Words can’t describe how excited I am that so many of you are reaching out on the CONTACT page of this blog to send me tips and well wishes – it really makes my day!
The latest tip comes from Hubert who’s wife is a big believer in ASMR for her migraines, and to help us all, he sent me this link:
Now – full disclosure – whilst I have used EFT tapping and self-massage, as well as acupressure and “face yoga“, all of which I’ve posted about before (click the words to be linked to those posts), I have NEVER EVER heard of ASMR before in my life, but the opening image of the YouTube video had me intrigued.
So, what is ASMR and do you need a special comb to do it???
Um… no… I think I missed the point!
As it turns out, ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.
According to the Healthgrades website, it was a phrase coined in 2010 by a lady called Jennifer Allen, and the sensation she was describing was the deep sense of relaxation and tingly happiness you get after someone massages your scalp or scratches your back… a feeling also apparently known as… ah-hem… (sorry Mom)… brain orgasms.
[Wikipedia refers to it more politely as “low grade euphoria”.]
The website says that there is a growing trend of ASMR simulation videos where someone speaks softly and directly to the viewer and then either mimes massage at the camera, or else performs a massage on someone else as you watch.
I now realize that the link Hubert sent me is not so much a how-to video, its purpose is solely to help you relax and enjoy a neck massage and scalp rub vicariously by watching someone else receive the treatment.
Wow!
I find that idea so interesting.
I googled it a bit more and it can get a bit… um… how should I put it… pseudo-sexual might be the best way to describe it.
Lots of videos are of people having their hair brushed or neck massaged, in a very calming and casual way… but then in others, a lady with epic long gold fingernails might leave some rigorous red lines down a guy’s back as she scratches him.
Sound plays an important part in all the videos with high-quality recordings of the brush strokes and skin scratches. There are others that ditch the massage altogether and focus on the sound of people eating, or opening cosmetic packages and then applying the face sprays and creams.
This was so not what I was expecting, but I have heard of similar videos that focus on replicating “very satisfying” sensations, such as handling kid’s playdoh and slime, where the camera focuses on the oozy-gooey material squeezing through a clenched fist, and so on.
Based on what I can read online, people find it all incredibly soothing and often use it as a means of falling asleep.
Hmmm…
Back to migraines.
Migraine.com points out that there is no research to support ASMR as a migraine relief – BUT – “There is a bunch of anecdotal evidence that people find ASMR-inducing sensory input soothing to their migraines” – “perhaps because the sensation itself serves as some kind of analgesic.” As the author of the article notes, no skull tingles are going to budge a full-blown migraine event, however, in the stages towards the beginning and end, it can be comforting to have someone stroke your back or brush your hair.
Medicinenet.com says that some migraine patients enjoy soft music when they feel unwell (I do – and I have a playlist over on Spotify here), but other people do not. For them, “ASMR can be used in place of music to help you stay relaxed and quiet.” They note that “ASMR is characterized by soft sounds such as soft tapping, scratching, crinkling, and whispering.”
[I’ve spoken before about background noise for healing and the types of sounds that help (me) – such as “green noise” – and those which don’t – such as “white noise”.]
Here’s an example of a “let me massage your head” video, complete with gentle words and soothing green light – it goes for 30 minutes, but you’ll get the idea after the first few minutes:
Here’s another one that is reportedly designed for migraines, and this time it goes for an hour and it’s a gentle-man who’s doing the soothing simulation complete with facial creams and a lot of time spent on your eyebrows:
I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I gave up pretty quickly on both videos – I found it strange not comforting – I guess my imagination can only go so far when it comes to massages – I’d much prefer the real thing.
Turns out I’m not totally alone. On the Healthgrades website, they mention that watching videos of someone else having a head massage made 42% of people feel better, whilst 44% experienced no reduction in their pain symptoms whatsoever.
That said, if you think that means ASMR is not a popular thing – you’d be wrong. Here’s another example of a one hour video which includes physical, visual and audio stimulations designed to calm your nervous system down and help you fall asleep – the author has 367 THOUSAND subscribers – more than a quarter of a million people watch her videos – wowser!
On the downside, I think ASMR could get a bit odd. The most troubling video I watched (which I chose not to share) was a one-minute video of a migraine patient opening her medication box, with lots of nail tapping, and plastic ruffling, applying antiseptic wipes to her leg and then injecting herself with her migraine medication. It felt a little like a new genre of medical-porn was being created, and it made me queasy… but then again… needles are not my thing at the best of times.
On the upside, I think it is great if anything works to make you calmer, less stressed, more focused. I can see how it could be a form of mindfulness that grounds you and centers you into this moment. For those of us who struggle to get out and about, or who can’t afford a regular real-life massage, then it’s nice to be able to experience the sensation second-hand I guess.
Overall, ASMR is not for me, but it works for Hubert’s wife which is a reminder that we are all you-nique and so is our pain – and so is our healing. Find what works for you and lean into it!
Take care taking care everywhere anyhow, Linda x
[PS – disclaimer – just a reminder, I’m not a doctor, so the information in this blog is not designed to substitute medical advice – please see your healthcare professional when making decisions about how to proceed on your healing journey.]
PPS – I forgot to answer my earlier question about whether you need a special comb for ASMR – no – combs are optional!
PPPS – I was talking to my youngest daughter about this, and she surprised me by saying that SHE listens to ASMR videos to go to sleep sometimes – huh! Seems like I’m VERY late to this party!
The Mindful Migraine 
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