Headache Relief with remedial massage Limassol therapy

Headache Relief using Remedial Massage

All ongoing, persistent headaches always have a cause and should be investigated. Although painkillers are a blessing for many because they provide headache relief, drugs do not address the underlying cause. Furthermore, painkillers are associated with well-known side effects such as damage of the liver and kidneys, but also lesser known potential long-term side-effects such as damage to the intestinal lining which is linked to a number of chronic diseases.

There are many types of headaches, ranging from relatively benign to extremely serious. It is therefore important you consult your GP, particularly if you have a sudden and severe onset of headache, or any other significant symptoms such as impairment of cognition skills, nausea, confusion, etc. These are often referred to as “red flags”.

Below are some of the main categories of headaches:

Cervicogenic Headache

These headaches are generated from problems in the cervical (neck) area, and are usually associated with severe neck stiffness and limited range of movement. The pain can be reproduced easily by moving your head into certain positions, and is usually felt in the neck and the back of the head. If you are experiencing such symptoms, you should see our orthopaedic massage therapist, or an allied health professional such as an osteopath or a chiropractor, who will be able to manipulate your neck if required to release the joints in your neck which are causing the problem, and help bring about immediate pain relief.

Once your neck has been released, you may benefit from some massage therapy to keep the associated muscles supple and prevent the joints locking up again.

Cluster Headache

This type of headache is felt only on one side of the head, and usually around the eye. It is usually very intense and lasts for short periods, usually in predictable cycles. Due to the regular timing of the recurrences, a link has been made to the hypothalamus, which is a part of the brain deep inside which controls our “internal clock”. The standard treatment for this kind of headache is pain reducing medication, and it is important to consultant your GP for advice and appropriate prescription. You may also want to consider trying out an alternative approach such as through naturopathy or acupuncture to see if any of these modalities can help address your condition.

Migraine Headache

This headache is intense and usually felt on the sides and front of your head, lasting from a few hours to a couple of days, and usually comes with associated symptoms such as white spots in your field of vision, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to lights. Migraines, in Chinese medicine and more recently, in Integrative/Functional medicine have been linked to poor liver function among other things, so again consulting with your health practitioner is imperative.

Targeted massage therapy can help to considerably reduce the intensity and frequency of migraines, by addressing the tightness of muscles which stabilise the head. (See Tension Headaches below).

Pathological Headaches

This is the most serious kind of headache, which comes about as a secondary effect to another disorder (pathology), which could range from conditions such as Glaucoma (increased pressure in the eyeball) to brain tumors. Even headaches which don’t exhibit any of the obvious “red flag” symptoms mentioned above, can sometimes be linked to something more serious, so it is always a good idea to discuss your condition with your GP as soon as the symptoms arise.

Tension Headaches

This is by far the most common type of headache. Many people suffering from migraines will also get tension headaches, often developing into the full-blown migraine. Tension headaches arise due to a number of factors, including stress, lifestyle factors, and posture, and therefore all factors should be given consideration.

Are you working long hours in a stressful job? Sometimes people report when they change jobs that their symptoms suddenly disappear. Or perhaps you are going through a stressful time in your life, or are in a toxic relationship. Sometimes people find when they break up from a long term relationship that a huge load has been lifted and their heads feel clearer!

More often than not though, whatever the cause ie. whether emotional or physical, the stresses build up over time and are held in the musculature, leading certain muscles to shorten and adopt dysfunctional positions, and others to get neurologically switched off and weakened. The result is a never ending cycle of worsening muscle imbalance which propagates poor posture, restricting blood flow and leading to neck pain, muscle stiffness and headaches.

The muscle imbalances that lead to headaches are usually in the neck and upper back area, which typically lead to a forward head position. The other component which is often missed by therapists is the influence of the shoulder blade mechanics on the neck muscles. Many people develop classic muscles imbalances in the muscles which stabilise and control the movement of the shoulder blade. Stability of the shoulder blade is vital for most daily functions in our lives, from typing at a keyboard to lifting up objects. If these muscles weaken, then the load of carrying out these tasks is passed on the upper shoulder and neck muscles, further exacerbating the muscle imbalance.

This is where the role of the physiotherapist or a remedial massage therapist fits in. A suitable qualified therapist will assess your specific condition and mechanics, provide hands-on loosening techniques for muscles which have tightened and shortened, and also provide you with activation exercises to “wake up” the inhibited muscles.

Most clients report positive changes immediately after their first treatment, with incremental improvements continuing through their treatment protocol over the coming weeks. It is important to be patient and diligent with the exercises though, because you have to remember that in most cases, you are reversing years if not decades of neurological patterns!