_{Massage Therapy and IIH
IIH ans Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy
Myofascial Release}

I know this technique can be used for a lot of issues, but I have found the most benefit around surgery scars, shunt placement, and LP sites. It is truly amazing, but I have no idea how to explain it. I personally felt a constant tightness and occasional pulling in these areas, which just added to the pain and discomfort of the headaches. I also developed sciatica and other numbness/tingling (seemingly as a result of these areas).. Myofascial Release just stretches and breaks it all up. I found the following exerpts at the Whole Health MD Reference Library to help explain the technique and benefits:

A gentle blend of stretching and massage, myofascial release therapy uses hands-on manipulation of the entire body to promote healing and relieve pain. Therapists use the technique to ease pressure in the fibrous bands of connective tissue, or fascia, that encase muscles throughout the body. Sheaths of this dense and elastic connective tissue weave about blood vessels, bones, and nerves as well, forming an intricate, 3-D web that supports your organs and joints from head to toe and acts as the body's shock absorber.

According to practitioners of myofascial release, scarring or injury to this network of connective tissue is a major cause of pain and impeded motion. The therapy's easy stretches aim to alleviate these problems by breaking up, or "releasing," constrictions or snags in the fascia. People with longstanding back pain, fibromyalgia, recurring headaches, sports injuries, and a host of additional complaints are all said to benefit from the technique.

Myofascial release therapy is based on the idea that poor posture, physical injury, illness, and emotional stress can throw the body out of alignment and cause its intricate web of fascia to become taut and constricted. Because fascia link every organ and tissue in the body with every other part, the skillful and dexterous use of the hands is said to free up, or "release," disruptions in this fascial network. Pressure on the bones, muscles, joints, and nerves is relieved in the process, and balance is restored.

Like a "pull" in a sweater, the effects of tension and strain are thought to snowball over time. Abnormal pressures may tighten or bind the fascia to underlying tissues, causing "adhesions," or dabs of scar tissue that cling to muscle fibers. Even though these adhesions do not show up on x-rays or other scans, they can stiffen joints or contribute to painful motions, such as rotator cuff injuries. If they occur near a nerve, they may cause numbness, pain, and tingling, as with sciatica or carpal tunnel syndrome.

The gentle and sustained stretching of myofascial release is believed to free these adhesions and soften and lengthen the fascia. By freeing up fascia that may be impeding blood vessels or nerves, myofascial release is also said to enhance the body's innate restorative powers by improving circulation and Nervous System transmission