Migraines are a condition that causes pain in the head, much like headaches, but more severe. This is one of those conditions that are not textbook, as everyone can have different symptoms. Some of these symptoms include being able to see an aura around objects, being sensitive to light or sound, nauseousness, and even vomiting. One symptom that all people experience, is that one side of the head is in pain more than the other. This is the main symptom that distinguishes a migraine from a headache.
Migraines can last up to 72 hours and can affect anyone, including children. There are still a lot of studies being done towards migraines, as it is a complex condition. This ranges from what causes people to have them in the first place, and what causes people to experience some symptoms during one episode but not another. Due to this, there is no cure for getting rid of migraines permanently. The best thing that you can do is try to figure out what triggers you to have one. Keeping a journal for this can be very helpful, in determining if the cause is from consuming certain foods, to stress to weather changes.
Some studies do show that sleeping habits, stress, muscular imbalances, and trigger points in muscles can also cause migraines. If any of these are the cause of your migraines, then massage can help. If it is due to another trigger, massage may not be able to help. This will also depend on how bad your migraine is, if you are in severe pain, you may not want anyone to touch you. This is very common, and many people do not have a massage during a migraine unless it is just starting to manifest.
If your migraine is really bad, usually the best thing to do is try to sleep it off in a room that has very minimal stimulation in it. This includes having very minimal light or sounds in the room. You can also take medication that your doctor has okayed you to have as well. Driving is not advised during this time, especially if your migraine is affecting your vision.
If you know that you get migraines often, or know what your triggers are, you can book a massage when you are in remission, or when you feel a migraine coming on. Doing this will allow you to go longer periods without getting a migraine, or it can be treated in that beginning stage, where massage can make the migraine last for much less time than it normally would.
This type of treatment is meant to work on any postural imbalances you have, especially ones that affect the neck; treat trigger points in the neck, face, and scalp; stress relief. Sometimes lymphatic drainage and sinus treatments might also be used to help relieve pressure off of the sinuses and the eyes. This is especially true if one of your triggers is strong smells, which can cause the sinuses to become inflamed. However, when you are having a migraine, and you can come in for treatment, the treatment won’t be as long or even work as deep as it normally would be when you weren’t experiencing your migraine. This is because the therapist doesn’t want to exhaust you, or cause you more pain, as your pain tolerance may become lower than it normally would, which is why during an attack, the massage is more based on being a relaxation massage.
During the session, the position that you are placed in will be determined by the pain that you are feeling, if you are having an attack at that moment, or when you are in remission. When you are in remission, you can be in any position that you find comfortable, whereas when you are having an attack, you will have to be either on your back or on your side for treatment to be performed. Being on your stomach during an attack can make you feel worse, due to added pressure on the head from the headrest.
Sometimes a cool or cold compress will be placed on the eyes during your session if you are having an attack. At the same time, the therapist may also place heat on your feet. This is because, when you have cool to the head, it pushes the added pressure out of the head, and with the heat to the feet, it allows the tissues in your feet to expand, allowing the excess fluid to be drawn towards them. This is also a good technique for you to use at home when you have a migraine.