Conservative Management of Headaches - Can Rehab Chiropractic Help?
Did you know that your headaches could be coming from your neck tension? Many times headaches and migraines can be attributed to muscle tension and tightness in the muscles surrounding your neck and shoulders. Headaches can be disheartening, especially when they begin to interfere with your daily activities and leave you turning to medication for pain relief. Those who suffer with headaches are often left to navigate the world around their symptoms as best they can, as they are never taught how to self-manage with lifestyle medications and movement. Headaches are absolutely something that a rehab chiropractor or physical therapist can help with!
Like anything else, headaches come in several different varieties that can require an additional form of treatment outside of chiropractic and physical therapy. However, conservative management is a great place to start before looking into more invasive or costly alternatives.
There are two types of headaches that are a rehab chiropractor or physical therapists’ bread and butter:
Tension headache - Tension headaches are the most common type of headache where the primary symptom is the sensation of a band wrapping around the head. This is often accompanied with dull and achy tension throughout the muscles of the neck and shoulders. The cause of these headaches vary, but the most common cause seen in clinic is stress or improper workstation ergonomics.
Cervicogenic headaches - This type of headaches has a fancy name just to say it’s stemming from the joints and intricate musculature of your neck (cervical spine). While complex and varying, the general presentation of this headache is one-sided head and neck pain, sometimes including the same sided shoulder, and a general reduction in the neck’s range of motion. The most common cause of these headaches is also attributed to stress or improper workstation ergonomics.
Often, the headaches above may be felt in the following distribution:
You may be wondering, “what about migraines?”
Here is my honorable mention for migraines:
Migraines - Migraines are a specific and complex type of headache that often require additional treatment and lifestyle changes outside of a chiro/PT’s scope. They are very multifactorial and can be triggered by muscle tension, stress, hormones, and diet. Migraines usually present with symptoms of a throbbing or pulsing sensation of the head with light and noise sensitivity. These headaches outlast most others, lasting sometimes days.
I hesitate to throw migraines in the “bread and butter for chiro/PTs” category because of their multifactorial nature and complexity. Can chiro and PT help? If the majority of your symptoms are stemming from joint restriction or muscle tension, absolutely! However, if the majority of your individual triggers is NOT being helped by conservative treatment, your provider should refer you out to another provider to investigate other forms of management.
How can a Rehab Chiropractor or Physical Therapist help with my headaches?
Soft tissue therapies - whether it be manual muscle work, dry needling, cupping, or scraping, any of these preferred techniques are an excellent way to help alleviate “knots”, tightness, and tension contributing to your headaches.
Exercise - tight and cranky muscle are often weak muscles! The muscles that support our head and neck do a lot for us, and are often neglected. Your chiro/PT can help you pinpoint which muscles need some extra attention and provide you with either strengthening exercises or stretches to help.
Adjustments - especially when headaches are accompanied by reduced range of motion and muscle tension, adjustments can reintroduce greater range of motion to the muscles and joints which can aid in managing discomfort and reducing tension.
Posture - with the majority of us living such a digital life these days, we spend a great deal of our time slouched in flexion. Our bodies get very tired of hanging out in the same position all day long. Incorporating movement breaks into your day can make all the difference.
Workstation ergonomics - again, we spend a ton of time slouched in flexion and stuck at our desks. Explaining your work setup to your chiro can help them assist you in coming up with minor adjustments like moving monitors, adjusting desk/chair height, etc. These minor changes are oftentimes the missing puzzle piece.
Seeking care for headaches through rehab chiropractic or PT is one of the most valuable approaches, as conservative care allows you to manage or eliminate symptoms without relying on expensive or powerful medications.
Motive offers the most comprehensive care for headaches in Norman and surrounding areas. Motive is Norman’s one-stop-shop for chiropractic adjustments, physiotherapy, dry needling, cupping, scraping, and rehabilitative exercise all under the same roof. Our goal is to lead you toward self-sufficiency through making you an active participant in your care, meaning you will learn simple movements and lifestyle modifications to manage your symptoms in your time outside of the office. We look forward to helping you take control of your symptoms!
