If you experience regular headaches or migraines, you probably know how quickly they can take over your day.
Sometimes it starts as a familiar pressure behind your eyes. Maybe you notice your neck beginning to tighten, a pulling sensation around your temples, or that feeling at the base of your skull that tells you, here we go again.
For others, a migraine seems to arrive almost out of nowhere.
And if this happens regularly, you may already have tried a lot. Medication, changing your screen habits, drinking more water, getting your eyes checked, massage, looking at your hormones, tracking food triggers, trying to get more sleep.
Sometimes those things help. Sometimes they help a little. And sometimes you are left wondering why your head seems to keep returning to the same pattern.
This is where CranioSacral Therapy can offer another way of looking at what is happening.
Rather than seeing a headache as something happening only inside your head, we can look at the wider relationships between the cranium, membranes, fascia, jaw, neck, shoulders, breathing and nervous system.
Because the place where you feel the symptom is not always the only place involved in the pattern.
What Is Actually Happening During a Headache or Migraine?
Firstly, headaches and migraines are not the same thing.
A headache is a broad term for pain felt in the head or face, and there are many different types and causes.
A tension-type headache, for example, may feel like pressure or tightening around the forehead, temples or back of the head. It can be accompanied by tension through the neck, shoulders or jaw.
A migraine is a neurological condition and can involve much more than head pain.
Migraine symptoms can include throbbing or pulsing pain, nausea, sensitivity to light, sound or smell, visual disturbances, fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Some people experience an aura before or during a migraine, while others do not.
There are also headaches associated with the sinuses, jaw, neck, hormones, medication use and other medical conditions.
This matters because there is no single thing called “a headache” that we can approach in exactly the same way.
And there is no single cause of migraine.
Can CranioSacral Therapy Really Help With Migraines?
CranioSacral Therapy can be very helpful for some people experiencing migraines and recurring headaches. Some people experience a reduction in the frequency or intensity of their headaches, and in some cases they may find that their headaches resolve altogether.
But migraines are complex, and no single approach works for everyone.
For one person, working with tension through the cranium, membranes, fascia, neck, jaw and nervous system may make a significant difference. Another person may notice that their neck feels freer, their jaw is less tense and their body feels more regulated, while their migraines themselves remain.
And for someone else, CranioSacral Therapy may not make a meaningful difference to their migraine pattern at all.
So while CST is certainly worth exploring for migraines and headaches, it isn’t a treatment where I can promise you a particular result.
Instead, we explore whether there are physical, fascial or nervous system patterns contributing to your particular headache pattern, and see how your body responds.
Sometimes the change can be significant. Sometimes it is more subtle. And sometimes CST simply isn’t the piece of the puzzle your body needs.
Why Might the Neck and Base of the Skull Matter?
If you experience headaches, you may already have noticed a relationship with your neck.
Perhaps the headache seems to begin at the base of your skull and travel upwards.
Maybe your neck becomes stiff before the headache appears.
Or you notice that long hours at your computer, driving or looking down at your phone make things worse.
The head is supported by a complex arrangement of muscles, connective tissues, joints and nerves through the neck and upper spine.
At the base of the skull are several small muscles known as the suboccipital muscles. These help control and stabilise movements between the head and upper neck.
This region can become very tense.
During CranioSacral Therapy, I may therefore spend time around the occiput, the bone at the back and base of the skull, as well as the neck and upper shoulders.
Sometimes people become aware of just how much tension they were holding there only when it begins to soften.
The Cranium, Membranes and CranioSacral System
Of course, the cranial part of CranioSacral Therapy is particularly relevant when we are talking about the head.
The skull is made up of multiple bones connected by sutures.
Inside the skull and spinal canal, the brain and spinal cord are surrounded by protective membranes called the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid.
One of these membranes, the dura mater, forms part of a continuous membrane system surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
The craniosacral system is named for this relationship extending from the cranium at the head to the sacrum at the base of the spine.
During a session, I may use very light contact around different parts of the cranium, including the occipital, temporal, frontal and parietal regions, as well as elsewhere along the body.
I am not trying to push the bones of your skull into a particular position.
The work is subtle.
I am listening through the tissues and craniosacral system for areas that feel restricted, asymmetrical or as though they are holding tension, and following the response of the body rather than imposing movement on it.
If you want to understand more about why the therapy is called craniosacral and what we are actually working with, you can read What Is CranioSacral Therapy? The Ultimate Beginner Guide.
