HOW MUCH ARE YOUR HEADACHES IMPACTING YOUR LIFE?

By experienced Physio, Helen Sibbald who has a special interest in treating Necks, Vertigo & Balance Disorders

Did you know?

• There are over 300 different types of headaches and many issues that may trigger them.
• Physiotherapists, your GP and specialists, like Neurologists, are trained to assess and recognise which headache type you have and target their management appropriately?

THE GOOD NEWS:

Headaches can be debilitating and frustrating, and expensive while you shop around for a “cure”. The good news is: headaches are common, nearly everyone has them, and there are strategies that you can develop to help yourself during a headache or to prevent a headache.

WHAT CAN A PHYSIOTHERAPIST DO FOR A HEADACHE?

If you saw a Physio first, they would actively listen to your headache “story”. Firstly, to rule out so called “red flags” – these are the things that would require us to refer you to a Dr prior to any treatment. Secondly, to diagnose your headache type, based on your history and features of your headaches.

Secondly, the Physio would perform a thorough physical examination and if your examination fulfils the criteria, a diagnosis of Cervicogenic headache (coming from your neck) can be made and appropriate Physiotherapy management planned.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A HEADACHE THAT COMES FROM YOUR NECK?

These headaches are usually one-sided (with associated dysfunction on that side of the neck). They do not shift from side to side during that headache (like migraines can). They are aggravated by neck postures or movements and usually it feels like the pain starts in the neck and moves up to the head. The cause could be poor/prolonged postures; osteoarthritis of the neck joints; previous trauma for example, MVC, sports injury.

WHAT WOULD YOUR PHYSIO FIND IF THE HEADACHE WAS FROM YOUR NECK?

Physiotherapists would find, on examination, a pattern of impairment: loss of ROM of the neck, painful and or stiff neck joints and dysfunction of some of the “core” muscles of your neck – the deep neck flexors. Commonly, tight muscles, poor postural habits, dysfunction of the neck extensor and shoulder blade muscles can also be found. All of these may restrict blood flow to the nerves and change some of the local chemicals, firing off messages up to the brain which then produces pain and you have a headache.

WHAT WOULD YOUR PHYSIO DO? 

Depending on what we found, management would be tailored to your needs and would usually consist firstly of education and reassurance.

Studies have shown that if you understand that a major cause of your pain is extra sensitive nerves and if you understand what is causing your pain, your nerves will start to calm down and your pain will lessen.

Manual therapy would be performed to the neck joints and muscles to promote better movement and function.

Therapeutic exercises will be prescribed as well as home exercises to keep the neck moving well. Self -management strategies (to calm the nerves down) would be demonstrated.

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR POOR BALANCE, VISUAL DISTURBANCES AND YOUR HEADACHE MAY BE LINKED?

A portion of people with cervicogenic headaches also experience a feeling of light headedness, unsteadiness or visual disturbances. Your Physio would do a battery of tests that test balance, gaze stability, eye follow, and neck joint position sense and movement sense. Specific exercises to address these impairments would be prescribed.

YOU MAY HAVE A NECK ISSUE AS WELL AS A MIGRAINE/TENSION TYPE HEADACHE:

Some people have more than 1 type of headache or a mixed headache type and even if your headache is not cervicogenic/ or is a migraine or a tension type headache (for which, you may have seen a Dr for medication), you may also have co–existing neck pain that could respond well to Physio. The self -management strategies that your Physio will discuss with you can help all types of headaches.

If you have a headache, Vertigo, Dizziness, Nausea, Visual Disturbances or Poor Balance, come and see Physio Helen Sibbald for a Consult. Helen consults from our Runaway Bay/Labrador Clinic. For bookings phone 07 5500 6470 or Book Online