Do You Have Migraines? Have You Tried This Method?

Headaches and migraines are the most common, yet very distressing condition that many people get.  I’ve written many posts about headache relief.  Recently, I gained better insight into migraines from webinars and articles by Til Luchau, LMT.  

Migraines were thought to be caused by dilated blood vessels of the brain.  However, it is now being viewed as a nervous system disorder, along with other factors.  A goal of massage or bodywork is to reduce the compression on the cranial nerves. 

One of the ways you can try to relieve migraine pain is pulling your ears.  When you pull your ears, you also pull the temporal bones slightly. Deep behind the temporal bone is the trigeminal nerve, the likely cause of migraines and cluster headaches.  Pulling the ears might help relieve the pressure on the trigeminal nerve.  You should experiment which angle of the pull relieves the pain better; straight to the side, up, down, back and etc.  Once you found the right angle, hold the traction and relax for a while. I hope this will work for you.

If you are interested in finding more details and other ways to relieve migraine pain, read the article here.  It is designed for massage therapists/bodyworkers, but you can try yourself or ask your massage therapist if they are familiar with the techniques.

Herbal Teas for Headaches (2) - Let’s Make Tea!

Making tea from bulk herbs is easier than you think.  Above all, it tastes much better!

HERBS

I would highly recommend you buy dried BULK herbs at a health food store with a bulk section, especially ORGANIC ones (unless you have fresh herbs in your garden).  First, you know what you are getting because I’m not really sure about the quality of herbs in tea bags.  You must have experienced that tea made from loose leaf tastes and smells much better than one from a tea bag.  I tried green tea bags from different brands, but it doesn’t taste anything like real green tea, so I am always wondering if manufactures use low grade tea leaves or herbs for tea bags.

Buying herbs in bulk also gives you many advantages.  You can find more varieties of herbs, and buy only the amount you want.  You can also pick the specific herbs most beneficial for your condition and blend them exactly the way you like.  Lastly, it definitely saves you a lot.

EQUIPMENT

You can find all kinds of tea pots and cups with an infuser in stores.  If you don’t have any of these, you can use a mug and strain the herbs with a strainer later.  I use a French coffee press for making more than one cup, but I usually use one very similar to this in the picture below from Zen Formosa (I don’t remember the brand of mine, since it’s been years since I bought it).  It’s even easier than making a cup of coffee.

INSTRUCTIONS

Amount

In the book “20,000 Secrets of  Tea – The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature’sHealing Herbs” by Victoria Zak, a heaping tablespoon of bulk herbs is required, but I feel it’s too much. I normally use about ½ to 1 teaspoon, and it still comes out pretty strong depending on the herbs.  You might want to start with ½ teaspoon to get used to the taste.

If you use fresh herbs (softer and hard parts of a plant), cut the herbs into small pieces and use 2 tablespoons per cup.   

Steeping time

Pour boiled water to a pot or a cup, and cover.  Steep for 3-5 minutes for dried herbs, 7-10 minutes for softer parts of fresh herbs.  For hard parts of fresh herbs such as bark, twigs, seeds, roots, or rhizomes, put pieces of the herb in a pot, cover it with cold water, and bring the water to a boil.  Simmer for 1 hour.

Sugar/Sweeteners

The author of the book doesn’t encourage you to sweeten tea if you take herbal teas as healing remedies.  I agree.  I enjoy the earthy, bitter flavor of herbs, which tastes almost like medicine.  It’s psychological, but I feel like it works better that way.

Enjoy a blissful cup of tea!

Herbal Teas for Headaches (1) - Herbs

In the last post “Herbal Teas for Healing,” I talked about great healing benefits of herbal teas.  I’m going to introduce the herbs recommended for headaches, migraines and sinuses from the book "20,000 Secrets of  Tea – The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature’s Healing Herbs” by Victoria Zak.  You will be surprised to find some of the herbs are already in your pantry!  In the next post, you will find my tips on how to make tea from bulk herbs, which I strongly recommend.

This guide is for your information only.  

