How to give a head massage at home

A good head massage takes about ten minutes and follows a simple order: shoulders first, then the base of the skull, then the scalp, then the temples and forehead. Use fingertips rather than nails, move the scalp over the skull rather than sliding through the hair, and start with the shoulders, since that is where most head tension originates.

Setting up

You need nothing. A dining chair works better than a sofa, because you want access to the shoulders and the back of the neck without the person's head being supported against a cushion.

Have them sit upright with feet flat on the floor and hands resting in their lap. Stand behind them. Warm your hands first, since cold hands on the neck produce an involuntary flinch that undoes the first minute.

Ask about glasses, earrings, hair clips and any neck problems or recent injuries. Ask whether they want oil, and be aware that saying yes commits them to washing their hair.

The ten minute sequence

1. Shoulders, three minutes. Place both hands over the tops of the shoulders and squeeze and release the upper trapezius, working from the neck outwards. Then use your thumbs to work into the muscle either side of the spine between the shoulder blades. Firm pressure. This is where most of the tension is.
2. Base of the skull, two minutes. Slide your thumbs up the back of the neck until you feel the ridge of bone at the base of the skull. Work along it with small circles, pausing on tender spots for 20 to 30 seconds. The suboccipital muscles here are responsible for a large share of tension headaches.
3. Neck, one minute. Gently squeeze the muscles either side of the neck between your fingers and thumb, working from the base of the skull down to the shoulders.
4. Scalp, two minutes. Spread your fingers and place the pads firmly on the scalp. Move the scalp over the skull in small circles, then lift and reposition. Work systematically: hairline, crown, sides, back. Do not slide your fingers through the hair.
5. Hair, 30 seconds. Take small sections of hair near the roots and give a gentle steady tug. Surprisingly satisfying, and it releases the connective tissue across the scalp.
6. Temples, one minute. Small slow circles with the flats of your fingers, light pressure. The temporalis muscle here is tight in almost everyone who clenches their jaw.
7. Forehead and brow, 30 seconds. Sweep from the centre of the forehead outwards with your thumbs, then work along the brow bone.
8. Finish, 30 seconds. Rest both hands still on the shoulders for a few seconds, then release slowly.

If you have longer, add the jaw: small circles on the masseter at the angle of the jaw, and pressure into the temporalis above the ear. Often the most appreciated part.

Technique notes

• Move the scalp, do not slide over it. The tissue you want to affect is the sheet of connective tissue across the skull. Sliding fingers through hair feels nice but achieves little.
• Fingertips, never nails. Uncomfortable, and can scratch.
• Support the head. When working the temples or forehead, rest one hand on the opposite side so the head is not being pushed around.
• Firm on shoulders, moderate on scalp, light on temples. The tissue thickness varies considerably.
• Sustained pressure on tender points. Twenty to 30 seconds, not rubbing.
• Keep contact. Repeatedly lifting your hands is unsettling.
• Ask about pressure once, then watch. Shoulders rising and breath catching mean too hard.

A five minute self-massage

Easy to do at a desk, and worth making a daily habit.

1. Shoulders, one minute. Reach across and squeeze the opposite upper trapezius, working from neck to shoulder. Repeat on the other side.
2. Base of the skull, one minute. Interlace your fingers behind your head and use your thumbs to press up into the ridge at the base of the skull. Hold tender points for 20 to 30 seconds while breathing out slowly.
3. Scalp, two minutes. Fingertips firmly on the scalp, move the scalp in small circles, working across the whole head. Four minutes daily if you are also interested in the possible hair benefits, as covered in scalp massage for hair growth.
4. Temples, 30 seconds. Small slow circles with your fingertips.
5. Jaw, 30 seconds. Clench once to find the masseter at the jaw angle, then unclench and work it with small circles.

Before bed is a good time. So is any point in a working day when you notice your shoulders have crept up towards your ears.

Common mistakes

• Starting at the scalp. The most common error. The shoulders and base of the skull are where the problem usually is.
• Using nails. Uncomfortable and distracting.
• Sliding through the hair rather than moving the scalp.
• Skipping the base of the skull. The single most useful area, and easy to miss.
• Pressing too hard on the temples. Thin tissue over bone; light pressure only.
• Going on too long. Beyond 15 minutes the scalp becomes over-sensitised.
• Using oil without asking. It commits them to washing their hair.

When not to

Do not give a head massage, and seek medical advice, if the person has:

• A sudden, severe headache, or one unlike any they have had before, which needs urgent assessment
• Headache with fever, neck stiffness, rash, confusion or visual changes, which requires emergency care
• A recent head injury, whiplash or neck injury
• An acute migraine attack, when touch is often intolerable
• Active scalp infection, open sores or head lice
• Recent neck or scalp surgery
• Known cervical spine instability

For anything persistent, professional treatment is more effective than home massage. Every therapist listed on Massages Bristol is checked for qualifications and public liability insurance^[2]. Browse Indian head massage in Bristol, the full directory, or read the Indian head massage guide.

Frequently asked questions

This article is researched by the Massages Bristol editorial team using NHS guidance, professional body standards and published research, and is checked against the practice of the qualified therapists listed in our Bristol directory. It is reviewed and updated when guidance or standard practice changes. It is general information, not medical advice: speak to your GP if you have a health condition that may affect treatment.