Fascia and Headaches
Fascia is also an important part of this picture.
Fascia is the continuous network of connective tissue that surrounds and connects structures throughout the body.
It does not stop at the shoulders.
There are fascial relationships through the neck, jaw, face, scalp and cranium, and these connect into wider patterns throughout the body.
This is why someone may come to see me because their head hurts, but I do not necessarily spend the entire session holding their head.
I might notice significant tension through the neck.
The shoulders may be braced.
The ribcage might barely move with breathing.
The jaw may be tightly held.
Or an area further down the body may appear to be part of a larger fascial pattern.
Sometimes when one area begins to release, another changes with it.
This interconnectedness is one of the things I find most fascinating about bodywork.
Jaw Clenching, TMJ and Headaches
The jaw deserves particular attention when we are talking about headaches.
The temporomandibular joints, or TMJs, sit just in front of the ears and connect the lower jaw to the temporal bones of the skull.
If you regularly clench your jaw or grind your teeth, the muscles around the jaw and temples are repeatedly working.
You might wake with a headache.
Your temples may feel sore.
You may have facial tension or aching around the ears.
And sometimes you may not even realise how much you are clenching until someone points it out.
Stress can make this pattern even more noticeable.
If jaw tension or bruxism is part of your headache pattern, we can include work around the jaw, temporal bones and surrounding fascia within the session.
When appropriate, and with your permission, I can also use gloved intraoral techniques, working lightly with specific structures from inside the mouth. This is always optional and discussed with you beforehand.
I’ve written much more about this in CranioSacral Therapy for TMJ, Jaw Clenching & Tension.
Stress, the Nervous System and Headaches
Stress does not mean that your headache is “all in your head”.
Stress creates very real physiological changes in the body.
When the sympathetic nervous system mobilises us into fight or flight, breathing can change, muscles prepare for action and the body becomes more alert.
Again, this response is useful.
The problem is when we spend long periods there.
You may sit at your desk with your shoulders slightly lifted for hours.
Your jaw is clenched.
Your breathing is shallow.
Your eyes are focused on a screen.
Your neck barely moves.
You finish work, but your body has not really received the message that it can stop.
For someone whose headaches become more frequent during periods of stress, I am interested in that relationship.
CranioSacral Therapy gives the body an opportunity to slow down while we work directly with some of those physical holding patterns.
You may sigh.
Your breathing may deepen.
Your shoulders may drop.
You might suddenly yawn.
Yawning, sighing, swallowing and changes in breathing can accompany shifts in autonomic state as the nervous system begins to settle.
For a deeper explanation of this relationship, you can read CranioSacral Therapy for Vagus Nerve & Nervous System Regulation.
Can Emotions Be Connected to Headaches?
Sometimes.
But again, I do not believe in forcing an emotional explanation onto a physical symptom.
If you have migraines, I am not going to tell you that they exist because you have not processed the right emotion.
At the same time, our emotional lives and physical bodies are not completely separate.
Think about what happens when you are under pressure.
You brace.
You hold your breath.
Your forehead tightens.
Your jaw clenches.
Your shoulders rise.
If you repeatedly respond to stress in the same way, those responses can become familiar holding patterns.
This is something we can become curious about.
At the beginning of a session, I will ask about what has been happening physically, but I may also ask about your emotional state, stress levels and recurring patterns.
When did the headaches become worse?
What was happening in your life at the time?
Do they tend to appear after particularly stressful periods?
Do you notice yourself pushing through exhaustion?
Are you someone who finds it difficult to stop?
There does not have to be a meaningful emotional connection.
But if there is one, it can be useful to notice it.
What Can Happen When the Tissues Begin to Release?
CranioSacral Therapy can be very still, but that does not mean nothing is happening.
You may notice warmth, tingling, pulsing or a sense of softening.
Your breathing may change.
You may swallow or yawn repeatedly.
Your head may suddenly feel heavier against the table.
Sometimes the body begins to unwind.
Unwinding is a spontaneous movement that can occur as fascial tension changes. Rather than deliberately stretching or moving yourself, you may notice that your head wants to turn, your shoulder shifts or your spine slowly moves into a different position.
I follow these movements rather than directing them.
Sometimes an unwinding is purely physical.
At other times, an emotion, image or memory may arise alongside a physical release.
If that happens, we can talk about it.
