Our mothers and fathers had it right. Do you remember the
old fashioned beauty salons and barber shops? Daddy went
for a haircut and a shave, and got the hot towel treatment;
flat on his back in the big chair with his eyes closed.
Mother set aside two hours twice a month for a wash, rinse
and the latest gossip, then kicked back under the hair
dryer with a magazine - free of guilt, housework and
children.
Life is stressful. The worries and responsibilities of day
to day living can sometimes overwhelm us, and we forget
that stress can shift from our mind and emotions to our
bodies. Many physical ailments and symptoms can be traced
back to the levels of stress in our lives, and it is
important to remember that time spent relaxing is not time
wasted - it's time invested. Learning to decompress is an
important step on the road to whole body healing.
Migraines are one of the leading stress related health
problems in the world. Tension, sinus problems and a
multitude of everyday things can cause them, but getting
rid of migraines is not so simple. Finding the time to
sleep, de-stress or otherwise relax is almost impossible.
It often takes a conscious effort to make time for taking
care of yourself, but you will find it pays off in many
positive ways. Even if you need to continue taking daily or
incident-targeted migraine drugs, alternative, holistic
methods like the ones outlined below give medications a
better chance of performing at their full potential.
Nowadays many beauty salons offer relaxation therapy along
with the traditional cut and dry. Don't let the expense
throw you; it's comparable to the cost of many prescription
medications for migraine, and could be more valuable in the
long run. Check and see if the salon offers discounts if
you bundle services or sessions together, and try to have a
standing appointment once every two weeks or so. Buying a
series of sessions has the added advantage of encouraging
you to make it to every appointment.
Indian Head Massage, or Champissage is one of the most
popular natural salon treatments for migraine. Reaching
back for thousands of years in India, it originated as a
way to help stimulate hair growth, and was commonly
practiced by all family members upon each other. Through
the years, it has evolved as its beneficial effects for a
wide range of conditions have been documented.
A thorough massage of this type does not even require
disrobing, and can be performed with the recipient sitting
or lying down. You will want to remove glasses and any
jewelry, and possibly loosen your upper garments (consider
wearing a loose, wide necked top to your appointment). A
proper massage will include the face, ears, neck and
shoulders in addition to the scalp. Many people claim that
such a massage received at the earliest warning sign of a
migraine can often prevent it completely. You may come to
appreciate it to the point you will be asking if your
masseuse offers emergency after hour sessions, or house
calls for those unexpected migraine attacks!
If you have had a migraine in the past 24-48 hours you may
wish to postpone this type of massage as the scalp and neck
may be too tender. Other reasons to avoid intensive head
massage include severe eczema of the scalp or spinal
problems.
Another kind of massage is the Japanese based shiatsu, a
form of acupressure which uses finger and pulse points to
relieve stress. It works on migraines by releasing the
tension and faulty blood flow to base of the head and
spinal cord. If used to treat an existing migraine, a dark
room and the laying down position are recommended. Often
the therapist will let you stay in the room for a little
while after the conclusion of the massage, and you can use
this time to relax and absorb the full benefits of the
treatment.
Whether used in conjunction with massage or alone,
essential oils are a popular tool for the prevention or
treatment of migraines. Essential oils should always be
diluted in a carrier oil (try almond, sold in most health
food stores), and can be rubbed into the temples and
shoulders or heated in a 'burner' to release vapors.
Coconut oil is good for scalp massage as it rejuvenates the
hair, while lavender, peppermint and chamomile are favored
for topical application after dilution.
Aromatherapy has gained credence as a migraine treatment
because so many sufferers report an unpleasant smell
immediately preceding a migraine. Many believe that
surrounding yourself with healthy herbal aromas can reverse
the effects of a migraine, and there is no denying that a
pleasant scent does promote relaxation. Favorites again are
lavender, marjoram and rosemary.
A final treatment your beauty salon might offer is Hopi ear
candles. These hollow flax tubes are dipped in honey and
herbal oils such as chamomile, sage and St Johns wort. One
is placed over the ear canal and lit, and the resulting
flow of warm air softens ear wax, debris and irritants and
draws them up out of the ear. This has proven to be
successful in treating types of migraines triggered by
sinus pressure.
Taking personal time for yourself can have far reaching
mental, emotional and physical benefits that can help
reduce the frequency and duration of migraine headaches. If
expensive prescription medications are not proving
effective for migraine control, consider spending your
money and time an a salon rather than the doctor's office.
The cost will be well worth it if it gives you that
personal time away from all your chores and concerns.
----------------------------------------------------
Joy Healey qualified as a nutritionist in 2000, at the
prestigious Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London.
Research by Grace Alexander. For immediate delivery of an
ebook full of further recommendations for natural,
alternatives approaches to treat and prevent migraine visit:
http://www.natural-migraine-alternatives.com
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