Tension Headaches and Facial Massage???

[Kevin K]

Hi All,

I received a voicemail from a physician on my referral list asking if I knew of anyone who performs facial and head massage primarily for tension headaches. He said that his client/patient has tension headaches and has tried everything (i am assuming that 'everything' entails regular massage modalities) and nothing has helped.

This doctor heard me talking about a facial I received and how good the massage portion of it was and I think he assumed it was some kind of facial massage only.

So it got me thinking...of course I know that many massage modalities would address tension headache with concentrations on neck, cranial, and facial muscles but are there any specific modalities that any of you have heard of that would be potentially beneficial to this client?

Thanks for any input!

 

[Dom Kane]

Swedish will do the trick!

 

[Vaughn.student]

Yes, Swedish will probably help... I've been quite effective at reducing or eliminating headaches through Swedish massage for some clients.
But you might also try some Myofascial Release techniques.
I had one client who was visiting my area from Indiana, who found a lot of relief from my head and face massage for her migraine, and raved about it to a friend who came in the next day on vacation also!
I know at the last CE couse I took the instructor told us that Trgr Pts are a major cause of Temporalis pain. And I think he said that there are at least 6 (or was it 9?) muscles that commonly refer pain to that area. I think johnnymac would back me up on this... or correct my estimate if needed. Right? (Sorry don't have my manual here w/ me.)

 

[Amaranth]

I forget that TPT isn't just part of Swedish, since I blend them together so often! : Definitely check for trigger points!!

 

[Angeltress]

For my tension headaches, the thing that works best if TP therapy concentrating on my neck, head and jaw (yeah.....I'm a clincher.) I've also had success with my clients doing cold stone massage to their face and head but I've never had it done on myself cause I'm the only one at our clinic that does it.

The reason I put neck in bold is because you wouldn't believe (or maybe you would) how many times I've gone to therapists and asked them to do my neck and they spend 90% of the time on my rhomboids and scapula attachments (yeah, yeah.....I know they're tight too) and then the last 5 minutes they quickly do a passover on my scms and think they did a great job on my "neck."

Angie

 

[winifred]

I did some cont ed on massage for migraines & headaches
Along with concentrating on specific muscles- like everything that connects in the occipital area- clients should really be put on a treatment schedule.
Have them fill out a little survey on their pain levels before treatment, and then after (after meaning after a month of reg treatments, or 6 weeks or whatever)

Any of us are more than qualified to do this.

 

[Metallica]

for back of the head pain, TrPs are often lurking in trapezius, and sternocleidomastoid, as well as semispinalis, the splenii, and suboccipital group.

for temporal HA, check trapezius, sternocleidomastiod, temporalis, as well as cervicals and suboccipitals.

frontal HA, focus on sternocleidomastiod, frontalis, zygomaticus major, semispinalis.

eye & eyebrow pain, TrP may be found in sternocleidomastoid, splenius cervicis, masseter (superficial), occipitalis, orbicularis oculi.

back of the neck pain, focus on trapezius, multifidi, levator scapula, splenius cervicis, and infraspinatus.

anyway these muscles may refer pain to the listed region of the head and neck, this info is from Travell & Simons, Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual

 

[Gnarnia 1337]

I have great results using CranioSacral for migraines/headaches of all types. I have helped numerous clients go from multiple migraines per month to one or two per year (or none in a few cases).

The biggest suggestion I have it to check the suboccipitals. In almost every HA/migraine client I find a significant compression at the OA junction. Often this is creating a narrowing of the jugular foramina effecting both venous drainage and functions of cranial nerves X (vagus) and XI (spinal accessory: innervates SCM and upper trap).

Releasing the suboccipitals can help open this area up, but the OA may still be jammed unless specific 'bony' techniques are applied to mobilize atlas.

Hope this helps.
Brian

 

[Pompal 09.]

You all are the BEST! Thanks for the care you have taken with your replies.