Please see an herbalist if you need professional assistance.

HEADACHES/MIGRAINES

Feverfew “Manna for Migraines and Allergies” (headaches & migraines)

• Inhibits histamine release and relax blood vessels and nerves.   
• A liver stimulant – Liver weakness is associated with headaches.
• Other values: Anti-inflammatory; uterine stimulant; digestive stimulant; brings on menstruation; expels worms
• *Caution: Don’t use it if you take blood-thinning medication.

Lavender “The Herb of Harmony” (headaches & migraines)

• Calms and steadies your nerves.
• Other values: Analgesic; antibacterial; antiseptic; antispasmodic; carminative; nerve tonic

Milk Thistle/Silymarin “The Herb of Renewal” (headaches)

• Strengthens your liver – Liver deficiency is linked to recurring headaches.
• Helps to suppress the release of histamines
• Other values: antiallergenic; antitoxin; anti-aging

Rosemary “The Gentle Revitalizer” (headaches)

• Relaxes your nervous system
• Other values: Antiseptic; antioxidant; expectorant; decongestant; circulatory tonic; digestive tonic; astringent; carminative; antispasmodic; antidepressant; diuretic

Ginkgo, parsley, peppermint (topical use), and wood betony also work for headaches.

SINUS CONGESTION

Feverfew: See above

Thyme “The Knockout Infection Fighter”

• The most powerful antiseptic (antiviral, antibiotic, antifungal, antimicrobial) herb
• Other values: Antibacterial; antispasmodic; astringent; broncho-dilator; carminative; decongestant; diaphoretic; expectorant; emmenagogue; tonic; expels worms

Bayberry, fenugreek, goldenseal, and plantain (not the banana-like plant) also work.

Relieve Headache with Trigger Point Massage: Summary

The sources of my trigger point information is mainly from The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies, which is based on Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, Volumes 1 and 2 by Drs. Janet Travell and David Simons.  This is like the Bible of Trigger Point Therapy.  Any information you find on trigger point therapy is all based on and adapted from these indispensable books. 

You can refer to: The Trigger Point & Referred Pain Guide, which I also introduced in my post, “Trigger Point Therapy: Part 1.”  This website has reproductions of the images (copyrighted) from the Travell & Simon books, and shows trigger points and their referred pain pattern.    

Here is the summary of the headaches I covered. 

Frontal Headache 

Crown Headache 

Temple Headache 

Back of Head Pain  

Sinus Pain (eye) 

Sinus Pain (cheek) 

Other Symptoms in Head and Neck (will take you to The Trigger Point & Referred Pain Guide) 

I hope you are able to relieve your symptoms yourself.

Relieve Headache with Trigger Point Massage: Sinus Headache (2)

The lateral pterygoid (TEHR-uh-goyd) muscle is known for the source of pain and dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).  In addition, the trigger points in the lateral pterygoid refer pain to the cheek, which resembles sinus pain, as with the masseter.

lateral pterygoid

The muscle is hidden behind the cheekbone and the jaw, so only the portions can be accessed from inside and outside the mouth.  To reach the muscle, you have to stick your index finger inside the mouth farther into the back of your upper molars.  And then, press back as far as you can, and push both inward and upward with short strokes. 

Other trigger points contributing to pain around the eye, over the bridge and side of the nose are found in the orbicularis oculi (or-bic-yu-LAIR-iss AHK-you-lye), levator labii (luh-VAY-ter LAY-bee-aye) and zygomaticus (zi-go-MAT-uh-cus) muscles.

Relieve Headache with Trigger Point Massage: Sinus Headache (1)

If you have sinus pain, and the medicine doesn’t help, you may have trigger points in the masseter (MASS-uh-ter) muscles in the jaw.  The trigger points cause pain in the front of the face, under the eyes, and over the eyebrows, and even sinus drainage. They also cause pain in both upper and lower teeth, and deep in the ear.

masseter

The trigger points can be found at anywhere in the masseter, from the cheekbone to the bottom edge of the jaw, other than the ones indicated in the image.  The most effective way to massage is from the inside your mouth.  Put your thumb inside the mouth and knead the muscle between thumb and fingers.  If you have trigger points, massaging the masseter can be extremely painful, but don’t give up there.  Massage them as firmly as you can bear.  Continue to massage every day until you don’t feel pain any more. 

