​Headaches and Migraines can range from an annoying inconvenience to a debilitating event that interrupts the way you live your life. Unfortunately, not all common remedies for these conditions work on everyone, and some people even find themselves unable to find any relief. However, the tips that will be provided in this article may be solutions that you may not have considered yet. At the very least, spa solutions to headaches and migraines are excellent stress and pain relievers, which are often the culprits behind these problems or serve to make them worse.

To tackle these health problems, we have to address the source of the problem; what causes headaches and migraines in the first place.

1. Stress: A common cause and trigger for headaches and migraines, stress is an unfortunately unavoidable part of life, especially nowadays.
2. Lack of Sleep: Sleep is essential to good physical and mental health, so it’s unsurprising that it can lead to painful headaches or migraines. Both getting too little and too much sleep can actually trigger migraines, as well as dramatically changing the time you go to bed or wake up.
3. Intense Physical Exertion: Overexerting yourself at work, home or during exercise routines can trigger your migraines or cause a headache, so pacing yourself and knowing your limits is important.
4. Food: Eating very salty foods or processed items has been linked to migraines and headaches. Skipping meals or trying unhealthy dieting techniques also commonly causes headaches.
5. Unavoidable Causes: Sometimes essential medication or even a change in the weather can trigger a migraine or headache, and unfortunately this makes them unavoidable. This is why you’ll find remedies here that both tackle migraine causes, as well as tips to relieve the pain when a flare up is unavoidable.

Treating yourself to a spa day can work wonders on a headache or migraine that just won’t go away. Taking a dip in a jacuzzi or pool is an excellent stress-reliever, making a spa day a good remedy for tension headaches. Additionally, these relaxing experiences serve as a good way to relieve pain or at least distract yourself from it. Simply switching off from your daily routine and electronic devices that always need your attention can be enough to relieve a headache or migraine caused by the stresses of work or everyday life.

Some researchers have suggested that a constriction in blood flow to the brain can trigger, if not even cause, migraines. Since facials and massages are excellent treatments to improve your circulation, they can provide relief or prevent a headache or migraine from happening in the first place. Many massages that include neck and shoulder attention will also help ease neck, jaw and shoulder tension, which also may be contributing to your problem. A Turkish Massage may also be a good solution, since the warm heated marble room improves blood flow.

You can even enjoy specialised spa treatments that target specific headache or migraine causes. For instance, an antistress massage is perfect for the job, while a Hammam stress breaker package will give you both the benefit of stress relief and a circulation boost in the pampering Turkish bath. A Carisma signature facial can also help you release stress, as it includes a back relaxation treatment as well as a facial treatment.

As mentioned in the causes section, sleep problems can be the reason behind your headaches and migraines. The first problem to tackle is your sleep schedule, which you must keep as consistent as possible not to disrupt your body’s natural clock. It’s also important to determine how many hours you need to sleep to feel rested, usually between 7 or 9 hours, and maintaining that amount of rest. Both sleeping too much or too little can be a trigger for health problems, including headaches and migraines.

If you struggle with exhaustion and a lack of sleep, spa treatments like massages are excellent at relieving some tiredness and giving you a burst of energy afterwards. 

Studies have shown that meditation or yoga may be useful tools in your arsenal. These practices center you, help you become more self-aware and reduce stress. It helps reduce the number and severity of migraines, and gives you a feeling of control over them. Nowadays, you can find specialised apps that will guide you through the process if you are new to meditation. If you want more hands-on guidance, Carisma’s Spa Club Membership includes free Yoga meetups as part of its many benefits.

Migraines and headaches can be a frustrating interruption to your life, so we hope that some of these tips will be helpful in reducing or preventing them from happening, or at the very least relieving some of the discomfort they cause.

Unless spa visits are a regular part of your lifestyle, you probably have some questions or misconceptions about what a spa visit entails, and what it can do for you. This article dispels 7 common myths that you may have, and helps you get a little more familiar with the ancient well-loved forms of self-care a spa provides.

There is a common misconception that self-care, especially skincare, is something that mostly women enjoy, so it’s not a surprise that the same myth exists about the spa. In actuality, there are specialised facials for men that consider male skin’s unique needs; for example, cleansing pores that get blocked by the elements, as well as soothing skin that’s dull and irritated after daily shaving. 

Men can also benefit from any of the wide variety of world-class massages available, just like women do, depending on their health needs. You can find a massage essential for stress relief, healing from sports injuries, the release of muscle tension or even simply taking a break from a stressful day.

Spa professionals can also recommend the best professional products for male skin according to your skin type. If you’re unsure where to start when it comes to products, you can take a look at our guide to men’s face products for a breakdown.

It’s understandable to be apprehensive if you’ve never had a particular treatment, or if you’ve never visited a spa at all. Thankfully, expert therapists at Carisma can guide you on what to expect from any treatments you are interested in. Before and throughout your session, you will also be guided on what will happen next if you wish.

