A lot of people believe the only solution for migraines is to pull the blinds, turn off the lights, take some over-the-counter pain medication, and lie in bed for days hoping the migraines eventually go away.
However, migraines and headaches are almost always the result of shoulder and neck tightness. This could stem from an old injury, one too many headers in soccer, or even a rear-end car accident. Most often, though, it’s from what you do for one-third of your life — sleeping in poor positions.
In this article, we’ll break down what migraines are, what causes them, and how our bodywork method can bring lasting relief.
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The Difference Between a Migraine and Headache
Headache pain can range from mild to severe, usually occurring on both sides of your head. Common areas include the forehead, temples, and back of the neck. One of the most frequent types is a tension headache, according to the Mayo Clinic. You can learn more about taming tension headaches here.
Headaches aren’t the only type, either. Cluster headaches and sinus headaches also affect many people.
The difference between a migraine and a regular headache is that a headache is actually just one symptom of a migraine. When most people hear “migraine,” they think of a severe headache. But migraines often come with a variety of symptoms and can last hours—or even days.
What Doctors Say a Migraine Is
A migraine is an intense or severe headache often accompanied by other symptoms, including:
- Nausea
- Pain behind one eye or ear
- Pain in the temples
- Seeing spots or flashing lights
- Sensitivity to light and/or sound
- Temporary vision loss
- Vomiting
Migraines can severely impact daily activities, often forcing people to seek emergency care. The pain typically affects one side of the head but can sometimes occur on both sides.
What We Say Migraines Are
From our perspective at Moench Method Bodywork, migraines and headaches are nearly always the result of shoulder and neck tightness.
This tightness usually stems from cumulative issues: extracurricular injuries, poor posture at a desk, and—most critically—sleeping in a scrunched, compressed position night after night.
Watch this video where our Founder Ken Moench and our therapists discuss why sleep posture is so important for muscular and nerve health.
When you sleep curled up tightly, you block blood flow and nerve communication through your shoulders, compressing your body’s natural drainage and repair systems.
To support better sleep posture, we recommend using a sleep wedge like this one:
View Our Recommended Sleep Wedge
How We Relieve Migraines Using Our Bodywork Method
Fixing your sleep posture is one of the most effective ways to prevent, alleviate, and eliminate migraines. We combine education and bodywork to help clients reset their posture for good.
Founder Ken Moench has helped clients eliminate migraines that persisted for nearly 18 years. Watch the video below to see how we address the root causes of migraines through the Moench Method:
Our technique blends myofascial release, ischemic pressure, and deep tissue massage to lengthen your fascia and release compressed areas in the body.
Lengthening the tissue allows muscles to return to their natural resting length—stopping them from painfully pulling at their attachment points, like the neck and shoulders.
During migraine treatment sessions, we:
- Open the hip flexors so clients can sleep more comfortably on their backs
- Release the chest and neck muscles blocking blood and lymphatic flow
- Relieve pressure in the head and neck that causes migraine symptoms
To support comfortable back sleeping at home, we also recommend a knee wedge:
View Our Recommended Knee Wedge
Get Back to Your Life
We’ve helped hundreds of people eliminate migraines and get back to living the life they love. If you’re tired of relying on pain medications and temporary fixes, let us help you address the root cause.
Book an appointment at any of our 4 locations or call us at 512-244-6241 with any questions.
Proudly serving thousands of people all across the Greater Austin and New Braunfels, TX areas!