Chinese Massage for Migraine and Headaches

Chinese massage for migraine and headaches: what is migraine, what is headaches,Principles of Chinese massage, meridians, foot, Pressure points.

Since as far back as the 2nd century BCE, massage has been a central part of Chinese medicine. Chinese Medicine techniques aim to alleviate pain and stress by easing the flow of energy (qi) in the body, as opposed to Deep Tissue or Sports Massage, which target blood flow to the area.

Chinese massage for migraine and headaches: what is migraine, what is headaches,Principles of Chinese massage, meridians, foot, Pressure points
Chinese massage for migraine and headaches: what is migraine, what is headaches,Principles of Chinese massage, meridians, foot, Pressure points

What is migraine

Usually, migraine headaches occur on the affected side of the head and are accompanied by severe throbbing or pulsating pain. Nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, and excessive sensitivity to sound and light are common symptoms. There is no cure for migraines, and the pain can last anywhere from hours to days, so that you cannot do your usual everyday activities.

An aura, also known as a warning sensation, arises for some people before or as well as the headache. It is possible for an aura to manifest itself in visual disturbances like light flashes or blind spots, or in other disturbances like tingling on one side of the face, arm, or leg, or in difficulty speaking.

The use of medication can prevent and lessen the discomfort of some migraines. With the correct medications and self-help treatments as well as lifestyle changes, you may be able to alleviate your symptoms.

What are headaches

Nearly everyone will experience some sort of headache at least once in their lifetime. A headache is characterized by a feeling of discomfort in the head or face. There may be a sharp, dull, pulsating, or continuous sensation. There are many ways to treat headaches, including medication, stress management, and biofeedback.

You are not alone if your head throbs. Headaches are a type of pain that many people suffer from. In the last year, up to 75% of adults around the world have had a headache.

Headaches have an impact on social and family life as well. An ongoing headache can lead to anxiety and unhappiness in some individuals.

Principles of Chinese massage 

Based on the Eight Principles concept, a comprehensive examination is necessary for finding the actual pattern of the diagnosis. Illnesses can be classified into Eight Principles based on their fundamentals. This concept is made up of four pairs of mutually exclusive opposites.

The eight principles are:

Yin

It is based on yin and yang, which are both the basic categories of pattern diagnosis, and describes the relationship between the other three pairs of the principles. Yin is generally considered cold.

Yang

The relationship between the three other pairs of the principles is described by yang along with yin. Yang is Heat, for instance.

Interior

In Chinese medicine, the term “interior” describes diseases that manifest themselves in the Zang-fu organs or deep inside the body, such as in the qi, blood, and bone marrow. Generally, it describes diseases which cannot be assigned to the Exterior family.

Exterior

Diseases that affect the exterior of the body, like hair, skin, nails, and meridians, are described as external diseases. Chills, fever, aversion to cold temperatures and winds, and headaches are part of its clinical presentation.

Heat 

In contrast to Cold, Heat does not have an aversion to it. A rapid pulse, body chills, dehydration, sore throat, and fever can all be symptoms of this pattern when accompanied by an Exterior pattern. A slow pulse, clear urine, and a preference for cold drinks can be symptoms of this pattern when it is accompanied by an Interior pattern.

Cold

The word cold refers to an aversion to cold. Body aches, headaches, body chills, a tense pulse, and fever are some of the symptoms associated with an Exterior pattern. These symptoms may include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain when they occur along with an Interior pattern.

Deficiency

Qi, blood (Xue), or body fluids (Jinye) with an inadequate amount of flow are called deficiencies. It can show up as constipation, having a small appetite, dizziness, and a slow pulse depending on how Interior/Exterior and Cold/Heat interact.

Excess

As a general rule, an excess disease is defined as one that cannot be classified as a deficiency disease. When this occurs, it usually means one of the Six Excesses is present. The symptoms might include a quick pulse, sweaty palms, and sharp stomach pains, depending on how Interior/Exterior and Cold/Heat relate.

For the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner to be able to treat and help the patient, he or she must first understand or grasp the patient’s constitution. In addition to human characteristics, the Yin and Yang principle applies to symptom characteristics.

