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People with headaches not only have problems pain but also with sleep and mental health, including depression and anxiety. Headaches reduce the amount of activities and work performed by people and resulted in people missing family, leisure, and social activities.
Tension headaches are characterized by dull, aching pain and tightness around the head.
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. Tension headaches typically don't cause nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. Tension headaches affect both sides of the head and come on slowly. They are described as a tight band or vice around the head.
Migraine Headaches are characterized by intense pain, nausea, light sensitivity, visual disturbances. A headache of varying intensity, often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine headaches are sometimes preceded by warning symptoms. Triggers include hormonal changes, certain foods and drinks, stress, and exercise. Migraine headaches can cause throbbing in one particular area that can vary in intensity.
Some factors that can contribute to tension or migraine headaches are poor posture, muscle overuse and stress.
Poor posture can cause muscle strain of the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Tension in these muscles can cause trigger points that can refer pain into the head/neck and be a cause of headaches. Muscle imbalances and weakness of the postural muscles can cause joint dysfunction of the upper neck which can also cause headaches. Postural exercises improve posture over time.
Muscle imbalances and misalignment of the spine (joint issues) can exacerbate headaches and create trigger points. Poor posture can aggravate all of these issues. We help identify these imbalances and tight spots and can treat them or give you exercises to help restore mobility and balance.
Stress contributes to muscle tension and headache development through worse posture and altered breathing mechanics. People tend to chest breathe instead of using their diaphragm (belly breath) when they are stressed. This causes you to use your neck muscles to breathe and contributes to overuse and tightness. Learning proper breathing techniques can reduce tension on the muscles and joints that cause headaches.
Our approach to treating headaches is to perform a comprehensive evaluation to identify specific weaknesses, what muscles, joint and nerves are tight and identify movement and postural patterns that can be improved.
We perform:
Hands on techniques to loosen tight muscles, fascia, joints and nerves which reduces pain.
We give specific targeted exercises and stretches to improve strength and mobility.
We go through posture correction and ergonomic adjustments.
Relaxation and breathing techniques to reduce stress and manage triggers.
Preventive Measures:
Developing a personalized exercise program.
Incorporating stress management practices.
Regular ergonomic evaluations and adjustments.
If you are unable to manage your headaches through medications and/or a standard exercise program or if you have failed traditional PT or chiropractic we urge you to give us a call to see how we can help reduce your pain and help you do the things you want to in life.
About the author: David Potucek, PT, MSPT, CFMT
David is an orthopedic physical therapist with over 20 years of experience. He has worked with some of the best dentists in the TMJ and airway field to help patients with jaw pain recover and get back to doing what they love.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
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