MIGRAINES & MASSAGE

If you're unlucky enough to have ever gotten a migraine headache, you know how painful and debilitating they can be. Unfortunately, most people who suffer from migraines don't experience them just once- they tend to come and go as they please. Migraines can cause you to miss out on a lot: work, school and family time. They're frustrating to deal with and a huge interruption in the daily life of many. As a new migraine sufferer myself, I know just how hard they are to deal with and the physical toll it places on the body. I had a few questions after learning what I was suffering from: what exactly is a migraine? What causes it? What are ways to help treat, or even prevent them? These are a few answers we at Massage La Mesa are hoping to answer for you! 

What is a Migraine?

According to Mayo Clinic, migraines are when a severe throbbing pain or pulsing sensation are felt on one or both sides of the head. This is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. They can cause pain for anywhere between 4-72 hours (that's 3 days!) and be completely disabling. While migraines are still not fully understood, studies have shown that when a migraine attack is prominent there is an imbalance in chemicals in the brain: seratonin levels will decrease, causing the trigeminal nerve to release a substance known as neuropeptides into the outer covering of the brain (meninges). This is what causes the pain felt in the head. Genetics and environmental factors also seem to play a role. Most migraines can be treated with over-the-counter pain medicine such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen (NSAIDs), which decreases the total amount of pain felt and help the person suffering become active or engaged. There are 4 stages to a migraine:

Prodrome: warning signs of an approaching migraine constipation, changes in mood, cravings, neck stiffness, increase in thirst and urination, frequent yawning

Aura: right before or during a migraine; not always experienced

this involves symptoms of the nervous system. They include visual phenomena, vision loss, pins and needles sensation in arms or legs, difficulty speaking, hearing things, uncontrollable movements. It's also possible to experience touching sensations or become extremely sensitive to touch, taste and smell. 

Attack: lasts 4-72 hours, frequency varies

pain on one or both sides of head, throbbing or pulsing sensation, sensitivity to light, sounds, smell and touch; nausea and vomiting; blurred vision and lightheadedness. 

Postdrome: experienced after a migraine attack

person may feel drained, physically and emotionally; confusion, moodiness, dizziness, weakness and sensitivity to light and sound. A person can sometimes feel depressed or even elated during postdrome.

Migraines are caused by triggers that can vary from person to

person. The most common are hormonal changes in women, foods or fasting, food additives, drinks such as wine or strong coffee, stress, changes in sleep, changes in the person's environment (humidity, temperature, elevation) and sensory stimuli. It can be difficult to figure out exactly what your triggers are, which is why many doctors will suggest you create a journal with symptoms, foods you eat, your daily routine, and when you get your migraines. 
There are also a few risk factors that could cause you to be more likely to suffer from migraines. We now know that there is a genetic factor in migraine sufferers, meaning if other people in your family get them, you're far more likely to get them as well. Age also plays a role- while you can start getting migraines at any time, it's more likely to happen any time between adolescence to early adulthood. Women are 3 times more likely to suffer from migraines due to hormonal changes their bodies go through every month. Decreases in estrogen can cause women to experience worsening headaches, although it's not really known why. 

Can Migraines be Cured?

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for migraines. However, as mentioned above, they can be treated using over-the-counter pain medication and even massage. The American Massage Therapy Association reported a few studies that all had positive results involving massage therapy for migraine sufferers (read about them here). In these varying studies, they had control groups who didn't receive massages while other groups did or received other treatments. Those in the massage groups reported having a higher pain threshold, lower anxiety levels, lower salivary cortisol levels, a decrease in migraine frequency and even the intensity of migraine attacks! 

So How Does Massage Help with Migraines?

The Migraine Relief Center has an excellent article about that! In this article they talk about how certain massages can help treat migraines and decrease the overall intensity of pain felt during a migraine attack. We already know now that massage can help to release tension in the body, increase certain hormones (oxytocin, talked about here) and improve circulation. It can also even help to regulate hormones! Studies have shown that frequent massage, done therapeutically, can decrease cortisol (the stress hormone), increase endorphins (the feel good hormone) and stimulate the parasymphathetic nervous system which is responsible for conserving energy, among other things. Frequent neck and shoulder work can relax muscles and surrounding tissue, allowing the suboccipital muscles (the muscles connecting the base of the head to the neck) to release tension and ease pain that may reside in the area. This can help decrease the overall frequency of migraine attacks, since most are caused by stress and tension in the body along with a hormone imbalance. 

Certain types of massage, such as reflexology and neuromuscular, can also improve migraines. Reflexology focuses on different points in the feet, applying pressure to those points and seeing the effects elsewhere in the body. Neuromuscular therapy is similar, but it requires working directly on the affected area, helping to release it and decrease the "referred pain" felt elsewhere in the body (you can read more about it here). It can often be painful, but the results are usually seen right after or even during the massage session! 

Craniosacral massage is also known to help with headache pain and 

migraines. This involves work on, you guessed it, the cranium (along with other parts of the body)! It focuses on the central nervous system and how it connects to the entire body and has been shown to help with chronic headaches, migraines and fatigue. 

What Should I Do if I Think I Have a Migraine?

First off, you should check with your doctor to rule out any other causes for your head pain, which could be a symptom of an underlying condition. If you are diagnosed with migraines, your doctor will most likely prescribe medications for you to take and changes to your lifestyle to help with the pain and manage the frequency of the attacks. Since there's no one simple answer or cure-all for migraine attacks, this can take time and a lot of dialogue between you and your doctor.

If you're suffering from migraines, massage can help but should be done when you're in the "prodrome" or "postdrome" phases of the migraine cycle. Getting a massage during the "attack" phase may worsen symptoms and leave you feeling worse, as it can cause hypersensitivity to touch and smell. 

If you're suffering from chronic migraines, massage is a great way to help ease symptoms and decrease the frequency of the attacks. Just ask anyone who's tried it for themselves! At Massage La Mesa, we offer Neuromuscular and Deep Tissue Therapy, both of which are excellent for chronic migraine sufferers. If you'd like to learn more, get in touch with us by phone or email so we can give you resources and chat with you! 

- - - - -

Do you have something you'd like us to discuss in an upcoming blog post? Comment below or email us at: massagelamesa@gmail.com!

Contact us at: 619-917-4675 OR  massagelamesa@gmail.com 

Book now by clicking HERE.