Head, Neck & Shoulder Massage

the causes of headaches and tension in the scalp are due to tightness of the muscle that surrounds the skull. tension, or muscular headaches occur when you strain the muscles of your head and neck, often without even realizing you have done it. migraines consist of throbbing in your head, especially on one side behind your eyes. they occur when the blood vessels in the scalp expand, and they may be triggered by certain factors like stress or being in the bright sunlight.

the face contains a huge number of nerve receptors and, therefore a face massage can have profound effects all through the body. it can change your mood, enhance relaxation and control pain. massage done on the face can leave people looking and feeling years younger.

ways to relieve - face and scalp irritation

aromaland's aromatherapy bath and body blue collection is a great way to get a head or scalp massage. the soothing aromatherapy scents found in these unique bath and body products are not only good for your scalp, but help relieve tension and stress. the face contains a huge number of nerve receptors and, therefore, a face massage can have profound effects all through the body. it will change your mood, enhance relaxation, and control pain. the scalp can store a surprising amount of tension, and will cause the skin to feel taut and difficult to move if it is not relaxed. stroke your whole face with soft, molding hands. then, with the fingers of both hands, stroke slowly and firmly from the center of your forehead out to your temples. stroke under your cheekbones, from your nose to your ears; this can help if you suffer from sinus congestion. then stroke from your mouth out toward the edges of your jaw. next, use the pads of your fingers to tap lightly under your eyes and over your eyelids. the sensation should resemble lightly falling rain. this movement helps disperse congestion in the area and reduce puffiness around the eyes that can be caused by tiredness.

to release tension in the scalp, place your palms on your temples, and slowly circle your palms ten times in one direction and ten times in the other. then make circular palm pressure all over your scalp. another way is to clasp some strands of hair at the root, twist them around your fingers, and gently pull. imagine you are pulling out tension. hold the hair for a few seconds longer and then release it. repeat the sequence using hair from all over the scalp. you can use both hands or one hand after the other. the tingler is a very effective massage tool for stimulating the nerve endings in the scalp. all your tension and stress seem to melt away as your head is tingled by the gentle copper fingers. you'll feel the pleasure shoot down your spine and throughout your entire body.

the squiggler massage tool is a motorized tingler on steroids! see more massage tools or learn how to give head, neck and shoulder massages with atpeace media's instructional dvd.

causes - neck and shoulder pain

bad posture; sitting cramped over a desk; hunched over a steering wheel; certain sports, such as golf; and illnesses such as asthma, can all cause strain and tension to the neck and shoulders.

the chest muscles shorten and contract, causing the muscles in the upper back to become overstretched. this results in rounded shoulders and tight, inflexible muscles in the neck and upper back. stretching and relaxing the chest muscles, along with kneading the shoulders can help in reducing pain in the neck and shoulders.

ways to relieve - neck pain

to relieve neck pain caused by slumping posture, you should first lengthen out the front of the neck. the easiest way to do this is to lay on the floor, and place a rolled up towel right under the top of your back (between l1 and l2). the towel should be thick enough, so that it allows the front of your neck to fully lengthen out. lay in that position for five to ten minutes. this exercise is great for people that work on the computer or drive a car a lot. another way to relieve this type of neck pain is to massage each side of the neck. both the slimfairy electric massager and thumper minipro2 are highly effective at massaging the neck, while the epulse neck massager most closely simulates tapping of the hands. These tools do all the work so you just relax and enjoy. if the muscles feel real cord-like, start with gentle pressure when stroking the neck. when the muscles soften up a little, you can increase the pressure a little.

neck pain caused by stress or an upper chest breather can also be very painful. the muscles all around the neck and chest muscles tighten up. the first thing to do is lengthen the chest muscles. then you can use a tool to stroke the back of the neck, especially the crevice area called the occipital. start with light pressure, and gradually increase it as the muscles loosen up. a good method for the sides of the neck is kneading. kneading simply means to grab the muscle, and slightly pull. the thumper minipro2 works great for massaging the chest as well. keep it on low speed and you'll be truly satisfied.

ways to relieve - shoulder pain

to get relief from shoulder pain, lying on your side is the most effective position for stretching and massage. to lengthen the shoulder muscles, bring one arm up and over the head and hold position for at least one minute. repeat this stretch two to three times on each side. stretching tense muscles is very important to do before massage because it lengthens the target muscle and opens up the jointed area.

the brachial nerve plexus, which supplies the arm, may be affected by soft tissue dysfunction in the shoulder area. take in consideration the location of the brachial nerve, and massage around the nerve. be careful not to work directly on the nerve, and be aware of any painful areas close to it. the painful areas around the nerve and numbness in the fingers are an indication of nerve impingement. massaging the shoulder from front to back will help to reduce muscle tension and soften connective tissue in the area. it is also helpful to use a tool like the thumper minipro2 or even the backnobber ii on any knotty areas in the shoulder area to release the tension.

Taken from: http://www.massagetools.com/tips-head-massage.html