Massage for Headaches and Migraines

Headaches and migraines are among the most common health complaints travelers face. Dehydration from long flights, screen fatigue, disrupted sleep, tension from carrying bags, and the sensory overload of navigating a new city all contribute. While medication provides temporary relief, massage therapy addresses the underlying muscular and neurological causes — often eliminating headaches that painkillers can only mask. Here's what the research shows and which massage styles are most effective.

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The Muscle-Headache Connection

The majority of headaches are tension-type headaches — caused not by a problem in the brain but by sustained contraction of muscles in the neck, shoulders, scalp, and jaw. These muscles develop trigger points (tight, tender knots) that refer pain upward into the head, creating the sensation of a headache or migraine.

The key muscle groups involved:

• Suboccipital muscles — Four small muscles at the base of the skull. When tight, they compress the greater occipital nerve and produce pain that wraps from the back of the head to behind the eyes.

• Upper trapezius — The large muscle running from your shoulders to the base of your skull. Chronic tension here (from stress, posture, or carrying bags) is the most common trigger for tension headaches.

• SCM (sternocleidomastoid) — The muscle on each side of your neck. Trigger points in the SCM can produce pain behind the eye, in the forehead, and even dizziness.

• Temporalis and masseter — The jaw muscles. If you clench your jaw (especially during sleep or stress), these muscles generate tension that radiates into the temples and sides of the head.

Massage directly releases these trigger points, interrupting the muscle-nerve-pain pathway that creates the headache.

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Best Massage Styles for Headaches and Migraines

1. Shiatsu — Best Overall for Headaches

Shiatsu massage targets specific acupressure points that have been used for headache treatment for centuries. The GB20 point at the base of the skull, LI4 in the hand, and points along the temple and forehead meridians are directly effective for both tension headaches and migraines. Shiatsu's gentle, sustained pressure is also ideal because headache sufferers often can't tolerate the intensity of deep tissue.

Key advantage: Addresses both the muscular and energy components of headaches. The meridian work can interrupt migraine patterns that purely mechanical approaches miss.

2. Deep Tissue (Neck and Shoulders) — Best for Chronic Tension Headaches

If your headaches consistently originate from the neck and shoulder area, targeted deep tissue work on the neck and shoulders eliminates the trigger points causing them. The therapist works the suboccipital muscles, upper trapezius, and levator scapulae with sustained pressure to release the chronic tension that generates referred pain to the head.

Key advantage: Most effective for eliminating the root cause of recurring tension headaches.

3. Foot Massage with Reflexology — Surprisingly Effective

Foot massage may seem unrelated to headaches, but reflexology maps specific zones on the toes and upper foot to the head, brain, and sinuses. Applying pressure to these zones has been shown to reduce headache frequency and intensity. It also offers the practical advantage of treating headaches without touching the head or neck — which can be too sensitive during an active headache.

Key advantage: Can be done during an active headache when the head and neck are too tender for direct work.

4. Aromatherapy — Best Combined Approach

Aromatherapy massage with peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils provides a dual mechanism: the physical massage releases muscle tension while the essential oils produce direct analgesic (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory effects. Peppermint oil applied to the temples has been shown in clinical studies to be as effective as acetaminophen for tension headaches.

Key advantage: Chemical pain relief from essential oils on top of the physical benefits of massage.

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What Causes Travel Headaches (and How Massage Addresses Each)

Cause	Mechanism	Best Massage Response
Neck/shoulder tension	Trigger points refer pain to head	Deep tissue on neck/shoulders
Jet lag / disrupted sleep	Cortisol imbalance, fatigue	Shiatsu or aromatherapy (lavender)
Dehydration	Reduced blood volume, brain pressure	Any massage + hydration (drink water before/after)
Screen fatigue	Eye strain tightens forehead/temple muscles	Shiatsu (temple + forehead points)
Jaw clenching (stress)	Temporalis/masseter tension	Shiatsu (jaw points) or deep tissue
Sinus pressure	Congestion from A/C, pollution, flying	Reflexology (foot) or aromatherapy (eucalyptus)

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Self-Acupressure Points Between Sessions

Your shiatsu therapist can teach you these points for self-care between professional sessions:

• GB20 (base of skull): Place your thumbs at the base of your skull where the neck muscles attach. Apply firm, sustained pressure for 30-60 seconds. Relieves occipital headaches and neck tension.

• LI4 (between thumb and index finger): Press firmly into the fleshy area between your thumb and index finger with the opposite thumb. Hold for 30 seconds. One of the most effective points for all types of headaches.

• Temples: Place your fingertips on your temples and apply gentle circular pressure. This directly releases the temporalis muscle.

• Third eye point (between eyebrows): Press firmly between your eyebrows with one finger. Relieves frontal headaches and sinus pressure.

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Booking a Headache-Relief Session

MassageGo offers all the massage styles discussed above as in-room treatments across Ho Chi Minh City. When booking, mention that headache relief is your primary goal so the therapist can focus on the relevant areas and techniques. Available in District 1, Thao Dien, District 7, and all other areas of the city.