Headaches

There are over 10 million headache sufferers in the UK alone. Ranging from a mild headache that can be tackled with over the counter painkillers to something truly debilitating, they come in lots of different forms. Many people put their headaches down to dealing with everyday stress, but in fact headaches can have plenty of different causes. According to the International Headache Society there are over 300 different types of headache, with the most common being migraines, sinus and tension headaches

How do you treat a tension headache?

A tension headache is normally felt behind the eyes and in the neck and forehead, caused by tension held in the muscles of the head and neck. This can be down to poor posture, long periods held in the same position (such as looking at a screen at work), eye straining and fatigue.

Recent research has led to a belief that tension headaches (or cervicogenic headaches) are caused by problems in the upper spine where tension can be held. Although most people are unlikely to reach for a physiotherapist rather than a painkiller when a tension headache strikes, your physio can help to identify and treat the root cause of the problem, relieving your immediate symptoms as well as working to stop further headaches from taking hold.

How do you treat a migraine?

A migraine is a type of headache that is often accompanied by other symptoms (such as an aversion to light and sounds, and nausea), brought on by a disorder in the central nervous system involving the nerves and blood vessels. Whereas migraine medications will target the central nervous system to readdress any problems there, physiotherapy can help by working on pain and tension held in muscles and joints.

This approach doesn’t work for everyone, and we tailor any treatment to your specific condition and how much of a role your muscles and joints are likely to play in your migraines. We can teach you stretching and massage techniques that some migraine sufferers have found to be helpful for early on in a migraine.

How do you treat a sinus headache?

A sinus headache usually presents as a constant throbbing pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose where your sinuses may be swollen and restricted. As well as treating any infection or underlying cause through your GP, we can help with massage, dry needling and acupuncture techniques that can relieve pain and help to bring down swelling.