Those who receive massage therapy are supposed to benefit from improved circulation, lymphatic fluid movement, tension and toxins release, enhanced bodily functions, and stress reduction.  While the massage therapist is conducting the subjective part of the session, he or she will ask various inquiries to get a feel for what the client wants or needs. As the Massage Practitioner applies the massage, objective measurements and palpation may be used to determine how the client should proceed.

Meridians

Meridian Massage is one of Australia’s most well-known and skilled therapeutic massage techniques. It is performed by a licensed massage therapist with the goal of assisting the body’s restoration to normal health following injury or muscular-skeletal problems. It’s mostly used to treat chronic muscular-skeletal imbalances, strains, sprains, fractured bones, bruises, and any other ailment that doesn’t involve the skin.

It’s a complementary medicine practice for relaxation and treatment of a variety of human ailments.

It relieves chronic diseases like insomnia, constipation, headaches, migraines, and the tension associated with stress, as well as joint pain (such as arthritis), sciatica, muscle spasms, and discomfort in the back, neck, and shoulders.

Meridian remedial massage is also used to treat disorders caused by a person’s lifestyle, such as back discomfort and repetitive strain injury. Its purpose is to improve blood and lymph flow, particularly in wounded areas.

When other therapies have failed, it is frequently successful.

Through a large area of the body, accredited remedial massage therapists deliver adequate and suitable pressure to the soft tissues. Massage operates through the body’s numerous systems in one of two ways: mechanically or reflexively.

Moving the muscles and soft tissues of the body with pressure and stretching movements creates a mechanical action, which cleanses them of acids and deposits. This mechanical motion loosens tight joints by breaking up fibrous tissue.

In the same way that pressing a light switch on a wall turns on the light in the centre of the room, a reflex is created when treatment of one various parts of the body influences one another.  Similarly, different parts of the body are also connected to one another through nerve pathways and energy flows known as meridian lines, as well as through flesh and bone. As an example, some therapists will massage a patient’s arms when it comes to treating an upset stomach, and will massage the lower back when it comes to treating leg pain.

Acupressure and sports massage techniques are used to align the musculoskeletal and ligamentous elements of the body (boning). Meridian massage techniques incorporate special hand techniques to treat soft tissues of the body (muscles and tendons).

Chinese massage techniques can be incorporated into treatments such as reflexology and revitalising massages. Because these types of massage can be utilized in a variety of ways, it is important to have your massage therapist select the appropriate therapy for your specific needs.

It is common for pressure or pinching to be used during Chinese massage to clear obstructions, but it should never be so forceful as to cause discomfort. In addition, you might discover that the benefits are cumulative over time if you feel revived and revitalised after your treatment.

Pressure points: Chinese Massage for Migraine and Headaches

The acupressure points used in traditional Chinese medicine are represented by pressure spots on the body. Traditional healers discovered specific points on the body that they felt promoted energy flow.

These remedies are still used today, despite the fact that scientists have yet to investigate their techniques and efficacy.

In total, there are far too many acupuncture points to list here, and they can be found all over the body. Practitioners of acupuncture and acupressure often use these three methods:

Located between your thumb and forefinger, the large intestine 4 (LI 4) is a soft, fleshy web.

On the top of your foot, between your big toe and the next toe lies the third liver (LR-3).

Spleen 6 (SP-6) is a small spleen just above the inner ankle bone, about three finger widths from the fingertip.

There are several pressure points in the hands, which are interconnected with a longer chain of points in the arms. It is believed that acupuncture and reflexology can help heal other parts of the body.

People can learn to conduct acupressure on their own or hire a professional practitioner who has studied pressure points and knows how they work.

It’s worth noting that there isn’t much research that backs up the usage of pressure points to treat ailments. People can, however, employ hand pressure points in addition to their regular medical treatments without risk.

Read also: Chinese Massage Meaning and Benefits; What are decontracting massages?; 4 Points on Your Feet for Headaches and Migraines: Acupressure and Reflexology Points for Fast and Natural Pain Relief