HEADACHE TREATMENT

One of the most common reasons people see a myotherapist is due to headaches. Headaches (and associated neck pain) are one of the most common human complaints, affecting over 60% of the population. Headaches can be placed under 2 categories: Vascular headache (migraines & cluster headaches), and Cervicogenic headache (typically caused from joint, muscle, fascia or neural dysfunction) and tension-type headaches. The majority of headaches experienced by the population are of tension-type (50%) and cervicogenic (30%) in nature, both of which can be treated. Myotherapy is incredibly effective in treating and eliminating cervicogenic and tension-type headaches. 

VASCULAR HEADACHE

The most common vascular headache is a migraine, a recurrent throbbing headache that characteristically affects one side of the head and is often accompanied by nausea and disturbed vision. Migraines affect around 15% of the population and can typically start presenting from childhood. Migraines can last between 4-72hrs and often sleep and/or medication is the best remedy. The underlying cause of migraines is still not understood, but a genetic component is often a strong link for many sufferers, as are environmental triggers including food and weather. There is also a possible link between migraines and hormones, especially in women but again this is not well understood. 
 

CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE

The second most common type of headache for adults is a cervicogenic headache. Cervicogenic headaches affect the majority of headache sufferers, and are often the result of active trigger points from surrounding muscles, tendons, fascia or nerves, which refer pain. They present as a dull pain which is normally but not always unilateral, tightness or pressure around the back of the head and neck or around the forehead. They are often described as being like a clamp tightening around the head.
Sufferers will sometimes wake with their headache, or it will arise from a result of occupational factors, including repetitive movements and sustained postures. Another common cause of a cervicogenic headache is stress; this can be caused from emotional or mental stress, bad posture, lack of sleep, skipping meals, or fatigue. This can then lead to tension within the muscles surrounding the head and neck which then lead to headaches.

 

TENSION TYPE HEADACHES - READ MORE HERE

HEADACHE TREATMENT & MYOTHERAPY

There are many neck, upper back & face muscles that are responsible for headaches. Upon conducting a thorough assessment of your pain patterns, we can establish which of these structures is causing the headaches. One particular muscle which rarely causes the individual any pain but can cause horrid headaches is the muscle in the diagram below, the sternocleidomastoid (SCM). As you can see from the diagram, this muscle can cause pain referral to many areas of the head and neck. It's a muscle that gets used significantly, especially if you work behind a desk or are looking at your computers/screens/phones for a good part of the day.  
A myotherapist is your therapist when it comes to finding myofascial pain patterns and releasing the trigger points causing your headaches. Myotherapy treatment combined with specific exercises given will help to eliminate your myofascial headaches.

Myotherapy & Movement clinic in Malvern, treats both headaches and neck pain.

Learn more about wry neck - https://www.myotherapyandmovementclinic.com.au/wry-neck 

WHEN TO SEEK MEDICAL HELP

If you do not have a history of migraines and experience a sudden onset of severe headache, or if you have suffered history of head trauma, you should seek medical advice for your headache as it could indicate a more serious medical issue. 

References 

Boden SD1, Davis DO, Dina TS, Patronas NJ, Wiesel SW. Abnormal magnetic-resonance scans of the lumbar spine in asymptomatic subjects. A prospective investigation. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1990 Mar;72(3):403-8.

Myotherapy and Movement Clinic is located in the heart of Camberwell Junction. In addition to Camberwell, we service the surrounding areas including Hawthorn East, Hawthorn, Glen Iris, Malvern, Malvern East, Toorak, Canterbury, Kew, Mont Albert, Surrey Hills, Balwyn and other areas in the Inner East of Melbourne.