This month I want to give you information about Headaches. I have dealt with
headaches for as longas I can remember. Personally, the best thing for my
headaches is having a good foot massage (reflexology), my scalp massaged, my
hair pulled (lightly) and meditation. I know, there are many reasons one can
get a headache and many ways to take care of them. I will always recommend
thehands on wholistic approach first.
I have helped many people ease their headaches with massage/bodywork,
reiki and aromatherapies. I have found a stretching/postural, gentle/energetic
approach to helping clients with headaches works the best.
If you do not get headaches then lucky you, but bodywork is still a great thing
for so many other reasons.
Thanks again for all of your support
Colleen
My web sites have been updated! Check them out
Holding Headaches at Bay
Bodywork Eases Migraines and Tension Headaches By Cathy Ulrich
"Do you get headaches?" I asked Cindy. She had come to see me for
massage to address her neck and shoulder pain but hadn't mentioned
headaches.
"Well, yes," she said. "I've always had headaches and, now that you mention
it, they seem to be worse when my neck hurts." Cindy went on to say she
suffered from them as often as 2-3 times a week and typically treated them
with ibuprofen.
Like many Americans, Cindy suffers from chronic, frequent headaches. Her
neck pain finally prompted her to seek help, but she was so used to the
headaches, she thought they were something she simply had to live with.
What Cindy didn't understand was that frequent headaches are not normal
and, with a little proactive planning, there is something that can be done to
manage and even prevent them.
Types of Headaches
Headaches come in many varieties. Following is a short list of the most
common types.
Migraines- Migraine headaches occur when the blood vessels in the brain
become dilated, usually due to a chemical
reaction, such as food allergies or a stress response. They often start with visual
disturbances and quickly develop into
severe head pain accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and sensitivity to
light. They're usually felt on one side of
the head, but can be on both sides. Migraines are often managed with
medications and avoidance of foods known to
trigger them, such as red wine, chocolate, aged cheese, and nuts. However,
some bodywork techniques can also be
effective in easing migraines or decreasing the frequency of these painful
headaches.
Tension Headaches - Exaggerated by stress, tension headaches are related to
poor posture, jaw problems (such as
temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ), and neck pain. Many people
describe a headache that starts at the base of the
skull and then moves in an arc over the ears and behind the eyes. Tension
headaches are most often caused or
exacerbated by poor posture, work station positions, and body mechanics,
creating undue stress on the upper neck muscles.
Mixed Headaches - The term mixed headache is used
to describe a tension headache that leads to a migraine.
Typically, the tension headache starts first and the
chemicals produced from the pain of it create
conditions for a migraine to develop. In people
with patterns of mixed headaches, the best way
to avoid the onset of a migraine is to treat the tension
headache.
Bodywork Options –
A treatment regimen that includes bodywork, attention to body position, and
stress management can help prevent or
greatly reduce the frequency of headaches, in turn reducing your reliance on
medication and the need to avoid food
triggers. There are many different bodywork techniques, each with specific
approaches for treating headaches. Following
is a short list of techniques often effective in treating recurring headaches.
Swedish Massage - A tension headache, by its very name, implies the presence
of stress and tension. Swedish
massage, on the other hand, promotes relaxation and relieves muscle tension.
When muscles become tight due to stress
or poor posture, they eventually adapt a chronically shortened state. Swedish
massage teaches the body how to let go of
muscle tension and resets muscle tone.
Integrative Bodywork - Rolfing, Hellerwork, Structural Integration, and CORE
are examples of the types of bodywork
designed to improve posture and structural alignment. A primary cause of
chronic headaches is poor posture, which
produces tension in the neck and shoulders because the weight of the head is
not properly balanced on top of the spine.
Integrative bodywork can produce lasting postural change for greater ease of
movement. By selectively freeing the soft
tissues, integrative bodywork literally can change postural alignment and
remove the stresses and strains on the muscles
that cause headaches.
Deep Tissue Therapies - The integrative therapies mentioned above, as well as
neuromuscular therapy and myofascial
release, use similar techniques to free connective tissue. A chronically tensed
muscle tends to maintain that tension, even
after the stressful event has passed. Deep tissue techniques free the connective
tissue glue, creating a new way for the
muscle to function.
Reflexology - Like acupuncture, reflexology works to move energy blockages
in the body. By stimulating points on the
feet that correspond to organs in the body, reflexologists can promote
relaxation, reduce pain, and restore energy flow.
Several scientific studies have shown that reflexology is a viable treatment for
migraines, in some cases working as well
as, or better than, medication--and without the side effects.
Craniosacral Therapy - Craniosacral therapy addresses the inherent, gentle,
rhythmic movement of the bones in the
skull and their effect on the fluid that surrounds, bathes, and cushions the brain
and spinal cord and runs throughout the
body. Cranial bones move in miniscule amounts as a response to the
production and absorption of cranial fluid. With head
trauma, whiplash injury, or even severe stress, cranial bone movement can be
compromised, resulting in headaches,
dizziness, ringing in the ears, or vision disturbances. This therapy restores the
normal movement of the cranial bones and
fluid.
By addressing the root of the problem, regularly scheduled bodywork sessions
can greatly reduce headaches as well as your need for medication. Remember,
headaches are not normal, and you don't have to live with them.
Support Local, We support Somaly Mam and Heifer International
Member ABMP, National Guild of Hypnotists, Oregon Board of Massage Therapy
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Member ABMP, National Guild of Hypnotists, Oregon Board of Massage Therapy
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colleen@massageboutique.com, www.massageboutique.com,
www.OrganicBoutiques.com 208 841 9062
| Massage & Body Boutique www.massageboutique.com www.OrganicBoutiques.com Colleen Fletcher LMT, CHt 208 841 9062 email us Est 1995 ~~~~~ |
| Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. Kahlil Gibran |
Newsletter: Massage & Body Boutique
Headaches
September 2008
Headaches
September 2008
| I will be having an Open House Friday October 3rd, 2008 4pm-7pm 2003 Norcrest Dr Boise, 83705 There will be refreshments and giveaways. In advance purchases for bodywork are always available 5-9 5% off 10-15 10% off I will be at the Wholistic Living Expo Saturday, September 27th & Sunday, September 28th, 2008 10:00 am until 6:00 pm both days at Expo Idaho (formerly Ada County Fairgrounds) South Expo Building Glenwood, Boise, Idaho I have hypnotherapy cd’s available to stop smoking! $10.00I |
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