Headaches and Head and Neck Specifics
Headaches and Head and Neck Specifics
The Chronic Tension Headache: just the word “tension” describes what massage therapists are best equipped to affect and change, muscle tension producing pain. Rather than treat the pain with a pill, most clients would prefer to eliminate the pain without medication, then learn how to avoid the pain the next time!
Because headaches affect over 15% of the population, massage therapists must learn to address the specific muscles involved in tension headaches and learn to elicit change within not only in the muscles themselves, but also in the repetitious behavior that creates the pain in the first place. In that way, we as massage therapists can have a lasting effect on our clients.
Using case studies, we will learn to identify the causes of tension headaches, the mechanisms of repetitive muscle movement that creates pain, how to address the head and neck muscles effectively, and how to educate the client to create lasting results.
Because the muscles of the head and neck are small and delicate, we must develop and hone our tactile skills. A common question asked during class is, “What should this feel like when I’m working on it?” Using an innovative variety of mediums, we will heighten our sense of touch prior to actually working on each other, learning to “listen to the muscles,” recognizing problems, then eliciting change. Using this knowledge, we will then use these skills in hand-on class time.