It’s estimated that nearly half of the adult population suffers from at least one headache per year. This makes them among the most common types of central nervous system disorders, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). While some cases of headaches minor, others are more severe and debilitating. Regardless of the severity of your headaches, however, massage therapy may offer a safe and effective solution.
What About Medication?
Unfortunately, we live in a society that’s fixated on treating diseases and health problems with medication. Don’t get me wrong, certain types of medication can prove invaluable in treating adverse health conditions, but there are times when they do more harm than good.
Acetaminophen, the main active ingredient in Tylenol and more than 600 other medications, has been linked to 1,567 accidental deaths from 2000-2010 (source). Acetaminophen damages the liver and kidneys when taken in high doses, contributing to organ failure and potentially even death. Other medications that are commonly used to treat and prevent headaches may also cause harm to a person’s health, such as ibuprofen and its effects on the stomach.
Massage Therapy to Treat Headaches
Rather than rolling the die and hoping that medication will treat your headaches without causing any adverse side effects, you should consider seeking massage therapy instead. So, how in the world can massage therapy relieve your headaches? It’s able to achieve this goal in several different ways, one of which is by lowering stress levels. Headaches are often caused by triggers, which can range from smells and bright light to fatigue and stress. Assuming your headaches are being triggered by stress, massage therapy can help by lowering stress levels; thus, relieving you of your headaches.
Massage therapy may also prove beneficial in treating tension headaches. As the name suggests, a tension headache occurs when one or more groups of muscles remain in a constricted state. When this occurs, it restricts the normal flow of blood while causing additional physiological stress. Massage therapy works to relieve this stress while causing the muscles to revert back to their relaxed state.
If you suffer from headaches, schedule an appointment with your local massage therapist. Who knows, massage might be the solution to a more enjoyable, pain-free life.
Give me a call today for more information on how you can better your health!
