Craniosacral Therapy and Massage For Migraine Headaches

People who suffer from migraine headaches can tell you that a migraine is one of the most painful conditions they have ever experienced. Due to the nature of a migraine, the pain is inescapable. The head is pounding, there may be visual disturbances and nausea, and all that one can do when in the midst of a migraine headache is sit or lie still and hope to fall asleep. There are alternatives available, including massage therapy and craniosacral therapy that can help with migraines.

Several recent studies have demonstrated that both massage therapy and CranioSacral Therapy can have beneficial effects on those who suffer from migraines. A study published in Annual Behavior and Medicine demonstrated that based on heart rate, state anxiety, and cortisol levels which were tested before and after massage therapy interventions, massage demonstrated beneficial effects for sufferers of migraine headaches.

A study on CranioSacral Therapy and migraines was published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. The study asked participants to receive CranioSacral treatments as treatment for their migraines. All study participants suffered from migraines a certain number of times a week. Questionnaires that were provided to participants demonstrated that the severity and frequency of migraines were reduced following treatment.

These studies listed above can be found on our studies page by clicking here. These studies should provide hope that there is help for those who suffer from migraine headaches. While the treatment methods used were not a cure for migraines, they did provide some relief.

A review study published in the Journal of Headache Pain compared the results of manual therapies with the available and commonly prescribed medications for migraine headaches, and found that manual therapies were as effective as the pharmacological interventions. This is also promising news for those suffering from migraines, as there are many individuals for whom side effects of the drugs prescribed for migraines can be as debilitating as the migraine itself.

If you are interested in learning more about craniosacral therapy, or to book a session, please visit our website by clicking here.