Medication is a common technique for preventing and treating migraine headaches, but new research suggests that massage therapy may be beneficial for certain people. This is especially encouraging for people who have side effects from migraine medicines.
We do know, however, that migraine research is promising. Several minor studies have linked massage to migraine treatment for decades. Furthermore, numerous high-quality research shows that massage therapy can help reduce common migraine triggers such as stress and sleep problems.
What Science Reveals
Massage therapy is not a novel migraine treatment option. The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) educates its members about migraines and how massage might help them. Certain prominent doctors also advocate massage therapy for migraines.
Here are several studies that suggest massage therapy might be an effective migraine treatment.
Massage therapy may assist to relieve migraine symptoms and improve the overall quality of life. A migraine study in the United States separated 26 people into two groups. The massage group had two massages each week for five weeks, whereas the control group received no intervention. The massage group did significantly better, as evidenced by the following results:
- Significantly reduced migraine pain
- More days without a headache
- Fewer sleep issues
- Serotonin (the feel-good hormone) levels are higher.
Massage treatment has been shown to lessen migraine frequency and enhance sleep. A 13-week New Zealand research of nearly 50 persons separated participants into two groups: control and massage. Both groups answered health and lifestyle questionnaires on a regular basis. During weeks 5-10, the massage group also received weekly massages.
Even during the final three weeks of the research without massages, the advantages were obvious and long-lasting. In comparison to the control group, the massage group reported the following:
- Migraines are becoming less common.
- Reduced anxiety, heart rate, and the stress hormone cortisol
- Improved stress management and coping abilities
- Significantly better sleep quality
In short, it turns out that massage is a good way to get rid of headaches. However, not everyone has time to visit a massage therapist regularly. What should you do in this situation?
You can get a massage anytime you want by buying a massage chair at your home.
Click here to take a look at our massage chair models, which are no different from massage therapists.
