Headache relief massage

Tension headaches are caused by excessive tension in the muscles around the head due to stress or poor posture. They mainly cause a squeezing pain on both sides of the head, around the forehead and temporomandibular joint, and behind the ears and neck. Pressing on the area can worsen the pain. Tension headaches can last about 10 minutes and then disappear, but they can also persist for more than an hour or two. If they become chronic, the secretion of neurotransmitters that inhibit pain in the brain decreases, leading to more than 15 episodes per month occurring habitually.

Tension headaches can be alleviated by simply massaging the stiffened muscles with your hands. First, knead the neck and shoulders for about 10 minutes. Then, press the hollowed area behind the ears with your fingers for 3 to 5 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, and repeat this for 15 minutes. Afterwards, stretch your head forward and backward, and side to side for 15 seconds each, then use three fingers to stroke from below the neck up to the head for 2 minutes. This can help reduce the headache somewhat.