If you want to learn more about specific treatments, you can read our articles on the Lomi Lomi Massage, the Thai Massage, the Hot Stone Massage, the Ayurvedic Massage or even how you can best boost your wellness during a Spa Day.

Some people carry the misconception that a facial treatment, for example, may irritate or stretch skin through rough movements, strong products and massaging. In actuality, professional spa therapists know how to massage your face in such a way to stimulate the skin and deep tissue without causing damage. Moreover any products used will be gentle and professional-grade, chosen especially for your skin, so they won’t have adverse reactions like over-the-counter products may have. For the same reason, spa treatments like waxing and body care will cause far less distress and discomfort when done by a professional.

Massages can also be as intense as you wish. For example, while a Thai massage can be intense if you wish to tackle deep muscle tension, you can also ask your massage therapist for a gentler treatment.

While you may enjoy a facial or a waxing treatment at home, there are various reasons why a professional version exists. As you have read above, professional treatments at the spa will be gentle on the skin and cause no damage, unlike their at-home variants. Additionally, professionals have access to years of knowledge and training, so they will recognise your skin and body’s unique needs. They then have access to professional products and techniques to address these needs.

While they are amazing at relaxing you, massages are also ancient healing rituals that can improve your health in many ways. They can improve your mental health by releasing tension and stress, and can even help you sleep better. Massages and facials stimulate better circulation through their movements, as well as help release knots of tension in your muscles. Specialised massages can even target scar tissue left over from a healed sports injury and help prevent future injuries from happening by relaxing the muscle.

Many people are put off visiting a luxury spa out of concern that it is outside their budget. However, spas are becoming more and more accessible with special packages or spa memberships to allow you to enjoy all of the pampering of the spa for less. These also make excellent unique gifts for loved ones. In addition to treatments, these packages and memberships can include free access to luxury spa facilities like a sauna, indoor pool or jacuzzi. You may even enjoy complimentary luxury teas, prosecco or a healthy lunch.

We hope that this article has dispelled some misconceptions about Spa visits, and that you have found out some interesting facts along the way!

​At a certain point, medical equipment and medications become commonplace and tiring. Massage, on the other hand, can act as a grounding exercise for the patient and bring them rest.

Breast cancer happens when the code (like a computer code) in a breast cell mutates or changes. The cell becomes cancerous, attacking other breast cells. Our immune system can fight some of them off, but others can grow into a lump or tumor as they continue to attack. 

While the cause is still unknown, what we can be sure of is that our underwire bras are not causing breast cancer. However, it is certain that the wrong kind of bra will put undue stress and strain on your breasts, so the right thing to do is still to find the best fitting bra for you.

Pain Relief
Breast cancer patients can experience tenderness in their breasts and chronic pain. One possible way to relieve pain, with the guidance of medical personnel, is through a breast massage. The Oketani massage in particular, which focuses on where the breast tissue is connected to the chest muscles, is effective. It also reduces handling of the breast proper, which might be too tender to massage in the normal way. Relieving the tissues of some stress will reduce overall pain. 

One simple massage you can do to yourself is to put the arm of the breast you will massage behind your head. That will free up the area. Then, with your opposite hand, use the three first fingers to slowly and carefully massage around and over the breast in circular motions. 

Decreased Anxiety
Physical activity has long been considered a grounding exercise for therapists. Grounding exercises help patients reactivate their nervous systems, pulling them out of the up and down of emotional responses. A breast cancer patient who receives a massage may see their symptoms of anxiety lessen. These include insomnia, high blood pressure, or mild panic. If they are able to rest and sleep during the massage, it also gives the body and the immune system the boost it needs to help the mind believe it can manage the situation. A regular massage, especially by a trained masseuse who does not need you to lie on your stomach during the session, can decrease anxiety. 

Nausea reduction in chemotherapy recipients
Chemotherapy, especially general chemotherapy, slows down the growth of cancer cells and reduces their attack speed. However, it also slows down the growth of many healthy cells, especially the fast-replicating ones. This is why it is normal for chemotherapy patients to suffer fatigue, nausea, and a general lack of good feeling.

Massage therapy helps relieve general pain by relaxing muscles and reactivating the nervous system’s contact with the outside world. Pain tends to cause muscle tension as the patient attempts to deal with it, but the tension contributes to the overall loss of well being. Anxiety and stress also cause tension that can be relieved by massage therapy. 

Improved mood
If massage therapy is carried out regularly, for long periods of time, it counteracts the buildup of stress and anxiety in a person’s body. Since the tension is not given a chance to build up, the patient’s window of tolerance—for pain, stress, anxiety, and others—is widened.

Breast cancer patients, like all other cancer patients, deal with long term pain, stress, and uncertainty. Regular massage therapy can relieve their tension, decrease their pain, and widen their window of tolerance for the normal stress that comes with battling cancer. These regular times of rest and grounding help them face the continuing fight. 

