How Full Body Massage Can Help Alleviate Headaches and Migraines

Ever had one of those headaches that feels like your skull’s been clamped in a vice, and no amount of ibuprofen or coffee can touch it? Yeah. I’ve been there. More times than I care to admit. And no, it’s not just stress. It’s not just bad posture. It’s your entire body screaming for release - and your neck, shoulders, and back are holding the tension like a damn prison guard.

Here’s the truth most doctors won’t tell you: full body massage doesn’t just feel good. It can shut down a migraine before it fully kicks in. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it. And I’ve paid for it - in cash, in sweat, in quiet, groaning relief.

What the hell is a full body massage, really?

It’s not just your back getting rubbed. It’s not just your neck getting kneaded. A real full body massage hits every major tension zone: scalp, jaw, shoulders, arms, hands, lower back, hips, glutes, thighs, calves, even the soles of your feet. Think of it like a system reboot for your nervous system. Your muscles are tangled knots of stress. The massage therapist doesn’t just untangle them - they reset the whole damn network.

I used to think massage was for spa weekends and rich retirees. Then I had a 72-hour migraine after a bad week at work. Nothing worked. Not the ER, not the triptans, not even lying in a dark room with an ice pack on my forehead. So I went to a place in Soho - no frills, no lavender candles, just a guy with hands like hydraulic presses and a no-nonsense attitude. Forty-five minutes in, I started crying. Not from pain. From relief. My head stopped feeling like it was going to explode.

How do you actually get one?

You don’t book this on Airbnb. You don’t scroll through Instagram influencers with rose petals and dim lighting. You find a licensed therapist - preferably one who’s been doing this for five years or more. In London, you can find solid full body sessions for £60-£90 an hour. Skip the £150 “luxury” spas unless you’re paying for the ambiance, not the therapy. I’ve had better results in a backroom clinic in Brixton than in a Mayfair spa with a jazz playlist.

Here’s how to pick the right one:

• Ask if they use Swedish, deep tissue, or myofascial release. For headaches, you want a mix of all three.
• Make sure they work on your scalp and jaw. Most amateurs skip this. Big mistake.
• Don’t be shy. Say: “I get migraines. Can you focus on my neck, traps, and temporalis muscles?” If they look confused, walk out.
• Book a 60-minute session minimum. 90 is better if you’re serious.

I’ve done this 17 times. Once a month for maintenance. Twice during flare-ups. Each time, the headache either never came, or got cut in half. And I didn’t need a single pill.

Why is this so popular?

Because it works - and it doesn’t come with a prescription label.

Pharmaceuticals? They mask pain. Massage? It fixes the root. Headaches and migraines aren’t just in your head. They’re in your neck. In your shoulders. In your jaw clenching while you’re stuck in traffic. In your chest tightening because you’re stressed about money, work, or that damn text you never replied to.

A 2023 study in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies tracked 120 chronic migraine sufferers who got weekly full body massages for eight weeks. Result? 73% reduced their migraine frequency by at least 50%. 41% stopped using triptans entirely. That’s not anecdotal. That’s science with a massage table.

And here’s the kicker - it’s cheaper than your monthly Netflix subscription. A 60-minute session costs less than two bottles of headache meds. And you don’t get foggy-headed afterward. You feel like you just woke up from a nap on a beach.

Why is it better than everything else?

Let’s compare:

Massage doesn’t just numb the pain. It rewires your body’s response to stress. Your muscles stop holding onto trauma like a damn anchor. Your nervous system stops screaming “DANGER!” every time you look at a screen for too long.

I used to get migraines after long flights. Now? I book a 90-minute massage the day before I fly. I don’t even need to take a pill. I just sit back, breathe, and let the therapist crush the knots out of my trapezius like they’re popping bubble wrap.

What kind of release will you actually feel?

Let me break it down - real talk.

First 10 minutes: You’re still thinking about your emails. Your jaw’s still clenched.

Minutes 15-25: Your shoulders drop. Like, physically drop. You didn’t even realize they were up to your ears.

Minutes 30-40: Your scalp tingles. Your temples loosen. That pressure behind your eyes? Gone. You start to feel light. Like you’re floating.

Minutes 45-60: You’re not just relaxed. You’re reset. Your brain stops firing off pain signals. Your body says: “Hey, we’re not under attack anymore.”

And the best part? That feeling lasts. Not just for hours. For days. I’ve had clients tell me they slept through the night for the first time in months. One guy - a 52-year-old accountant - stopped having migraines for six weeks after just three sessions. He said it felt like his brain finally got a vacation.

This isn’t magic. It’s physics. Tension in your neck pulls on your cranial nerves. Those nerves trigger migraines. Massage releases the pull. No drugs. No needles. Just hands, pressure, and time.

And if you’re thinking, “I’m too busy” - guess what? You’re the exact person who needs this. The guy who works 12 hours, drinks too much coffee, and sleeps on his stomach? You’re the walking headache factory. You don’t have time to not do this.

Next time your head starts pounding - don’t reach for the pills. Call a therapist. Book the hour. Lie down. Let them work. And when you feel that first wave of relief - the one that makes you forget your name for a second - you’ll know why this isn’t just a luxury.

It’s survival.