Massage therapy is a practice that dates back centuries. Today, more than 125,000 massage therapists practice their craft in the United States, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A form of massage therapy called a deep scalp massage can include techniques such as aromatherapy or myofascial release, providing benefits to both your mind and your body.
Tension Headache Relief
Tension headaches involve mild to moderate pain, a feeling of pressure spread across your forehead and the sides and back of your head, and tenderness in the muscles of your scalp, neck and shoulders. While this type of headache can result from a serious medical condition, they most often occur because of factors such as stress, clenching your jaw and poor posture. The Mayo Clinic recommends massage therapy that concentrates on your head, neck and shoulders as a way to reduce stress and relieve pain associated with a tension headache. The American Massage Therapy Association also states that massage therapy can both relieve pain and reduce stress.
Hair Loss Reduction
Deep scalp massage using essential oils can prevent or reverse hair loss, according to CareFair.com, an informational beauty and skin care site. Combining oil with a scalp massage not only helps stimulate circulation, but also conditions your scalp, rejuvenates dry hair, encourages natural oil production, and strengthens the roots and shaft of individual hair strands. The results of a 1998 study in Scotland established a positive relationship between scalp massage using aromatherapy and increased hair growth. In a study of 86 patients, individuals who received scalp massages with essential oils showed increased hair growth, compared with patients who received scalp massages with a only a carrier oil.
Stress Reliever
The American Institute of Stress estimates that 75 to 90 percent of primary-care doctor visits are because of stress-related complaints, many of which can be alleviated by stress-relieving techniques such as massage.
"Health and Lifestyle Magazine," published by Ayushveda, states that a deep scalp massage using oil is especially helpful for relaxation and stress relief because it increases blood circulation in the scalp and stimulates the release of endorphins that work within your body to relax muscles and improve your mood ).
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