"Do you get
headaches?" I asked Cindy. She
had come to see me for massage
to address her neck and shoulder
pain but hadn't mentioned
headaches.
"Well, yes," she said. "I've
always had headaches and, now
that you mention it, they seem
to be worse when my neck hurts."
Cindy went on to say she
suffered from them as often as
2-3 times a week and typically
treated them with ibuprofen.
Like many Americans, Cindy
suffers from chronic, frequent
headaches. Her neck pain finally
prompted her to seek help, but
she was so used to the
headaches, she thought they were
something she simply had to live
with. What Cindy didn't
understand was that frequent
headaches are not normal and,
with a little proactive
planning, there is something
that can be done to manage and
even prevent them.
Types of Headaches:
Headaches come in many
varieties. Following is a short
list of the most common types.
Migraines.
Migraine headaches occur
when the blood vessels in the
brain become dilated, usually
due to a chemical reaction, such
as food allergies or a stress
response. They often start with
visual disturbances and quickly
develop into severe head pain
accompanied by nausea, vomiting,
dizziness, and sensitivity to
light. They're usually felt on
one side of the head, but can be
on both sides. Migraines are
often managed with medications
and avoidance of foods known to
trigger them, such as red wine,
chocolate, aged cheese, and
nuts. However, some bodywork
techniques can also be effective
in easing migraines or
decreasing the frequency of
these painful headaches.
Tension
Headaches. Exaggerated by
stress, tension headaches are
related to poor posture, jaw
problems (such as
temporomandibular joint
disorder, or TMJ), and neck
pain. Many people describe a
headache that starts at the base
of the skull and then moves in
an arc over the ears and behind
the eyes. Tension headaches are
most often caused or exacerbated
by poor posture, work station
positions, and body mechanics,
creating undue stress on the
upper neck muscles.
Mixed
Headaches. The term mixed
headache is used to describe a
tension headache that leads to a
migraine. Typically, the tension
headache starts first and the
chemicals produced from the pain
of it create conditions for a
migraine to develop. In people
with patterns of mixed
headaches, the best way to avoid
the onset of a migraine is to
treat the tension headache.
Bodywork Options: A
treatment regimen that includes
bodywork, attention to body
position, and stress management
can help prevent or greatly
reduce the frequency of
headaches, in turn reducing your
reliance on medication and the
need to avoid food triggers.
There are many different
bodywork techniques, each with
specific approaches for treating
headaches. Following is a short
list of techniques often
effective in treating recurring
headaches.
Swedish
Massage.A tension headache,
by its very name, implies the
presence of stress and tension.
Swedish massage, on the other
hand, promotes relaxation and
relieves muscle tension. When
muscles become tight due to
stress or poor posture, they
eventually adapt a chronically
shortened state. Swedish massage
teaches the body how to let go
of muscle tension and resets
muscle tone.
Integrative
Bodywork. Rolfing,
Hellerwork, Structural
Integration, and CORE are
examples of the types of
bodywork designed to improve
posture and structural
alignment. A primary cause of
chronic headaches is poor
posture, which produces tension
in the neck and shoulders
because the weight of the head
is not properly balanced on top
of the spine. Integrative
bodywork can produce lasting
postural change for greater ease
of movement. By selectively
freeing the soft tissues,
integrative bodywork literally
can change postural alignment
and remove the stresses and
strains on the muscles that
cause headaches.
Deep Tissue
Therapies. The integrative
therapies mentioned above, as
well as neuromuscular therapy
and myofascial release, use
similar techniques to free
connective tissue. A chronically
tensed muscle tends to maintain
that tension, even after the
stressful event has passed. Deep
tissue techniques free the
connective tissue glue, creating
a new way for the muscle to
function.
Reflexology.
Like acupuncture,
reflexology works to move energy
blockages in the body. By
stimulating points on the feet
that correspond to organs in the
body, reflexologists can promote
relaxation, reduce pain, and
restore energy flow. Several
scientific studies have shown
that reflexology is a viable
treatment for migraines, in some
cases working as well as, or
better than, medication--and
without the side effects.
Craniosacral
Therapy. Craniosacral
therapy addresses the inherent,
gentle, rhythmic movement of the
bones in the skull and their
effect on the fluid that
surrounds, bathes, and cushions
the brain and spinal cord and
runs throughout the body.
Cranial bones move in miniscule
amounts as a response to the
production and absorption of
cranial fluid. With head trauma,
whiplash injury, or even severe
stress, cranial bone movement
can be compromised, resulting in
headaches, dizziness, ringing in
the ears, or vision
disturbances. This therapy
restores the normal movement of
the cranial bones and fluid.
By addressing the root of the
problem, regularly scheduled
bodywork sessions can greatly
reduce headaches as well as your
need for medication. Remember,
headaches are not normal, and
you don't have to live with
them.
