Headache Physical Therapy
Headaches are a complex and often confusing form of pain.
Headache Physical Therapy
Headaches are a complex and often confusing form of pain. What most people don’t realize is that many forms of headaches are the result of tight muscles, stiff joints and poor posture. Treatment for headaches focuses on improving mobility of the joints or muscles of the neck, increasing strength of the neck stabilizers and improving posture.
Headaches are one of the most common reasons that people see their primary care physician and they account for 20% of outpatient visits to neurologists. People with chronic headaches report disabling symptoms that interfere with daily activities. Headaches can be classified into 2 catagories: Primary and Secondary.
- Migraine
- Tension Type
- Cluster
- Hemicrania Continua
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Temporalmandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
- Cervicogenic Headaches
- Tension Type (musculoskeletal component)
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Trigger Points
Common Treatment of Headaches
A thorough physical therapy examination attempts to determine the type of headache and to define the neuromusculoskeletal factors contributing to it. Muscle tension, joint dysfunction of the neck and jaw, cervical disc degeneration / herniation, poor posture and stress are factors that can be addressed and treated by a skilled therapist.
If you are a headache sufferer and you are looking for a way to manage your headaches beyond using medication, talk to a trained and experienced physical therapist about possible conservative treatment options.
Manual Therapy
Spine Therapy
Traction
Modalities
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