Follow Along Self Massage for Migraines and Headaches

Summary

In this video, Spencer from H Massage demonstrates a self-massage technique to alleviate migraines and headaches. He addresses the common stress-induced headaches during the holiday season and pandemic, guiding viewers through a routine targeting key muscle areas. The video covers massaging the forehead, eyebrows, temples, jaw, and neck muscles with detailed instructions and variations for personal comfort. Spencer emphasizes the importance of sustained pressure and proper technique to release tension and improve blood flow, concluding with a scalp massage for a holistic approach to headache relief.

Takeaways

• 🤲 The video offers a self-massage routine to alleviate headaches and migraines.
• 👐 It's suggested to use massage lotion for a smoother massage experience.
• 👁 Starting with the area where the eyes meet the nose can help with headache relief.
• 🕒 Applying sustained pressure to certain areas can help loosen muscles and reduce pain.
• 🔁 The video demonstrates techniques for massaging the temporalis muscles and jaw area.
• 👂 Massaging the back and underside of the jaw can help with neck tension and ear clearance.
• 💆‍♂️ The neck and shoulders are also targeted, including the suboccipital ridge and SCM muscles.
• 🔁 Circular motions and sustained pressure are used to warm up tissues and increase blood flow.
• 🧠 The video emphasizes the importance of addressing muscle tension as a common cause of headaches.
• 🔚 Ending the massage with a scalp massage can further help in reducing headache symptoms.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to demonstrate a self-massage routine for the neck and head to help alleviate migraines and headaches, particularly those caused by neck tension and stress.

Why is it important to use lotion during the massage?

Lotion is used to make the hands soft and to apply to the forehead, jaws, and neck muscles to facilitate smooth and comfortable massage movements without causing friction or irritation to the skin.

What is the first area the video suggests massaging for headache relief?

The first area to massage is where the eyes meet the nose, specifically the ridge of the eyebrow, which is a common trigger point for headaches.

What technique is used to massage the area around the eyes?

The technique involves applying sustained pressure with the thumbs right at the ridge of the eye, holding until the muscles loosen or the pain subsides, and then dragging the thumbs outward above the eye.

How does the video suggest massaging the temporalis muscle?

The video suggests using fingertips to apply circular pressure to the temporalis muscle, which is located at the temples. It also mentions that one might feel a 'pop' if the area is tight.

What is the significance of massaging the jaw area?

Massaging the jaw area helps to reduce tension in the muscles there, which can contribute to headaches. It also aids in clearing the ears and potentially alleviating stuffiness from colds or allergies.

Why is it recommended to be gentle when massaging the back and underside of the jaw?

It is recommended to be gentle in this area because it contains lymph nodes, and applying too much pressure could cause discomfort or harm.

What is the suboccipital ridge and why is it important in the massage routine?

The suboccipital ridge is where the occiput meets the neck. Massaging this area is important as it helps to relieve tension headaches and can also mobilize the neck.

How can one find the SCM muscle for massage?

The SCM muscle can be found by locating where it bulges out to the sides of the throat. It is recommended to press inwards while looking up to effectively massage this muscle.

What is the final step of the massage routine as suggested in the video?

The final step of the massage routine is to massage the scalp using fingertips, which can be done by moving quickly, slowly, or even holding stationary to press into the skin and fascia.

How often should one perform this massage routine for headache relief?

The video suggests that the massage routine can be performed daily if one is experiencing significant pain, or specific parts of it can be chosen based on what provides relief from headaches or migraines.

Outlines

00:00

🤲 Self-Massage for Headaches and Migraines

Spencer introduces a self-massage routine aimed at alleviating headaches and migraines, particularly those caused by neck tension and stress. He suggests using lotion to facilitate the massage and starts by targeting the area where the eyes meet the nose, applying sustained pressure to release tension. The routine progresses to the temporalis muscles, using fingertips to perform circular motions, and then to the jaw area, where light strokes are recommended to avoid harming lymph nodes. The massage is intended to warm up tissues, increase blood flow, and reduce headache-causing tension.

05:02

👐 Advanced Techniques for Jaw and Neck Relief

The video continues with Spencer demonstrating advanced self-massage techniques for the jaw and neck. He advises using broad fingers to lightly stroke the back and underside of the jaw, which can help with neck tension and ear clarity. Spencer also covers the suboccipital ridge and the front of the neck, using fingertips to work on the muscles and providing a method to rotate the neck for further relief. He emphasizes the importance of listening to the body's signals and spending extra time on areas that need more attention, as he personally did with his temporalis muscle to alleviate a severe headache.

10:02

💆‍♂️ Finishing Touches: Scalp and Neck Stretches

To conclude the massage routine, Spencer focuses on the scalp, using fingertips to apply pressure and move the skin and fascia, which can help mobilize the neck. He suggests varying the pressure and speed, and even holding the pressure stationary for a bit. The video wraps up with some light stretches and neck circles to further relax the muscles. Spencer encourages viewers to perform the routine daily if needed and to subscribe for more content, highlighting the effectiveness of muscle-focused remedies for tension headaches and migraines.

