We’ve created clear instructions and a detailed illustrated poster to help you learn how to massage your head and relieve headaches, stress, and fatigue.
The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by the attending physician. For a diagnosis and appropriate treatment, please consult your attending physician.
Table of contents:
The benefits and harms of different types of head massage
Rules for performing massage
Head massage technique
Almost everyone is familiar with headaches. Everyone has their own favorite ways to get rid of them: taking painkillers, drinking coffee, or taking a ten-minute nap. And if you know how to massage your head, you’ll cope with the discomfort caused by stress, lack of sleep, or fatigue better than painkillers and caffeine.
The benefits and harms of different types of head massage
There are two main types of head massage: therapeutic and cosmetic. The former is used to relieve headaches, migraines, tension, and fatigue. The latter is used to address hair and scalp issues.
How does this work:
- During a massage, blood circulation increases, and blood vessels become more active. The brain is saturated with oxygen, tension is relieved, and attention levels are increased.
- the neck muscles relax and headaches caused by their tension go away;
- hair follicles receive more nutrients, hair begins to grow faster and thicker;
- the scalp becomes toned and subcutaneous fat secretion is normalized.
However, in some cases, massage should not be performed. The main contraindications are:
- oncological diseases;
- cardiovascular diseases, including a tendency to thrombosis;
- high temperature;
- hypertension;
- fresh wounds and inflammation on the scalp;
- profuse hair loss.
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Rules for performing massage
They are determined solely by convenience and hygiene:
- wait one to two hours after your last meal;
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap to avoid introducing infections into the open pores of your scalp;
- The massage can be done either before or during washing your hair.
Naturally, your hair should be combed so nothing interferes with your movements. Don’t forget to ensure comfort during the massage: you can sit with your back supported or lie on your stomach. Try to eliminate distractions: playing quiet music is fine, but watching a TV show with sound will interfere with the massage, especially if you’re performing it yourself.
Head massage technique
- Perform head strokes with a straight palm, moving from the right ear to the left, gradually moving toward the shoulders. When one hand completes the movement, the other repeats it in the opposite direction.
- Place your fingertips on the center of your forehead and, applying light pressure, move them toward your temples.
- Rub the temple area with circular movements of your fingers.
- Using the pads of your middle fingers, draw a line from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner, then back.
- Using zigzag movements, rub your forehead along the hairline, above the eyebrows and along the middle line of the forehead from the bridge of the nose upwards.
- Press with your fingertips on the following points: the superciliary arches, the depressions at the outer end of the eyebrows, behind the ears, the mammillary processes (the corners of the skull bones behind the ears opposite the edges of the lower jaw), and the occipital protuberance.
- Rub the top point on the crown of your head.
- Using straight palms, rub the middle of your head, moving from the forehead to the back of the head.
- Mentally divide your head into quarters for convenience, and rub each area using straight, spiral, and zigzag movements, resting your fingers on your head at an acute angle.
- Gently pull the hair along the partings and side edges of growth.
- Finally, repeat the head and shoulder stroking.
After a scalp massage, you can move on to a facial massage. This will help relax constantly tense facial muscles, relieve tension, and alleviate headaches.
- Using your thumbs, rub your forehead, moving from the middle to the edges of your hair.
- Draw a line along the eyebrows from the bridge of the nose to the hairline.
- Gently stroke from the inner corners of the eyes to the outer corners and continue towards the hairline.
- Using your thumbs, run a few times from the bridge of your nose to the tip of your nose, then gently squeeze it with your thumb and index finger.
- Use rubbing motions on your cheeks, moving from the inner corner of your eye across your cheekbones to just above your ears. Repeat the motions moving down—under your cheekbone, above your upper lip, and under your lower lip.
- Using your thumb and index finger, squeeze the tip of your chin and repeat this movement along your entire jaw.
- Gently squeeze the tip of your chin and, without releasing it, move your fingers to the edges of your lower jaw up to your ears.
- Having felt the chewing muscles (this is easy to do if you place your fingers on your cheeks and clench your teeth), rub them using circular movements.
- Place your palms on your cheeks, pointing your fingers towards your ears, and move them from your nose to the sides.
A classic medical massage is short, about 5-6 minutes. Pay particular attention to the neck and temples. You should also massage the points above the eyebrows, in the middle of the cheekbones, and on the bridge of the nose. Repeat each movement several times, alternating finger movements: stroking, rubbing, pressing, and vibration. Hands should be clean, and the scalp massage should be performed without any special lubricants. It should be performed with clean hands and without the use of any special products.
The frequency of massage is determined by the attending physician, but it is usually done 2-3 times a week.
Bibliography
- Therapeutic massage: textbook / V.I. Dubrovsky, A.V. Dubrovskaya. – 4th ed., revised and enlarged. – M .: MEDpress-inform, 2009. – 384 p.
- Epifanov V. A. Restorative Medicine. Handbook — M.: GEOTAR-Media, 2007.
- Makarova I. N., Filina V. V. Therapeutic classical massage. – M.: Triada-X, 2003.
- Head and ear massage – the path to health and longevity / [compiled by S. O. Ermakova]. – M.: RIPOL classic, 2010. – 64 p.
- Bossy J. Bases Morphologiques et Sonctiennelles de lanalgesis acupuncturale. — Giorn. Acad. Med. Torino, 1973, vol. 136, R. 3–23.
- Zykina O. V. Health massage of the head, chest, abdomen, legs, lumbosacral region, arms, back, neck. – 2004. link
