Traditional head massage with warm medicated oils, working gently on the scalp, neck and shoulders and the marma points there.
Shiro Abhyangam is an oil massage of the head: shiro means head and abhyanga means rubbing warm oil into the body. It belongs to the clinic’s head and face therapies. The classics describe four ways of bringing oil to the head, and this is the gentlest of them; Shirodhara and Shiro Pichu are two of the others. Because it is short and simple, a head therapy plan often begins with it.
A session runs about 30–45 minutes. Shiro Abhyangam is carried out at Sri Vinayaga Ayurvibe, a doctor-led Ayurveda hospital at Nookampalayam, Perumbakkam, Chennai 600131 — within reach of Medavakkam, Sholinganallur, OMR, Pallikaranai, Velachery and Tambaram.
What Shiro Abhyangam is traditionally used for
Shiro Abhyangam is traditionally used for stress and tension, poor sleep, scalp and hair care and tension headaches.
It is traditionally used to support tension headaches that build through the working day, poor sleep, a dry or itchy scalp, and dry, brittle hair. It appears in the clinic’s plans for Neck & cervical pain, Insomnia & poor sleep, Stress, anxiety & burnout, Sinusitis & allergic rhinitis, Hair fall & dandruff and Eye strain & dry eyes, usually in a supporting role.
It is typically planned for people who sit at screens for long hours, students around exams, and anyone whose stress sits in the scalp, jaw and shoulders. Because it is done sitting up, it also suits older patients who find lying still difficult.
What happens in a session
You sit upright with a towel around your shoulders — this one is done sitting, not lying down.
Oil chosen for your constitution is warmed to just above skin temperature, poured onto the crown first — the classical starting point — and spread through the parted hair.
The therapist works the scalp with fingertip circles, light tapping and kneading, then holds steady pressure on the marma points at the temples, behind the ears and at the base of the skull, before moving down the neck and across the shoulders.
You rest a few minutes with the oil in. The session, 30 to 45 minutes in all, ends with a warm-water head bath, or with the oil wiped and the head covered if you will wash at home.
Who should not have Shiro Abhyangam
An infected, oozing or broken scalp, or a boil or wound on the head.
A recent head injury, or a headache that is new, sudden and severe — that needs a medical assessment first.
A fever or a heavy cold; the session is postponed until it passes, or a lighter oil is chosen.
A hair transplant or neck surgery in recent weeks — follow your surgeon’s timing, and the neck work is left out or kept light.
Pregnancy — tell the doctor, who checks before planning it and chooses the oil and position accordingly.
How many sessions?
Shiro Abhyangam is one of the few therapies here that is reasonable as a single session, once the doctor has seen you. For poor sleep or hair fall it is planned as a course, commonly 7 to 14 sessions, often alongside Shirodhara or Shiro Pichu.
Dr.V.Vaitheeshwari B.A.M.S., sets the number by what the massage is supporting, how long the complaint has lasted, and how you respond in the first few sessions.
Before you come
Remove hair clips, extensions and any hairpiece, and tie long hair loosely.
Mention a recent hair colour or straightening treatment, or a scalp condition such as psoriasis, so the oil and timing suit it.
Wear a shirt that opens at the front, so you do not pull an oily collar over your head afterwards.
Afterwards
Many people feel heavy-headed and sleepy for an hour or two, though not everyone does.
Dry the hair fully after washing, and if you ride a two-wheeler home, put a cloth cap under your helmet so the oil stays out of its lining.
Call us on +91 81229 39197 if the scalp turns red, itchy or bumpy over the next day or two — it can be a reaction to the oil, and the oil can be changed.
Cost
Cost depends on the duration and whether the doctor plans a single session or a course. Call +91 81229 39197 and we will tell you before you book — there are no surprises at the counter.
The movements are similar; the oil is not. Here it is a medicated preparation the doctor chooses for your constitution and complaint, and the massage follows the marma points rather than general rubbing.
Will the massage make my hair fall more?
A few loose hairs come out with any massage. They had already stopped growing and would have shed within days anyway. If you notice a lot, tell the therapist and the pressure will be lightened.
Can I keep the oil on overnight at home?
Only if the doctor says so for your oil and complaint. Oil left on all night suits some people and gives others a heavy head, a cold or a stiff neck by morning, especially under air-conditioning.
What does Shiro Abhyangam cost in Chennai?
Cost depends on the duration and whether the doctor plans a single session or a course. Call +91 81229 39197 and we will tell you before you book — there are no surprises at the counter.
Sri Vinayaga Ayurvibe — 12/597, Main Road, Nethaji Nagar Main Rd,
Nookampalayam, Perumbakkam, Chennai 600131. Phone:
+91 81229 39197.