Keywords

💡Self-massage

Self-massage refers to the practice of massaging one's own body to relieve tension, stress, or pain. In the video, the host demonstrates various self-massage techniques to alleviate headaches and migraines, emphasizing the importance of self-care and the accessibility of these techniques without needing a professional masseuse.

💡Migraines

Migraines are severe, often debilitating headaches that can cause intense throbbing or pulsing pain, usually on one side of the head. The video addresses the issue of migraines, suggesting that the self-massage techniques shown can help reduce the pain and discomfort associated with them.

💡Headaches

Headaches are a common ailment characterized by mild to severe pain in the head. The video script mentions headaches as a frequent problem, especially during times of stress, like the holiday season, and offers self-massage as a potential remedy.

💡Stress

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. The script acknowledges the role of stress in exacerbating headaches and migraines, particularly during the pandemic, and positions self-massage as a stress-relief method.

💡Neck tension

Neck tension refers to the tightness or stiffness in the muscles of the neck, often caused by poor posture or stress. The video discusses how neck tension can lead to headaches and how specific self-massage techniques can help to alleviate this tension.

💡Trigger points

Trigger points are specific spots in muscles that are hypersensitive to touch and can refer pain to other parts of the body. The video script instructs viewers to apply pressure to certain trigger points, such as those near the eyes and temples, to help relieve headache pain.

💡Massage lotion

Massage lotion is a lubricant used during massages to reduce friction and enhance the glide of the hands over the skin. The host mentions using an unscented massage lotion to facilitate the self-massage routine and to moisturize the skin.

💡Temporals

The temporals refer to the temporalis muscles, which are located on the sides of the head and are involved in closing the jaw. The video script describes massaging the temporal area to help relieve tension that can contribute to headaches.

💡Jaw muscles

Jaw muscles, including the masseter and temporalis, can become tense and contribute to headaches. The video provides instructions for massaging the jaw muscles to help reduce this tension.

💡Suboccipital ridge

The suboccipital ridge is the area where the base of the skull meets the neck. The video script includes a technique for massaging this area to help relieve neck tension and headaches.

💡Scalp massage

Scalp massage involves applying pressure and manipulating the skin and muscles of the scalp. The video concludes with a scalp massage technique, suggesting it as a way to further relax the muscles and relieve headache pain.

Highlights

Spencer introduces a self-massage routine for neck and head to alleviate migraines and headaches.

The massage targets muscles causing tension headaches or migraines.

Using lotion is recommended for a smoother massage experience.

The first area to massage is where the eyes meet the nose, a common trigger point for headaches.

Sustained pressure on the eyebrow ridge can help with headache relief.

Temporalis muscles are targeted next, using fingertips for circular motions.

Applying pressure to the temples can help with tightness and may cause a 'pop' sensation.

Jaw muscles are massaged with circles, starting from the outside and working inward.

The back and underside of the jaw are massaged to help with neck tension and ear clarity.

Lymphatic strokes are used to clear the ears and help with phlegm or stuffiness.

The suboccipital ridge is massaged to address neck and occipital tension.

The neck's front and side muscles are targeted, including the scalenes and sternocleidomastoid (SCM).

Pressing in while looking up can help with SCM muscle tension.

Scalp massage is a great way to end the routine, using fingertips to mobilize the neck.

The video suggests that daily sessions may be beneficial for those suffering from chronic headaches.

The video concludes with a reminder that most headaches are muscle-related and can be addressed with proper massage techniques.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Applause]

what's going on guys spencer here with h

massage back with another video today

i'm gonna show you guys a quick and nice

self neck and head massage specifically

to help get rid of migraines or

headaches i've been getting some

headaches lately just due to neck

tension but also the stress throughout

the holidays there's a pandemic going on

stress is really common especially this

time of year

and if you have a headache or you've

been dealing with migraines i don't have

to tell you how annoying or frustrating

it is and literally it's impossible to

do anything throughout your day

if your head is hurting so follow along

with this massage routine we're going to

target some of the muscles that are

causing these tension headaches or

migraines to hopefully alleviate that

pain and let you get back with whatever

you want to do let's get into it so it's

going to help to have a little bit of

lotion in your hand for anybody that

asks i use a biotone unscented massage

lotion

but just something to not only make your

hands soft but also apply to your

forehead we're gonna go to the jaws and

the neck muscles so

the first area that we're gonna start

off with is an area that i recommend

everybody do some self-massage here and

you will be amazed at how much it can

hurt and how responsible it is for

causing headaches

and that is taking your thumbs

and lightly

pressing right where your eyes meet your

nose

so we're gonna work this ridge

[Music]

