Head Massage

It might sound like a silly question but have you ever experienced a professional head massage or scalp massage? We've all given ourselves a bit of a scalp rub or enjoyed those brief couple of minutes when someone washes your hair, but a professional head massage is quite different.

The most common is the Indian Head Massage, an ancient treatment that's been handed down through the generations in Indian and Asian countries. Lucky for us it's now a service that many massage houses offer and it's definitely worth trying.

Target Tension

This wonderful treatment targets the areas that hold the most tension - the head, neck and shoulders. It is usually quite a gentle massage but the results will amaze you. You literally feel as if you're floating, it's that relaxing.

Head or scalp massage is now seen as one of the very best ways of treating stress. Massage generally makes our muscles relax and our bodies produce more endorphins, the natural chemicals that make us feel happier.

Trigger Points

There are also pressure or trigger points on our heads that can be used to tackle a variety of ailments and conditions, the main one being headaches. A head massage can also help treat jaw problems, tinnitus, eyestrain, insomnia and sinusitis.

Different areas of the head can be used to treat different types of headache. For example, the tiny muscles located at the base of our skulls can cause problems if you spend much of your day hunched over a computer.

If you have pain in your forehead or near your eyebrows, that could mean your sternocleidomastoid is tight. That's the long neck muscle that connects to your collarbone. Interestingly, 90% or more of headaches are caused by muscle tension.

Remove Toxins

A good scalp massage offers many other benefits, too. It will boost your immune system and help blood and lymphatic circulation. This removes toxins that have accumulated in your scalp and stimulates circulation to promote stronger, healthier hair growth.

It also activates dormant hair follicles to promote new growth, so head massage is highly recommended if hair loss is a problem.

In fact, your hair will benefit in several ways when you book a scalp massage. Tight head muscles can restrict blood flow and suffocate hair follicles. In addition, the movement helps distribute natural oils down the hair shaft, adding shine discouraging breakage and split ends.

Sense of Tranquillity

Many people believe a regular head massage helps fight the signs of ageing. It does this by relaxing the face and promoting tranquillity and peace. It will also promote better sleep.

If you're suffering from a condition, such as dandruff, be sure to tell the massage therapist so that they can use an appropriate oil to treat it.

Balance the Nervous System

Head massage is known as 'Champissage' in India and it has been used for centuries for relaxation and medical purposes. It is actually part of an ancient Indian practice, called Ayurveda, which is used to balance mind, body and spirit and promote a long life.

Called Shiro-abhyanga in Ayurveda, head massage promotes the flow of cerebrospinal fluid to calm the nervous system and promote deeper thought.

Over 1000 years ago Indian women would massage their daughters' heads with coconut and almond oil and buttermilk. This would keep the young ladies' hair in tip-top condition and it would have smelled divine.

Peace and Wellbeing

For many years India kept its secret to itself before it travelled to England in 1973 with native Indian Narendra Mehta. He started giving head massages and the technique just spread.

The head is a very important body part when it comes to the chakras. Indian head massage works on the three upper chakras to restore balance and wellbeing, bring a sense of peace and allow the body to heal itself.