; in Canada, 25% of households experience them. Currently, the most common treatments for chronic headaches are over-the-counter and prescription drugs, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen Sodium. Other treatments involve cold compresses and avoiding external triggers like the sun or loud noises. The pharmaceutical approach to chronic headaches can be very beneficial for some individuals; however, it is often not enough to bring long-term relief.

Taking medication for headaches will temporarily reduce pain and discomfort, but it will not minimize the risk of experiencing one in the future. In conventional or traditional medical practices, the main goal is the treatment of symptoms. At Park Integrative Health, our goal is to not only treat symptoms but also the root cause of the symptoms patients are experiencing. For chronic headaches, a proactive, complementary approach will not only help in treating the main symptom but also in reducing the frequency and intensity of headaches in the future. 

Chronic headaches can have a significant impact on people’s quality of life. It can prevent individuals from participating in their regular daily activities. The chronic nature of these headaches can also lead to symptoms of depression, anxiety, fatigue, and high-stress levels. Over-the-counter medications get expensive and can cause even more damage to the body when consumed in excess. Now more than ever, people are seeking alternative treatments, such as massage therapy, to manage and reduce the frequency of their chronic headaches.

Massage therapy for chronic headaches

Massage therapy consists of the manual manipulation of the body’s soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints, to target and relieve tension and pain. It addresses both the physical and emotional/psychological needs of the human experience. Because of this, the pain and discomfort associated with chronic headaches can be reduced and better managed.

Alley Johnson, a Registered Massage Therapist at Park Integrative Health, explains that massage therapy is very beneficial for those who suffer from chronic headaches. She says that a variety of different things can cause headaches and migraines. While our lifestyle and external factors may cause chronic headaches, a lack of balance within the inner functioning of the body can also lead to chronic headaches. Alley explains that this can show up as restrictions in the cranial bones, neck, upper thoracic vertebra, and even in the sacrum. These imbalances and restrictions are what lead to chronic headaches. Massage therapy helps to release built-up tension and blockages amongst these inner organs and joints.

If you’re looking for a non-pharmaceutical way to treat chronic headaches, our team of Registered Massage Therapists can help. After a thorough assessment and gaining an understanding of your health and medical history, they will begin to provide you with an alternative and complementary solution, one that does not involve relying on over-the-counter medications.

With chronic headaches, there are a variety of treatments that can help provide relief and allow you to reach your highest expression of wellness. If over-the-counter medications and traditional forms of treatment are not helping to heal the root cause of your chronic headaches, massage therapy may be the complementary treatment you need to relieve or potentially even eliminate them.

Massage therapy benefits the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. It is an effective treatment for chronic headaches that considers both physical and emotional factors. It helps to reduce the physical and emotional impacts of everyday stresses and releases any built-up tension.

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At Park Integrative Health, our team of Registered Massage Therapists will collaborate with physicians and other health practitioners to create a treatment plan tailored to your specific and unique needs. Learn more and book a treatment with a member of our massage therapy team here.