and we're just applying a nice broad

upward pressure

so work right in this ridge really get

underneath

the ridge of the eyebrow

and then press up

and don't just pull away

stay here for a while

really give it that sustained pressure

and then as you either

feel the muscles loosen up and soften

or the pain starts to go away

then we can drag

the thumbs outward

all above the eye right below the

eyebrow

and out we're gonna do that two more

times so once again thumb pressure

right at the ridge of the eye

and then

holding that until it softens

and then out

and one more time

and this really is

a great trigger point to hold for

headaches

with our third one we're going to

transition out to our temporalis and we

switch to our fingertips

and just do temporal circles there

if your temples are really tight you

might feel a pop right here

that is a good area to really work over

[Music]

and once again we're not going quick we

want to apply

broad circular pressure

and maybe we even switch we can go from

circles to just sustaining a hold

[Music]

maybe we want to come in with our palms

and do some palm circles

feel free to mix it up do what feels

good do what feels easier for you

this is all going to help warm up the

tissues mobilize reduce tension

increase blood flow

and get rid of headaches

from there we're gonna start to come

into the jaws

so not the shark movie

but our

cheeks i know

i'm hilarious

anyway

start with circles on the jaws you

generally want to start

laterally or on the outside and then

kind of work in

you can either do the same fingertip

circles

you can switch to a few fingers to get

more of a specific stroke

and from there you can apply a little

bit more pressure as well

or once again if you want to do palms

you can do palms

i think fingertips work better here but

from there we're gonna work the back

side and the underside of the jaw

now this helps to use two broad fingers

so don't use the points

and then we're going to go light because

you have lymph nodes back here and you

don't want to hurt the lymph nodes this

is just a light stroke starting from

behind the ear

down behind the jaw

and then under the jaw

not only is this going to help neck

tension but this will also clear your

ear way so it'll help you hear a bit

better

and this can help get rid of phlegm

or stuffiness maybe from a cold or

allergies

that's because this is a lymphatic

stroke

[Music]

and you have two sides so you want to do

both

[Music]

i just had to clear my ears there

because you'll feel it kind of

mess with your ears a bit

and that's because we're pulling

some of that lymph

away

from your ears

and the other side

and remember this is still a pretty

light stroke

doesn't have to be deep here

now if any of those were feeling really

good you can always go back and do more

maybe you want to do more

of the eye attachment maybe you want to

work the temporals more that was helping

you

maybe you want to do some more jaw work

any of those if you find that that is

influencing your headache

spend some more time there

otherwise we're going to start working

away from the face and back to the neck

so first things first

we're going to work the suboccipital

ridge that's right where your occiput

meets your neck

and we're just going to pull away

and then we're going to take our

fingertips and just work up and down

here

you can also take fingertips and lean

back

and rotate your neck

[Music]

do that as many times as needed before

we finally get into the side and the

front of the neck here we're going to

take our fingertips

and just work down and up

onto your traps

right back here

onto the scalenes those are a little

more anterior or front

and all the way to our very front neck

muscle the scm which is right here

just take your hand take your palm

and do some nice broad circles

feel free to go slow

really give it a nice hold

maybe even give it a squeeze find the

traps and just squeeze

and do it to the other side as well

[Music]

and come back and squeeze

maybe do a couple shoulder rolls after

that

and this one is going to be

completely focused on the scms here and

so it's going to be a little weird but

you can see the scm attachments

right there

you want to start with your fingertips

find where it bulges out that's your scm

we're not pressing on the throat just to

the sides of it

and then you use those and you press in

so pressing in

while looking up so i'm gonna press in

look up

press in

and look up

press in

look up

and right at the collar bones

press in

look up

maybe even a bit of rotation

[Music]

feel free to come back and do whatever

your body's asking you to do maybe you

feel a twinge or something

around this part of your neck you can

come back in and do some more work

nothing stopping you from spending a lot

of time in one area

in fact one of the worst headaches i had

i ended up spending probably 30 minutes

just working

my temporalis here

and that was due to an extremely tight

adhesion of muscle that i found

some people might call it overworking

but it wasn't i worked within the

parameters of my body and eventually it

let go it released and i quit getting

those headaches

and so when you do have a headache

ninety percent of headaches or tension

headaches or migraines

and you want it to be

muscle related

because fixing your muscles is easy

compared to some other alternatives so

finally a great way to end any head

massage is with the scalp

use those fingertips

go fast

go slow

maybe even hold it stationary for a

while

really press in and move

that skin and that fascia

you know always help to mobilize the

neck so either

give it some light stretches to the side

and maybe some neck circles

and that's it guys

feel free to either do that session it

can help to do it every day if you're

really hurting

or pick parts of it that will help you

especially if you found that they

activated or reduced your headache or

migraine at all

thank you so much for watching i hope

this fun follow along video helped you

out give it a thumbs up if it did and

subscribe to the channel for more

content i will see you guys on the next

video i hope you have a great rest of

your day

[Music]