For months, I lived with a dull, nagging pain that seemed to hover around my head like a cloud. Some days it was just an annoying pressure behind my eyes; other days it grew into a throbbing ache that made it hard to focus at work or even enjoy time with friends.
Living in London, I blamed it on the usual suspects—stress, screen time, and the tension of rushing from place to place. I drank more water, cut down on caffeine, and tried painkillers, but the relief never lasted. My headaches always found their way back.
It wasn’t until I booked a massage for my sore shoulders that I realised my headaches might be coming from somewhere completely different: my neck and upper back.
During my first session, the therapist quickly found tight knots running from my shoulders up into my neck. She explained that tension in these muscles can put pressure on nerves and restrict blood flow, which often triggers headaches. As she worked through the stiffness with slow, firm movements, I could almost feel the pain melting away.
That night, I noticed something amazing—I didn’t have my usual evening headache.
Over the next few weeks, I kept going for regular massage sessions, focusing on my neck, shoulders, and upper back. Slowly, the headaches that had once been a near-daily part of my life became less frequent and far less intense. Instead of reaching for painkillers, I found myself turning to massage as my first line of defence.
Here’s why it worked: massage helps release chronic muscle tension, improves circulation, and calms the nervous system. For many tension-related headaches, the root cause isn’t in the head at all—it’s in the muscles of the neck and shoulders, often aggravated by posture, stress, and repetitive strain. By addressing those muscles directly, massage tackles the source of the problem rather than just the symptoms.
Beyond the physical relief, the mental benefits were huge. Each massage gave me a rare chance to fully relax, step away from screens, and let my body reset. That reduction in stress alone made a noticeable difference to my headaches, since stress is one of the biggest triggers.
Now, massage is a regular part of my wellness routine. I book a session every two to three weeks, and I can’t remember the last time I had one of those crippling headaches that used to send me to bed early.
If headaches are stealing your energy and focus, it might be worth looking beyond painkillers. Sometimes the solution is as simple—and as enjoyable—as releasing the tension your body has been holding on to for too long.
For me, massage didn’t just take away the pain—it gave me back my clarity, my productivity, and my ability to enjoy the city without that constant shadow of discomfort.
