Study on Massage Therapy and MigrainesThursday, Feb 7, 2008Many migraine sufferers seek relief through massage therapy. Massage can bring about a quieting of the central nervous system known as the “relaxation response,” relax tight muscles than can trigger migraine, reduce sensations of pain and stress, and possibly improve sleep. Little research has been done into the effects of massage therapy in people with migraines.The most recent study was published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine. Forty-four people with a history of migraine headaches kept daily journals of their symptoms for 13 weeks; the randomly chosen massage group received a 45-minute massage every week from week five to week ten, but the control group did not.Compared with the control group, the massage group experienced better sleep quality and fewer migraines both during the massage therapy phase and in the three weeks after therapy ended. They also reported slightly lower levels of stress and greater coping abilities, but this difference was not statistically significant.“This is the first evidence that massage therapy may reduce migraine frequency beyond the end of treatment,” the authors stated in their conclusion, “and research is now needed to further evaluate the durability of these effects.”“The results of this study reflect the experience of many of my clients who report that massage seems to help reduce the frequency of migraines,” said Briane Pinkson, a licensed practical nurse and massage therapist. “Massage also helps them cope when headaches do occur,” she added.
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