Can Massage Therapy Help My Headaches?

Are migraines and tension headaches getting in your way? You’re not alone. Most people experience headache pain at one point or another. At OneAccord Physical Therapy, we help relieve tension headaches, migraines, and other types of headaches with calming massage. If you’re looking to stop your headaches without medication, here’s how massage therapy can help.  

Headaches 101

Although headaches are common, they are extremely difficult to diagnose and treat. A lengthy list of triggers has been established, but an official cause has yet to be determined. If you’d like to pinpoint your individual triggers, it helps to track your headaches, diet, and daily activities. Headache triggers to watch for may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Stress
• Dehydration
• Sleep deprivation
• Poor sleep
• Diet
• Hormones
• Sinus infections
• Weather changes
• Allergies
• Viruses
• Medication side effects
• Caffeine

Knowing your triggers will help your physical therapist create a customized treatment plan that works to suit your individual needs. If you’re looking for a drug-free option, let your provider know. There are several alternative therapies proven to resolve headache pain, including massage therapy. 

Stress management

Stress is proven to cause ongoing health issues, including a variety of headaches. But, how do you stop your headaches when your life’s stressors seem endless? Relaxation techniques, such as massage therapy, can help you better manage the stress so you can prevent your headaches from forming. 

Sinus relief

When functioning correctly, your sinuses can help to stop viruses in their tracks. When they don’t work as well as they should, however, your sinuses can become inflamed or swollen, leading to sinus headaches that can knock you off your feet. At OneAccord Physical Therapy, your massage therapist can clear your sinuses with a special technique aimed at your four sinus cavities. 

Better posture

Yes, your mother was right. You need to sit up straight. Poor posture when sitting or standing can cause back pain and flexibility issues and add strain to the same muscles that cause headaches. To help, your massage therapist can coordinate a massage treatment plan that will alleviate the muscle strain, back pain, and flexibility issues that may trigger your headaches. That way, you’ll move, sit, and stand in ways that are beneficial moving forward. 

Whether or not you suffer from debilitating migraines or excruciating tension headaches, one thing is for sure: headaches are painful. If you’re looking to stop your headache pain or prevent headaches from developing, the headache experts at OneAccord Physical Therapy are here to formulate a personalized path to wellness that takes your headache pain away. Go here to book your consultation online, or give us a call to get started today.