1. Receive an Abortive Massage From a Therapist
Anecdotal evidence and some small-scale studies have shown that massage can help reduce or eliminate the pain associated with a migraine in some people. Massage therapy is often used to complement other traditional medical migraine treatments or other alternative treatments. While drug treatments are available to treat migraines, many people, including those with cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled diabetes or pregnancy, cannot take those drugs. If you're one of those people, you should consider using massage therapy to get relief.
Tense muscles and stress can aggravate migraines headaches. Visiting a massage therapist for a short, soothing massage while a migraine is in progress can reduce muscle pain and tension. This alone may not eliminate your headache, but it can diminish the intensity and help you to relax. These massages should focus on the neck, shoulders and upper back.
2. Abortive Self-Massage
You can also use a self-massage technique at home to treat your migraine in progress. Escape to a dark, quiet room where you can relax. Start by placing your thumbs on your cheek bones and using your fingers to perform a firm, circular massage of the temples, hairline and forehead. Applying firm pressure to the jaw, brow bone and under-eye area can also help. Use aromatherapy essential oils in combination with massage to get the added benefit of the healing properties of essential oil aromas.
3. Schedule Preventative Massage Treatment
If you have frequent migraines, massage can also be used as a preventative measure. Muscle tension and stress are often triggers for migraines, so anything that reduces stress and promotes relaxation can reduce the frequency of migraines. Working with a massage therapist familiar with the migraine treatment, you should create a treatment program and schedule to follow. A typical treatment program will last from 4 to 6 weeks, and positive effects can be felt even after the program is finished. It's recommended that you begin with short sessions and progress to longer sessions, because deep massage can trigger migraines in some people. These massages should be deeper and more intense than massages given during a migraine.
