Find Out How To Handle Your Headaches

The most common type of headaches in adults are called tension headaches. Although they are common, tension headaches can be incredibly frustrating and debilitating. They can keep you from your daily activities and affect your vision, balance, and strength.

Archer St Physiotherapy Centre is here to help. We offer a variety of treatments that can help reduce the frequency and severity of your tension headaches. Our team is made up of friendly, qualified professionals who are dedicated to helping you feel your best.

Highlight Headache-related Structures

There are many different types and classifications of headaches. However, they all have similar anatomy and physiology.

Nervous System:
A headache is always initiated by noxious stimulation of the nerve endings that synapse on the trigeminocervical nucleus, by irritation of the nerves themselves, or by disinhibition of the nucleus.
Occipitofrontalis:
The muscle that begins at the eyebrows extends over the skull top and attaches to the rear occipital bone. You raise your eyebrows and wrinkle your forehead with this muscle. A tight occipitofrontalis creates a great deal of pressure in the head.
Neck Muscles:
Neck muscles that attach to the base of the skull can pull on the bone and cause tension in the occipitofrontalis, leading to headaches. These muscles include the upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, suboccipitals, semispinalis capitis, and splenius capitis. In the front area of the neck, the sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles flex the head and neck forward. You may have tight muscles from spending a lot of time at a computer, looking down at your phone, or driving.
Back Muscles:
You can even develop a tension headache from tension in any part of the back, such as the erector spinae group, transversospinalis group, middle and lower trapezius, or even the quadratus lumborum.
Jaw Muscles:
When stressed, the jaw muscles can become very tight, creating tension in the skull’s network of muscles and connective tissue. These muscles include the temporalis, masseter, and pterygoids.

CAUSES

Typical Causes Of Headaches

Tension headaches are caused by a variety of factors. Studies show that it is often caused by tight muscles in the back of the neck and on the scalp.

Tension headaches are frequently caused by stress related to work, school, family, friends, or other relationships. A painful episode is usually triggered by a single stressful situation or a buildup of stress. The chronic kind is caused by daily stress. Other common headache triggers are:

Not enough rest
Poor posture
Emotional or mental stress
Hunger and dehydration
Excessive intake of alcohol or caffeine
Jaw or dental problems
Heavy hair extensions

Common Symptoms Of Headaches

Unlike migraine headaches, you will not experience other nerve symptoms, such as weakness or blurred vision. Tension headaches don’t usually cause vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, or severe sensitivity to light or noise. They usually manifest as:

Pain or pressure in the front, top, or sides of your head
Headaches that usually occur at the end of the day
Sleep problems
Fatigue
Irritability
Problems with concentrating
Aches in the muscles

TREATMENTS

Physiotherapy Treatments For Your Headaches

01.

Jaw Therapy

Releasing tight and stiff symptoms around the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ), jaw and face can relieve headache symptoms throughout the skull.

02.

Dry Needling

Needling to reduce tightness in the neck and upper back muscles can help improve your posture and alleviate tension onto the base of the skull.

03.

Hands-on Therapy

Manual therapy including mobilisations and remedial massage can clear symptoms of headaches and improve function.

04.

Massage

Remedial massage and releasing tightness from soft tissue structures can remove the major causes of headaches and clear symptoms of stiffness and tension.

05.

Myofascial Release

Improves movement and flexibility by breaking down tight points in soft tissue structures, which may be feeding your headaches.

06.

Heat Therapy

Allows improved blood circulation and relaxation of muscles to decrease tension in muscles connecting to the neck, face and skull.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ's about Headaches

How do you relax your neck muscles?

Consult your doctor before starting if you already experience pain in your neck or elsewhere. When you stretch, you will feel some tension in your neck muscles. If pain is present during the stretch, discontinue the motion immediately.

Forward and Backward Tilt

You can do this while sitting or standing. Be sure to keep your movements smooth and slow.

Your head should be directly above your shoulders, and your back should be straight.
Fold your chin to your chest and hold for 15-30 seconds. Take a deep breath and slowly raise your head.
Raise your chin toward the ceiling and bring the base of your skull towards your back. Maintain the position for 10 seconds before returning to the start position.
Perform the set several times a day.

Side Tilt

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Your arms should hang down by your sides.

Try to touch your right shoulder with your ear while tilting your head toward it. Stop when you feel a stretch. Keep your shoulders down.
Recover to your starting position after 5-10 seconds.
Repeat on your left. Complete several sets of 10 repetitions.
For extra stretch, place the hand on top of your head on the same side as your tilted head and lightly press with your fingertips.

Shoulder Roll

You should stand while performing this exercise.

Straighten your shoulders and move them forward in a circle. Perform the exercise 6 times.
Make 6 more circles, this time going backwards.

What is a TMJ headache?

Temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ) headaches are caused by the tensing up of your jaw muscles, which then spread to the TMJ muscles along the side of your cheeks and up to the top of your head. The TMJ headache causes pain in your cheeks, ears, jaw, and other parts of your face, along with the top of your head. Neck and shoulder pain may also be present.

The following symptoms are specific to TMJ headaches:

Popping or clicking sounds in the mouth
Chewing difficulty and pain
TMJ pain
Bite abnormalities
Headaches caused by jaw movements
Teeth Clenching

What part of the head do tension headaches occur?

Tension headaches can occur in the following places:

Starting at the back of your head and spreading forward
Feeling like a band of dull pressure or squeezing pain that surrounds your entire head
Equally affecting both sides of the head
Feeling tight and sore in the neck, shoulders, and jaw

What is a cervicogenic headache?

Cervicogenic headache (CGH) is caused when pain is referred from a specific source in the neck up to the head. Sometimes the pain intensity can worsen, but it is often a steady ache or dull feeling. It is common for CGH symptoms to be side-locked, meaning they appear on one side of the neck, head, or face.

CGH is a secondary headache caused by a physical or neurologic condition that develops first. In addition to trauma such as fractures, dislocations, or whiplash injuries, CGH can also be caused by various medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, or infection. Although the pain source is in the cervical spine, CGH can be difficult to diagnose because the pain is not always felt in the neck. Symptoms of CGH can also mimic primary headaches, such as migraines and tension headaches.