| The type of massage you use depends on the | | | | following the other, as you did at the beginning. |
| intensity of the headache and what your partner | | | | If there is very little time, or I am treating a very |
| prefers. You can use very gentle feather stroking or | | | | severe migraine, I get the best results by imagining |
| deep firm pressure. It is generally best to start with | | | | that my hands are magnets, drawing out all the |
| slow, superficial stroking and then as the pain | | | | tension and pain. Use the feather touch, and stroke |
| subsides and your partner relaxes and feels confident | | | | the tension away from the head and off the body. |
| of your touch, you can apply firm pressures to key | | | | Many other types of massage can help relieve |
| points. | | | | headaches including back, face, neck and shoulder, |
| Although every headache is different, I find that I | | | | and hand massage. Shiatsu, reflexology, and aroma |
| get the best results by following this general pattern. | | | | therapy may also help. |
| Always use smooth, rhythmic, and compassionate | | | | Self-help for headaches |
| movements. | | | | One of the best ways to relieve your headache is |
| | | | with self-massage. First massage the back of your |
| 1. Stroke up the forehead very gently and slowly, | | | | neck and head, then concentrate on your forehead, |
| then rhythmically stroke the chest and shoulders, and | | | | around your eyes, and on your temples. Very gentle, |
| up the back of the neck. | | | | light stroking on your forehead also helps relieve |
| 2. Apply circular pressures behind the shoulders, up | | | | even the most stubborn headache. |
| the back of the neck on either side of the spine, at | | | | Shiatsu for headaches |
| the base of the skull, and on the scalp. | | | | Shiatsu is often very helpful, particularly for severe |
| 3. Gently stroke the whole face from the center out | | | | headaches. Many of my clients have told me that |
| to the sides. | | | | they can control headache pain by massaging |
| 4. Press the bridge of the nose, then pinch the | | | | acupressure points, particularly those found in the |
| eyebrows, and press on the temples. | | | | hands, wrists, ankles, and feet. One of the best |
| 5. Press in the middle of the cheek, directly under the | | | | shiatsu points to press is known as the "Great |
| cheekbone, and then apply a line of pressures up the | | | | Eliminator." This is situated between the thumb and |
| center of the forehead, from between the | | | | the forefinger; press around the area until you find a |
| eyebrows to the hairline. | | | | point that usually feels quite distinctive. |
| 6. Circle around the eyes, stroking out along the | | | | Do not press the "Great Eliminator" point during |
| eyebrows and gliding back gently under the eyes. | | | | pregnancy; it's not called that for nothing! |
| 7. Stroke rhythmically up the forehead with one hand | | | | |