Relieve Your Migraines with Massage Therapy

People who don’t get migraines have a hard time wrapping their minds around all of the implications. A migraine does much more than just cause an intense headache. Maybe you deal with nausea or light sensitivity. Maybe the stress of knowing a migraine is about to strike ruins your day. Whatever the case may be, you shouldn’t — and don’t have to — live this way. 

At Integrated Pain Solutions in Stamford, Connecticut, Dr. Halina Snowball offers a variety of treatments for migraines. As a headache specialist, she can explore your options with you, helping you find relief with minimal side effects.

In that vein, Dr. Snowball often recommends massage therapy for migraines because it comes with no risks and has a long history of easing migraines. Could it help you? Let’s look more closely.

How massage therapy works for migraines

Researchers have just started looking into massage therapy for migraines, but early studies show positive results. Study participants saw less migraine pain and fewer days with migraines, plus a variety of other benefits, like:

• Better sleep
• Less anxiety
• Higher serotonin levels, which improves mood
• Lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone
• An easier time managing stress

With therapeutic massage, Dr. Snowball can deliver all of these benefits. Not only does massage therapy help many people with migraines lessen their pain and the number of days shaped by migraines, but it can also soothe stress. Since living with migraines causes tension, this stress relief can go a long way to improve your quality of life. 

What’s more, Dr. Snowball tailors your massage to you. She applies myofascial release to ease tension in your connective tissue, which is helpful for headaches in general. From there, she shapes your massage based on what your body needs. 

Talk with her about how your migraines feel and any triggers you notice. If neck pain or tension seems to cause more migraines for you, for example, bring that up with Dr. Snowball. She can target tight neck muscles during your massage to help bring you relief. 

Additional migraine treatment options

When you see Dr. Snowball for migraine treatment, she commits to working with you to find relief. Many people see results with massage therapy. If you don’t or you don’t get full relief, though, she continues working with you to find what works.

Along with medication, she may recommend lifestyle changes and breathing exercises, for example. Or if you have more than 15 migraines a month, she can apply Botox® for migraines. 

You don’t have to live with your migraines. To get started on the path to relief, call our office at 203-293-0549 or request an appointment online today.