I will suggest a good LMBT/LMT in his area...as well as a CST certified therapist. CST is powerful work. I have only taken the intro course and thus do not practice it yet.

Thanks for all the specifics on the muscles and TPs that typically contribute the most.

I love this forum!

 

[heaven mclovin]

C.C. check for the classic "foward head " syndrome. You see it every day, just look at the driver of a car next to you. :shock: If the ear is one inch forword from mid line shoulder , the muscles are now working twice as hard. Shortening in frontal neck muscles, ecentricly lenghtened in the posterior region.
I personally like to do quality pec work, followed by some regular posterior neck , very specific scm and scalene work, go back to posterior and scrub out sub occiput and then work the head and face.
With the head work the temporalis and work the sutures of the skull. the face, work above browline and massester effectivly. MY 2cents.
Finally, drop a thank you to the doctor for the referral with some business cards inside.

 

[Pompal 09.]

for back of the head pain, TrPs are often lurking in trapezius, and sternocleidomastoid, as well as semispinalis, the splenii, and suboccipital group.

for temporal HA, check trapezius, sternocleidomastiod, temporalis, as well as cervicals and suboccipitals.

frontal HA, focus on sternocleidomastiod, frontalis, zygomaticus major, semispinalis.

eye & eyebrow pain, TrP may be found in sternocleidomastoid, splenius cervicis, masseter (superficial), occipitalis, orbicularis oculi.

back of the neck pain, focus on trapezius, multifidi, levator scapula, splenius cervicis, and infraspinatus.

anyway these muscles may refer pain to the listed region of the head and neck, this info is from Travell & Simons, Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual

Awesome! I love my Travells! For clients experiencing frequent headaches I usually use a Swedish/NMT combo concentrating on the trap, SCM, masseter, lev scap, and the cervicals. A good scalp massage doesn't hurt either!

 

[misuti]

Headache therapy

Hi there.

I find your Q's about headache and neck massage interesting because this therapy is my most popular treatment as people come back for it most often.

I sit behind the client and always lay the person face up as it never allows the blood to flow in unnatural directions. It also keeps the breathing clear. My way is to gently bring all that bad energy up from the chin to the crown around the sides of the face, easy around the ears and up onto the temples. The pressure increases slightly up at the temporal. Then I start at the bridge of the nose and go up past the forehead and over the top again to the crown. This completes the front.

Next is the neck, raking up to the occiput and up the back to the crown again. Easy in the hollow at the base of the skull. Quite often the head is much clearer and quite often the headache by this time has eased.

Then it's the base of the neck, top of the trapezius and then down the arms to the fingers. This way I'm moving all that bad energy out and away. The triceps are a real focus of mine here because they are so connected to the shoulders and neck, moreso that the front muscles (biseps)

Then I sit the client up and onto the side of the table where I will easily does it, complete the therapy. I never lay the client face down during a headache therapy.

By standing behind the client now I see and feel the muscles as they would naturally sit. My focus here ir to work the top back. Between the blades, rhomboids and out again to the infraspinatus to sweep down the arms again.

To finish I use a trick that has served me well. I actually get up onto the table myself on my knees, still behind. I support the forehead with my left hand and with the web of my right hand between the thumb and forefinger I push lightly forward and release rythymically. I am easing forward and back the Atlas and the Axis to pump new blood through the head.

Sometimes the problem with headaches is lack of blood to the brainalthough headaches are always tricky. Sometimes you win and sometimes not.

Hope this helped.

Old Dog.

 

[Kemo]

I find releasing compression of the neck helps wonders since gravity push down on our neck. Most people who have headaches do deskwork and slouching. I would loosen neck and surrounding areas as well as stretch the neck to lengthen it.

 

[Nyle]

Interesting neck discovery

Hi again

I found out something interesting for me 5 years ago when I began working for the ballet company. When I first arrived on the scene I had the good fortune to meet with another colleague (old dog of the biz) and we got into a testing program together using the dancers as lab rats. (Full respect intended)

There are over 100 dancers so it is an above average size troupe. It took us a fair while to test them all as you can imagine and we found some underlying problems that were causing all sorts of trouble.

