Do you often find yourself battling tension headaches and wondering about the root causes or solutions? In the bustling community of Port Credit, many individuals face the same dilemma. At Art of Mobility, we’re diving deep into the world of massage and its effectiveness in treating tension headaches.
Why Am I Getting Tension Headaches Every Day?
There are many reasons that you may be getting tension headaches everyday and some of them include poor posture, sitting for long periods, not being able to manage stress and other medical conditions. If you have poor posture with your shoulders rounding and neck protruding forward then this can lead to a lot of tension placed on the neck muscles.
In turn, this tension on the muscles causes them to get very tight and these tight muscles can pinch on nerves in that area causing some of that tension headaches. Also, some of these tight muscles have what we call referral pain where because the muscles are so tight it causes pain to transfer to other areas of the body.
For example, tight trapezius muscles on the shoulder can cause these feelings of heaviness, dizziness and pain in the head area. Furthermore, when you have desk jobs you are more prone to having these tension headaches because you’re sitting for long periods with poor posture.
If you are a person who carries a lot of stress whether it’s from work or your personal life and you tend to hold it in your shoulders and neck area that could also be causing tension headaches. Ultimately, you would want your healthcare practitioner to also rule out other medical conditions that may be causing the headaches.
Is Massage Good for Tension Headaches?
Massage is great for headaches because a massage session can help find areas that are tight and release the muscles giving a feeling of relief. As we talked about before, if you have tight neck and shoulder muscles from poor posture it can cause a lot of these tension headaches.
Therefore a massage will work on releasing these muscles and will help relax those muscles around the neck and shoulder so it doesn’t pinch on any nerves causing some of that tension headaches. In addition, it will stop that referral pain that’s referring to other areas like the head.
Furthermore, a good massage therapy near you session includes some breathing exercises that you could use to help manage your stress and some complementary exercises to help relax those muscles when you’re not working with your massage therapist. A good massage therapist will also work on the joints and nerves to help open up space in the joints and get pain relief.
What Pressure Points Get Rid of Tension Headaches?
There are many pressure points that may help with tension headaches. Some of these examples are working on the suboccipital muscle on the back of your skull and the sternocleidomastoid which is located in the side of the neck. Also, muscles on the back of your shoulder that connect to your neck are called the levator scapulae and also cause referral pain.
Furthermore, there are pressure points on your upper traps( upper shoulder ) that get very tight and cause a lot of discomfort up towards the head causing those tension headaches. A great massage therapist will do an assessment to check your movements, understand your habits, posture and based on that will figure out which tension points that need to be worked on for you to get back to feeling your best.
Which Massage Is Best for Tension Headaches?
The type of massage that’s best for tension headaches depends on the person so an assessment is very important to understand the person’s unique situation. For some people, they would need a little bit more of a relaxation massage where it’s a little bit softer in pressure. Then, some people will need something a little bit stronger like a deep tissue massage.
Also, you want a massage session that includes the therapist working on the joints, which we call mobilizations, to move certain joints around to help open space in the area. Importantly, we want to work on areas that we call trigger points, which are tight knots that when it is released it helps people feel relief. It is important to note not all massage therapists are the same, some do just full-body relaxation.
While others are more rehab therapists who do more of an assessment that finds the root cause of the issue and helps target the root cause while helping with symptom relief. Therefore, we recommend seeing a massage therapist that’s more rehab focused.
What Is the Fastest Way To Relieve a Tension Headache?
The fastest way to relieve a tension headache is to do a few things including using a hot pack or cold pack to help relax the muscles and give pain relief. Also, gentle stretches and strengthening exercises help give short-term relief and long-term results.
Furthermore, you can do some self-release techniques where you use a massage ball or your hands to release problem areas. Ultimately, the fastest solution is seeing a therapist who will do hands-on techniques to help relieve tension headaches.
How Do You Massage a Tension Headache at Home?
You can massage your tension headache at home using a little bit of lotion and your fingers to help put a little bit of pressure through the areas of your neck, shoulder and back of your head. You can use a lacrosse ball/massage ball or foam roller to massage those areas too. You are going to find a tight area where you feel a knot and put it on that area and put pressure on it.
You can hold it for 30 seconds to a minute and then move on to another area. if you have the massage ball or formal on the floor you can place your shoulders, neck, or back of your head on the ball and put pressure on it for the same amount of time. However, it’s important that we do these things while working with healthcare practitioners to minimize any risks and avoid aggravating your injuries.
Key Takeaways
Tension headaches, while common, needn’t dominate your life. In Port Credit, Art of Mobility stands ready to guide you through the maze of causes, solutions, and the therapeutic potential of massage. Explore the world of holistic healing and step towards a life free of tension headaches.
