PLEASE NOTE: This article is not a viable alternative to professional medical advice. If you are suffering from migraines, we strongly recommend that you consult a doctor.

While Phuket massages are certainly effective at treating a lot of minor maladies, could they really take on something as crippling as a migraine? The short answer is, in a way, yes. At the very least, they can act as a preventative by tackling some of the major causes of them.

Firstly, let’s make sure we understand what a migraine is. The third most common illness in the world, migraines are a lot more than just bad headaches. Symptoms include forehead pain (obviously), facial pressure, a runny nose, sensitivity to light and sound, blurred vision, nausea and, in extreme cases, vomiting and fainting. They particularly afflict those with a family history of them and women are three times more likely to suffer than men.

An alternative to medication?

Growing numbers of doctors are suggesting massages like those you can get from a Phuket spa as a complementary or alternative treatment of migraines. Unlike pharmaceutical, there are no harmful side-effects to massage treatments. It’s also a good option for those who are unable to use pharmaceutical options, such as those who are allergic to opioids or pregnant women.

It’s important to note that a Phuket massage is probably not going to be a replacement for drugs when it comes to treating the symptoms for a migraine. If you’re suffering with a headache so severe that it is blurring your vision and making you ultra-sensitive to any and all sensory stimulus, that is not the best time to head to the nearest spa.

Treating the causes

While Phuket massages can’t replace drugs when you’re in the midst of a migraine, they can help to prevent future ones by treating the causes. Weekly massage therapy has been found to reduce stress, which is a common causes of migraines. Cortisol (the body’s main stress hormone) levels are lowered, along with heart rates and anxiety.

Insomnia also often leads to migraines, and regular massages have been found to improve the quality and duration of sleep without the need for sleeping pills. The result is fewer and less severe migraines. Inadequate sleep as a result of jet lag can trigger a migraine, so a visit to a Phuket spa as soon as you arrive on holiday is likely to keep you from wasting a day of your trip in bed and in pain.