Migraine and Tension Headaches: Using Massage to Ease the Pain

First published December 2017
Updated January 2026

Headaches aren’t fun for anyone- least of all for kids. While many people think of headaches as an “adult problem”, children experience them too. In fact, the National Headache Foundation reports that 1 in 5 US children ages 5-17 are prone to headaches. Of those, 15 percent experience tension headaches and 5 percent are diagnosed with migraines.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are the most common type children experience. They’re often linked to muscle tightness and everyday stressors. Some common causes include:

• Poor sleep. Children should be sleeping enough consecutive hours in order for their body to repair and rejuvenate.
• Good and bad stress. Our bodies respond the same way to the anxiety of a big test as to the excitement of the school dance.
• Poor posture. How many hours a day are your kids looking at a phone or spent hunched over their homework? With the cold weather here for a while, notice if their shoulders are elevated trying to generate warmth.
• Repetitive use in daily activities. Are they always throwing a ball with the same arm? How many hours in a day are they playing their instrument? Are they gamers?

When muscles become tight and tense, a headache can follow. Massage is an effective way to help those muscles relax and help reduce pain. Over time, regular massages may also lessen the frequency and intensity of tension headaches.

Migraine Headaches

Receiving a massage during an active migraine may not be appealing due to possible increased sensitivity to touch, light, smell and sound. However, massage might help one recover from an event. Often an individual is left with muscle tension or tenderness as a residual effect of the migraine. Massage can help address these concerns.

Migraines can be triggered by many factors, including stress and muscle tightness. Since massage has been shown to lower cortisol (the body’s main stress hormone) and encourage overall relaxation, it may help reduce the likelihood of future migraine episodes in children who are prone to them.

When to Call the Doctor

While massage can be a great tool for those suffering from tension and migraine headaches, please seek out medical intervention if any of the following occur:

• Pain is waking your child from sleep
• The headache worsens or becomes more frequent
• You notice a change in your child’s personality
• The headache follows an injury
• Your child is vomiting or they note changes in their vision
• Fever

Helping children build healthy habits like good sleep routines, stress management and better posture can go a long way towards reducing headaches. Working with a licensed massage therapist can help provide another layer of comfort and relief.