Migraine and Indian Head Massage
Posted: Friday, April 24, 2009
by Joy Healey
Having recently enjoyed an Indian Head Massage, using a Christmas gift voucher from my son, I asked holistic therapist, Pauline McKittrick, for her thoughts on how Indian Head Massage could help migraine sufferers. Read her comments below. (And as a personal aside, I can vouch for the fact that my massage was an absolutely blissful experience!!)
The Hindi word for head massage is champi or champisage, which is where the word "shampoo" comes from.
In India champi has been used for more than 4,000 by barbers, and in the home. The massage works on arms, shoulders, upper back, neck, scalp, eyes, ears and face and typically lasts between 20-45 minutes. A good therapist will tailor it to the client's preference.
Clients are left with a sense of utter well-being, with tensions in the upper body, neck and head alleviated and a clear, calm frame of mind.
For migraine sufferers the main benefits are in the prevention of attacks.
There is often a correlation between migraine attacks occurring and tension in the upper body, stress and anxiety, reduced blood flow to the brain, and disturbed sleep - all of which can be alleviated by Indian head massage.
During clinical trials it was found that migraine sufferers had higher levels of serotonin after a massage. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter found in the brain that is important in reducing pain. So it seems that a relaxing massage can reduce the number of migraines suffered, and the pain felt.
Tension often reduces blood flow to the brain, which can cause neck muscles to tighten. Massage combats this, promoting blood flow and relaxing the neck. Massage also releases natural endorphins that reduce pain and promote a feel-good factor. The pulse is also lowered and breathing slows during massage, calming the body and mind.
It's not recommended to try and alleviate migraine symptoms during the attack, because the massage is so deep. Perhaps some gentle self massage may feel beneficial instead - using acupressure with thumbs gently in the hollows between the neck muscles below the base of the skull. Another approach would be lean your head backwards and, taking deep breaths, press between the thumb and forefinger of one hand with the index finger and thumb of the other hand for a minute. Then repeat with the other hand.
Drinking lots of water is important after massage treatments and also avoid tea and coffee for the rest of the day. This is often a trigger for migraine sufferers anyway.
Migraine prevention is, of course, better than cure. Massage isn't capable of curing a serious illness like migraine - but it can provide welcome relief from the symptoms of anxiety, tension, depression, sleep problems and stress, as well as back pain, headache, muscle pain and some forms of chronic pain.
If, on reflection, you are feeling routinely stressed and think that this is triggering your migraine attacks perhaps it would be helpful for you to find out more about stress management techniques or stress coaching, in order to change the situation that's causing the stress in the long-term.
I hope this information is useful and that if you try an Indian head massage, or some of my self-help tips, it will help promote your well-being and reduce the occurrence or severity of your migraines.
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You can read more about Indian Head Massage at Pauline McKittrick's website: http://www.reallygoodlife.org For regular self-help tips on migraine prevention visit http://www.StopTheMigraineMadness.com
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