As you might guess by now, check the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) for trigger points.

Relieve Headache with Trigger Point Massage: Back of Head

If you have pain in the back of your head, first, check upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) for trigger points.

trapezius

sternocleidomastoid

And, check semispinalis capitis.  However, the location of the trigger point is different.  It’s lower (indicated in the blue circle) than those for the temple headache.

semispinalis capitis (the lower trigger point)

I recommend you also see if the splenius cervicis and the suboccipitals have any trigger points.

splenius cervicis

suboccipitals

Relieve Headache with Trigger Point Massage: Temple Headache (2) / Migraine

The trigger points in the next three muscles cause a temple headache, which may be a typical experience of a migraine headache. 

1) splenius cervicis (SPLEE-nee-us SUR-vuh-sis)

splenius cervicis

It is different from the splenius capitis mentioned in the crown headache.  The splenius cervicis doesn’t attach to the skull, but connect the vertebrae of the upper back to those of the neck.  The trigger point in the upper muscles indicated in the blue circles causes the pain coming from the base of the skull, through the head to the back of the eye.  It feels like throbbing pain inside the skull.

Relieve Headache with Trigger Point Massage: Temple Headache (1)

A temple headache is a common tension headache.  The primary cause is the trigger point in the upper trapezius (truh-PEE-zee-us).  The trapezius is a broad, flat muscle in your upper back.

trapezius

The uppermost part of the trapezius helps support your head and neck.  If your posture is head-forward or round-shouldered, the muscles try to counteract the pull on the shoulders, which causes trigger points. 

The trigger point is located where your neck meets the shoulder as indicated with the blue circle in the image above.  Pinch the most superficial fiber of the muscle under the skin.  You may feel a few rolls of the fiber like wires.  Squeeze it firmly until you feel pain in the temple.  This trigger point is also the cause of the pain down the side of the neck behind the ear, and dizziness, and the indirect cause of jaw pain and toothache.

Relieve Headache with Trigger Point Massage: Crown Headache

If you have pain in the top of your head, go for the back of the neck; the muscle called splenius capitis (SPLEE-nee-us CAP-uh-tiss). This muscle extends your neck and head, rotates and flexes your head and neck to the side.  It is a very common cause of headache. 

splenius capitis

You can massage firmly along this muscle especially on the trigger point, the blue circle I indicated in the image above.  The image is not to scale, and the location of the trigger point is approximate (applied to any other images).  If you find any points which send referral pain and intensify the pain you have, those are the trigger points, and they are to be treated.  It might not make sense to seemingly make the pain worse, but after a while, the pain subsides and the headache will be gone!  Trust me.  

And, don’t forget to massage the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) as it is also the cause of the pain in the top of your head.     

Relieve Headache with Trigger Point Massage: Frontal Headache

Many people suffer from headaches, including me.  There are different kinds of headaches: a tension headache, a migraine headache, a sinus headache and etc.  A tension headache is the most common type of headache, and it affects more women and middle-aged.  It’s not life-threatening, but a headache is such a nuisance and can be debilitating.    

Although I rarely take over-the-counter medications, I found interesting articles that the overuse of OTC pain medication is indeed a cause of headache!  It’s called “medication overuse headache (MOH)” previously known as rebound headache.  If you have a habit of popping pills for a headache, you might want to reconsider.  I first massage trigger points for a headache before taking ibuprofen as a last resort.  Many of my headaches happen after I spend long hours with a computer or something visually straining.  In this case, trigger point massage really works.   

If you have a frontal headache, first try this neck muscle called sternocleidomastoid (STUR-no-KLY-do-MAS-toid) (SCM).  This is the most important muscle to treat when you have problems anywhere in the head and face.