Headaches, migraines, neck pain, nausea, and visual symptoms intermingle in many of our lives, forcing us to change plans, take medication, and try to find a way through the pain. Whether you have headaches every so often that aren’t too painful, or experience debilitating effects of migraine regularly, a physical therapy treatment plan may be able to help you find peace and freedom from the pain.
Causes of headaches
Different types of headaches cause different symptoms and respond differently to treatment methods. That’s why it’s important to tell your healthcare provider all the details of your headaches so you can reach an accurate diagnosis together and develop an effective treatment plan for long-lasting relief.
Headaches can be caused by overall health conditions, injuries, or even environmental factors, such as:
- Dehydration
- Sinus infection
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Meningitis
- Concussion
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
- Muscle tension
Treating conditions that lead to headaches, such as hypertension and sinus infections, is often effective in alleviating symptoms. For headaches and head pain that are recurring or seemingly have no stimulus, taking a comprehensive approach can reduce risks of continuing to experience headaches.
Types of headaches
There are dozens of types of headaches that fall into two categories: primary and secondary headaches.
Secondary headaches are a symptom of another underlying condition, such as dehydration and infection. Primary headaches, on the other hand, arise spontaneously and have looser correlations with risk factors such as frequency of headaches in biological relatives, changes in lifestyle, or certain habits.
Common types of primary headaches we treat include:
- Tension-type headaches
- Migraine
- Cluster headaches
- Exertion headaches
Each of these and other types of headaches can respond well to treatment when taking your whole lifestyle and experience into consideration.
Symptoms of headaches
Anyone who’s had headaches knows their distinct symptoms of pain and sensitivity. Other headache and migraine symptoms include:
- Pain originating within the head in general, or on one side specifically
- Visual phenomena, called auras
- Sensitivity to light and/or sound
- Cognitive impairment (“brain fog”)
- Dizziness
- Muscle tension
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
Many other symptoms might also be present and could help direct your healthcare provider to a specific headache diagnosis, which is why it’s important to keep track of your symptoms, when you experience them, and how they affect your lifestyle.
How physical therapy can help
Our physical therapists have helped treat patients who experience migraine, neck pain, and headaches to better manage their pain when it arises or seek a remedy for a treatable underlying condition. Some of the techniques we may use to help relieve the pain of headaches include:
- Manual therapy
- Dry needling
- Ergonomics assessment
If you’re experiencing regular, debilitating pain in your head or neck, you deserve to be proactive and advocate for your health beyond mitigating the pain with medication. Our physical therapists will listen to your health story and help you find a functional, holistic treatment plan for headache relief. Start the conversation with our team by calling one of our nearby clinic locations or contacting us online today.