Most of the dancers were very weak in the deep abdominals and around the mid section itself, there wasn't the balance of strength expected from such grueling prep work that they do constantly.

So we began an exercise program for one hour before class to concentrate on this problem. It also helped of course to warm up because up until that point they were going hard out from cold.

I was inspired to also join and I noticed that when first beginning, my neck was tired and painful and needed a lot of rest and support as I was going. I was mercilessly set upon for being so soft and resting but hey, the rest of 'em were a lot younger and much fitter than I. Excuses, excuses.

After some time of perserverance, I was getting stronger and my mid section felt stronger and more balanced. That was nice. But I also noticed my neck wasn't as weak and painful as it usually was. This was also noticed by the lab rats. So this was obviously elimentary stuff that I had missed. It was so nice to feel my cervical vertibrae supported with stonger muscles as well as my lower back. At my age, I need all the support I can get. Creak, squeek, sprong!

Talk with you again soon.

 

[margaret m]

Tension Headaches and Facial Massage???

So it got me thinking...of course I know that many massage modalities would address tension headache with concentrations on neck, cranial, and facial muscles but are there any specific modalities that any of you have heard of that would be potentially beneficial to this client?

Thanks for any input!

I would start with some form of Fascial Release/Connective Tissue work and Neuromuscular Therapy.

 

[Brigitte H]

I would also look into TMJ work. You will need to ask the doctor a few more questions to be sure on what is really going on. Someone who specializes in TMJ will be able to release all the neck work (more than likely needed) along with addressing not only the exterior issues but also the interior.

 

[kbee]

neck discovery

Hi again.

I wrote in a post somewhere (can't remember where) that I am swapping my deep tissue work with an osteopath who had an accident. His entire chest was dislocated. Over the years he has near repaired except for the first rib which feels like it's consticting his chest. He pushes it out, it pops back.

So tonight we tried something different. He laid down on the table and I slif my fingers right in to the center and dragged backwards. I would have normally worked from the top but it seemed to work with the help of gravity. Everybody does this right? As usual, I'm the last to make discoveries.

2nd point. I have had neck trouble forever and he told me that it was because of my shoes. They are not high heals but that near inch at the back heal is forcing my whole body forward a tad, enough to put off my center of gravity. My head is walking around slightly forward and I didn't realize it. I wonder how you all feel about this and if it is a common problem for a lot of neck problems?

 

[Lynn Bodoni]

neck discovery

2nd point. I have had neck trouble forever and he told me that it was because of my shoes. They are not high heals but that near inch at the back heal is forcing my whole body forward a tad, enough to put off my center of gravity. My head is walking around slightly forward and I didn't realize it. I wonder how you all feel about this and if it is a common problem for a lot of neck problems?

fyi..
Earth makes shoes with a "negative heel"
http://www.earth.us/comfort.asp

 

[PossiblyNotMaybe]

Bummer

Yes she does but in this city, it's not a good idea to walk barefoot. It's so disgusting. People walk their dogs and just let 'em do you know what right there on the pavement. then without batting an eye they walk off. Where I come from, you'd get arrested for that.

So I just have to get some flat shoes.

 

[liddabet]

Old Dog,

Been enjoying your posts! I think you misunderstood moose_goose. There is a company called "Earth" and they make shoes with a negative heel...which puts your heel lower than the ball of your foot, correcting for the problem you speak of. I wear these shoes all the time and they have helped me a lot. I have this same neck problem.

The problem comes not only from your shoes, but also from your structure in general. A large perceneforum.xxxe of the population has this "head forward" posture, due to their feet or other imbalances in their hips, etc. Structural Integration (Rolfing, Hellerwork, etc) are forms of bodywork that will also address these issues. I'm sure other forms of bodywork could help as well, but these are the ones I was trained in.

Check out the link moose_goose posted. They are great shoes (and they will protect you from dog doo!)

Shiva