Sometimes issues such as tight muscles in the neck and upper back, or postural issues, perhaps from craning our heads forward as we check our latest text message can cause headaches. These are often referred to as cervicogenic headaches.

It is not unusual for people to experience a headache if they are dehydrated, tired, have a cold or feel unwell but when I get clients who say they have headaches but just the ‘regular amount’ that makes me concerned. Regular headaches need attention.

A recently published study that reviewed a number of studies involving over 1900 participants (Koonalinthip, Koonalintip and Stonsaovapak, 2026), found that a multimodal approach to headache treatment was more effective than just a single approach and more effective than using medication alone.

The Jing method of advanced clinical massage is a multimodal approach, which, in a number of small-scale studies, has been shown to be effective in treating chronic headaches (Clark, 2012; Davies, 2021; Fabry, 2023; Weaver, 2024).

The Jing approach involves detailed consultation and assessment to identify any contributing factors; treatment of soft tissues, looking for any specific muscles where tension might be related to your headache pain; teaching you any relevant stretches or advising on other aspects of self-care that may help you reduce the frequency and intensity of your headaches.

Typically, as much as we would like a ‘one-fix wonder’ for treatment the reality is that usually four to six regular sessions might be needed. However, this potentially has the benefit of long-lasting effects.

If you are experiencing headaches frequently then why not do something about them?

REFERENCES

Clark, K. (2012).A Pilot Study to Investigate the Effect of Massage on Headaches and Neck/Shoulder Tension in Office Workers. BTEC L6 Dissertation. Brighton: Jing Advanced Massage Training.

Davies, E. (2021).Evaluating the Effects of the Jing Method of Advanced Clinical Massagefor Online self-care Treatments in Adults with Tension Type Headaches. BTEC L6 Dissertation. Brighton: Jing Advanced Massage Training.

Fabry, P. (2023).Evaluating the Efficacy of Jing Advanced Clinical Massage in TreatingTension Type Headaches in Adults. BTEC L6 Dissertation. Brighton: Jing Advanced Massage Training.

Koonalinthip, N., Koonalintip, P., & Stonsaovapak, C. (2026). The Comparative Efficacy of Treatments for Cervicogenic Headache: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. European journal of pain (London, England), 30(2), e70219. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70219

Weaver, D. (2024). Evaluating the efficacy of Jing Advanced Clinical Massage in treating tension-type headaches in adults. BTEC L6 Dissertation. Brighton: Jing Advanced Massage Training.

Susan Harrison is a Jing-trained therapist and has taught at the Jing Institute of Massage and Complementary Medicine in Brighton for almost 10 years.