| Unfortunately, almost everyone has suffered the | | | | around the forehead or along the base of the |
| pain of a headache at some time. They can last | | | | skull. |
| for a few hours up to several days, and | | | | Vascular headaches are the ones many people |
| sometimes involve symptoms such as sensitivity | | | | describe as "pounding" or "throbbing." They occur |
| to light and nausea. They can seriously impact | | | | when the blood vessels that supply the brain and |
| daily life when they occur frequently or for an | | | | the muscles in the head swell and constrict. |
| extended period of time. | | | | Vascular headache pain intensifies with physical |
| A great hidden benefit of massage therapy is | | | | activity and typically lasts from 4 to 72 hours. It |
| that headaches are relieved whilst the side | | | | may be associated with other symptoms such as |
| effects that are often accompanied by | | | | vision problems, extreme sensitivity to light, and |
| prescription medication are avoided. | | | | nausea. Vascular type examples are migraines, |
| Since many tension and migraine headaches are | | | | cluster headaches and headaches that are a result |
| accompanied by neck pain, headache sufferers | | | | of high blood pressure. |
| find that manual therapies such as massage offer | | | | The relief that is created by massage therapy for |
| relief from headache pain and related symptoms. | | | | both types of these headaches includes easing |
| Because massage therapy relaxes tense muscles, | | | | muscle tension and spasms, releasing shortened |
| relieves muscle spasms, improves blood flow and | | | | muscles plus the important effect of the |
| aids relaxation, it can be helpful for relieving the | | | | relaxation of tension that is held in the muscles of |
| pain of both tension and vascular headaches. | | | | the head, shoulders and neck. When muscle |
| The most common types of headaches are | | | | tension eases, there is less pressure on the |
| muscle tension and vascular headaches. Muscle | | | | nerves and blood vessels that supply them. |
| tension headaches produce dull, constant pain on | | | | Oxygen-rich blood circulation improves, which also |
| both sides of the head and may also involve an | | | | relieves pain. Massage therapy will not only assist |
| aching neck or sensitive scalp. They generally | | | | the body's muscles in relaxing but it will also have |
| start slowly and can last from hours to days. | | | | the effect of reducing the anxiety and mental |
| Another term for muscle tension headaches is | | | | stress that can cause or worsen headaches in the |
| muscle contraction headaches due to the | | | | first place. |
| tightening of the groups of muscles around the | | | | Regular, ongoing massage therapy can also help |
| area of the head, face and neck that is the cause | | | | to prevent headaches by helping to reduce overall |
| of the pain. This is why tension headache | | | | stress and the muscle tension that can trigger |
| sufferers often describe their pain as a "vice-like | | | | headache pain and by helping to maintain |
| grip" at their temples or as tightening bands | | | | emotional balance. |