Can migraines be massaged?

Written by Feng Ying Shuai
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Updated on February 13, 2025
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For some primary migraines clinically, we can alleviate clinical symptoms, reduce the intensity of pain, and decrease the frequency of pain through massage, which has certain clinical effects. How do we perform the massage? Generally, we select some massage areas according to the patient's clinical symptoms and characteristics, and also choose some acupoints based on differentiation. For example, for forehead pain, we usually start by selecting local acupoints, including Jingming, Sizhukong, Yangbai, and Touwei acupoints, then massage Baihui and Tongtian acupoints. For distant points, we choose to massage acupoints such as Houxi and others to alleviate the clinical symptoms of migraines.

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Can I wash my hair if I have a migraine?

Patients with migraines should avoid washing their hair during an attack. Water that is too hot or too cold can stimulate the dilation or spasm of cerebral blood vessels, potentially worsening migraine symptoms. Therefore, it is advised not to wash hair during a migraine attack, though it is fine during remission periods. During a migraine attack, symptomatic oral pain relievers and medications to alleviate vascular spasms can be used for treatment. It is important to prevent migraines by avoiding staying up late and overexertion. Additionally, certain foods known to trigger migraines should be avoided, including foods containing nitrites such as leftovers, pickled vegetables, and other preserved foods which may contain nitrites. Foods like red wine and cheese can also trigger migraines and should be consumed with caution. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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How to relieve a migraine?

When a migraine occurs, one can temporarily take some painkillers for symptomatic treatment, which can quickly alleviate the pain. The prerequisite is to ensure that it is indeed a migraine. Typically, before a migraine starts, there are some precursor symptoms related to vision where one might experience blurred vision, distorted vision, or see wave-like patterns in front of their eyes. The headache symptoms often follow these visual symptoms after a short duration. Migraines can recur, and even without treatment, some may completely resolve within a few hours, which is typical of migraines. The occurrence of a migraine generally does not have a major impact on one's health, so one can take painkillers for symptomatic treatment. Additionally, it is advisable to avoid staying up late and overworking. Foods such as pickled products, cheese, and red wine should also be avoided as much as possible, as they can trigger migraine attacks.

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Can migraine be treated with moxibustion?

Moxibustion can be used for patients experiencing migraines, as it is a type of physical therapy within traditional Chinese medicine that effectively helps regulate the body and alleviate symptoms. Initially, moxibustion can be applied to acupoints such as Sanyinjiao, Quchi, and Fenglong, which can effectively help relieve migraines. Alternatively, massaging the head with palms also has a soothing effect. If the pain is severe, taking pain relief medication promptly can also improve and regulate the condition. It is crucial to maintain adequate sleep, avoid excessive fatigue, and particularly avoid staying up late.

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Migraine vertigo symptoms

There is a special type of migraine called vestibular migraine, where the main symptoms during an attack are significant dizziness, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and unsteady walking. A headache may or may not occur. This type of migraine-induced dizziness is relatively common in clinical practice, and patients generally experience severe dizziness, along with pale complexion and cold sweats among other clinical symptoms. The treatment for the dizziness caused by this type of migraine primarily follows the treatment protocols for migraine attacks, and may include taking certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications. Additionally, administering calcium channel blockers and antiemetic medications can also achieve very good results. Furthermore, some sedative medications can also be used and can improve the patient's symptoms.

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How to relieve migraines?

Patients with migraines can take oral painkillers to alleviate the pain during an attack. If the patient also experiences nausea, they can take medication to protect the stomach lining and treat nausea and vomiting to relieve symptoms, since migraines do not pose a major threat to one's health. However, it is essential to confirm that the headache is indeed a migraine and not caused by conditions such as cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Typically, before a migraine attack, there are characteristic prodromal symptoms such as blurred vision or the appearance of wave-like patterns. These symptoms are followed shortly by unilateral or bilateral headaches, which can resolve completely within a few hours even without treatment. These symptoms tend to recur, which are indicative of typical migraines. During an episode, oral painkillers can be taken for relief. To prevent migraines, it is advisable to avoid staying up late, consuming pickled foods, cheese, and red wine as these can trigger migraines. It is recommended to avoid these foods as much as possible. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)