Reduced fatigue
Pain, stress, anxiety, and chemotherapy all contribute to an increase in fatigue. If the patient persists in their studies or work, or if they are a full-time house wife, they may find themselves less able to manage their day-to-day tasks. One massage therapy session, usually between 30 minutes to one hour, gives the patient time to relax and ignore all emails and text messages. At the same time, they feel themselves relaxing under the therapeutic massage. As their muscles release tension and stress, the body begins to heal and refresh itself normally. In that way, the patient’s fatigue is reduced and they can better handle their daily tasks. 

Better immune function
The immune system works best when it can rest once in a while, and when it is supported by proper diet and exercise, or by external supplemental medical practices such as massage therapy. The immune system requires our body’s energy to fight off sickness and heal, which is why we leave ourselves open to sicknesses when we are tired. 

Massage therapy lowers our heart rates and blood pressure, and makes it easier for blood circulation. Blood circulation is one of the main carriers of healing to all parts of the body. Massage therapy also rests the body, giving the immune system a chance to regain energy and charge up to fight the cancer. 

Relaxation
All of those benefits add up to one simple one: relaxation. Being intentional about getting a massage, or going to massage therapy, also shows us the different muscle groups in our body. As they are identified by the massage therapist, we can also work on relaxing and releasing them when we feel ourselves begin to tense up in that area. Regular massage therapy will also show us how to take more part in helping ourselves relax. 

​Not sure what we mean? Try it out for yourself! We recommend that you start with a very gentle massage, like the Swedish massage, and don’t forget to mention any health conditions to the massage therapist. 

While standards of beauty have varied by region and evolved over the years, one thing has not changed: People have strived to feel and look their best since ancient times. In fact, many of the techniques our ancestors used have been passed down over the generations, and survive today in their modern variations.

From beauty-focused facial rituals to healing massages, in this article you will explore some of the ancient techniques that serve as the foundation for many of our modern spa techniques.

​Hawaii: The Lomi Lomi Massage
The Lomi Lomi massage was brought to Hawaii along with the Polynesians who settled it. Despite being persecuted by missionaries and colonisers as a heathen practice, it endured as a well-loved healing ritual.

The principle idea of Lomi Lomi has held strong to this day: to provide the client with a space that is calming and nurturing, allowing them to connect mind and body. In this space, the practitioner uses fluid strokes, often described as ‘loving’, avoiding excess pressure (especially on sensitive areas). Much like other massage techniques, these movements work wonders on your body’s circulation and lymphatic systems, leaving you feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Native practitioners of Lomi Lomi now perform this massage around the world, since it has become popular and well-loved.

Thailand: The Thai Massage
The Thai massage is estimated to have been developed around 2500 years ago in Thailand by a friend of the Buddha who had extensive medical knowledge. 

The Thai massage is a dry massage technique, meaning that no oils or lotions are used. Pressure is applied to various areas of the body to stimulate circulation while relieving pain and tension in targeted muscles. The Thai massage motions may remind you of yoga, and similar to yogo this massage will improve your flexibility, relax you and even improve your sleep!

India: Ayurvedic Massage
Ayurveda is a system of medicine that emerged in ancient India, based on the idea that keeping the body in balance is the best way to prevent and heal illness and injuries. Ayurveda may be the oldest system of medicine that we know of!

This principle led to the development of a massage technique that seeks to balance the client both physically and mentally, since body and mind are seen as intrinsically linked to each other. To this day, this massage technique uses heated oil to stimulate energy points in the body, with pressure and a light touch.

This makes Ayurvedic massages incredibly relaxing and useful for relieving tension and stress, and can be included regularly as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Turkey: The Hammam
Baths have been well-loved for centuries, and the Turkish bathing technique is no exception. The Hammam was one of the first baths to be open to all, leading to their quick popularity in ancient times. Hammams quickly became a popular way of maintaining one’s health, hygiene and mental relaxation, all while socialising with others. 

Nowadays one can experience the same heated marble room alone if they prefer, or with family and friends as our ancestors did. The beautiful marble room with its gentle, relaxing heat helps open your pores and prepare your skin for exfoliation by a therapist. This means that by the time your session is done, your skin has been cleansed deeply, and is incredibly moisturised.

Greece: Clear Skin and Protection from the Environment
The ancient Greeks idolized the goddess Aphrodite, and strived to match her youthful beauty by keeping their skin clear and protecting it from the elements. Face masks were an integral part of their beauty routines, used to remove facial impurities that build up during their day.

Face masks are still well-loved today for the same reason, and are perhaps even more important since our skin is exposed to pollution as we walk in busy areas.

Japan: Exfoliate Old Skin Away
Since ancient times, clear fresh skin has been prized as a sign of beauty and health around the world. Japanese Geishas achieved this skin perfection by creating pastes mixed with sea salt crystals that helped remove old skin through abrasion. Modern exfoliants still work in the same way, and you can still find many exfoliants that include sea salt as a key ingredient

As this article has shown, you would be surprised at how many ancient wellness routines are still alive and well today. Much of our knowledge is based on our ancestors' skills and experiences, passed down to us and improved as we learned more and understood our health better.