by Laurie Kaiser

Created on: February 13, 2009   Last Updated: May 23, 2012

A therapeutic scalp massage is more than just a head rub. As with any massage, its purpose is to relax the muscles to reduce tension. A good scalp massage should create "the sensation that the world has been lifted off the brain," says Jannell Brown, a certified massage therapist.

The benefits of such a massage include alleviation of migraines and other headaches, sinus congestion, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), and mental stresseven ear infections in children, Brown asserts. If you get that headache behind the eyes from staring at a screen for prolonged periods, a scalp massage might be the best medicine.

Owner of Sol Spa in Chatham, Mass., Brown has been practicing massage for 19 years. Her holistic spa offers a "Head's Up" tension treatment, which combines aromatherapy oils with massage techniques for the head, neck and upper body. This 60- to 90-minute treatment is designed to ease headaches, especially for those suffering from migraines and sinus congestion.

So what's the science behind scalp massage? The muscles engulfing the skull absorb a lot of tension from mental stress. When they tighten, Brown says, the muscles draw together the cranial sutures, the elastic fibrous bands of tissue connecting the skull bones, "like plate tectonics." Massaging the cranium's five suturesover the ears, at the hairline above the forehead, down the middle of the head and at the back of the head"reduces muscle tension of the skull itself and allows the bones of the skull to return to their normal position," Brown says.

She applies a fair amount of pressure during her scalp massage, using her fingertips to knead along the length of each suture. "It's like working bread dough," she says. It's not the gentle head rub you might get at the hair salon. "But it doesn't hurt," she says. "It feels good. People get an immediate sense of relief."

A professional scalp massage should take between 30 and 60 minutes. Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 for this service.

Scalp massage is a bit of a misnomer for what is actually a total head massage, Brown says. "I would never do just the scalp. I would do the full head. I think you need to do the entire skull, from the neck up."

Some massage therapists even don medical gloves and work on pressure points inside the mouth and nose. While she doesn't offer this service, Brown believes the head massage is so important she includes it with all of her massage treatments.

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