My background in EFT, Matrix Reimprinting, Somatic and Energy work means that conversation and emotional processing can naturally become part of the session when something comes up and you want to explore it.
You never have to manufacture an emotional release.
We follow what is actually happening.
What About Sinus Headaches and Facial Pressure?
People sometimes describe pain or pressure around the forehead, cheeks, nose or behind the eyes as a sinus headache.
If there is an infection, significant congestion or another medical cause, CranioSacral Therapy is not a substitute for appropriate medical treatment.
It is also worth knowing that headaches people assume are caused by their sinuses can sometimes actually be migraine.
But when facial pressure and tension are part of the picture, I may work lightly around the frontal bones, facial structures, temporal region, jaw, neck and surrounding fascia.
Again, the intention is not to “drain your sinuses” by manipulating your skull.
We are working with the wider tissues and relationships through the head, face and neck.
What Does a CranioSacral Session for Headaches Look Like?
There is no fixed headache protocol that I perform on every person.
Before we begin, we talk.
I want to understand what your headaches actually feel like, how frequently they happen and whether you already know any triggers.
Where does the pain usually begin?
Is it one-sided?
Do you experience migraines with aura?
Does your neck become tense first?
Do you clench your jaw?
Does stress seem to affect them?
What else happens in your body when a headache begins?
Once you are on the table, I work with what your body presents rather than following exactly the same sequence every time.
I may work around your head and neck.
I may spend time with the jaw.
I might work with the shoulders, ribcage, diaphragm, spine or sacrum.
Sometimes a seemingly unrelated area becomes important.
That is one of the reasons I prefer to treat the person rather than the symptom.
If you have never experienced CST before, you can read What to Expect in Your First CranioSacral Session.
How Many Sessions Do I Need for Migraines or Headaches?
There is no number I can honestly give you before meeting you.
Someone experiencing relatively recent tension headaches associated with a stressful period may have a very different pattern from someone who has experienced chronic migraine for twenty years.
We begin with one session and see how your body responds.
You might notice that the headaches become less frequent or intense.
For some people, the change may be much more significant and the headaches may stop altogether.
You may notice that your neck and jaw feel different but the headaches themselves remain unchanged.
You might simply feel more relaxed.
Or you may not notice much change at all.
All of that is useful information.
I would rather be realistic about what your body is showing us than promise you a particular outcome.
When Should You See a Doctor About Headaches?
Most headaches are not a sign of something dangerous, but new, severe or unusual headaches should not simply be assumed to be muscular tension.
If you experience a sudden extremely severe headache, a significant change from your usual headache pattern, or headache alongside neurological symptoms such as weakness, confusion, fainting, difficulty speaking or significant visual changes, seek medical attention.
Similarly, persistent or worsening headaches deserve proper medical assessment.
CranioSacral Therapy can sit alongside appropriate medical care.
It should not replace it.
CranioSacral Therapy for Migraines and Headaches With Me
When someone comes to me because of headaches or migraines, I am not looking for the one place I need to “fix”.
I am interested in the whole pattern.
What is happening around the cranium?
How does the neck feel?
Is the jaw involved?
Where is the fascia holding?
What is happening with your breathing?
What does your nervous system seem to be doing?
Are there emotional or behavioural patterns that appear alongside the physical tension?
And what happens when your body is given enough time and support to respond differently?
My approach brings together my training in CranioSacral Therapy, Yoga and Meditation, EFT, Matrix Reimprinting, Somatic and Energy work.
Sometimes a session is deeply quiet.
Sometimes there is unwinding.
Sometimes we talk.
Sometimes something emotional appears.
And sometimes you simply lie on the table and experience a level of rest that your body has not had in a very long time.
I practise in the beautiful therapy rooms at HUMA in Estoril.
If you would like to understand more about the therapy itself, start with:
What Is CranioSacral Therapy? The Ultimate Beginner Guide
For nervous system regulation:
CranioSacral Therapy for Vagus Nerve & Nervous System Regulation
For jaw-related headaches and clenching:
CranioSacral Therapy for TMJ, Jaw Clenching & Tension
Or, if you want to know what actually happens when you come to see me:
What to Expect in Your First CranioSacral Session
CranioSacral Therapy may not be the answer for every migraine or headache.
But for some people, exploring the relationships between the head, neck, jaw, fascia and nervous system can make a significant difference, and sometimes it may be the piece of the puzzle that has been missing.
Book a CranioSacral Therapy session with Natalie.