Physiotherapy Clinic based in the centre of St. Albans
Headaches:
Headaches can be experienced due to a dysfunction around the neck and shoulders. These are known as cervicogenic headaches.
If you are experiencing headaches, it is important to see a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Once you have been cleared by your doctor, a physiotherapist can help you manage your headaches and improve your quality of life.
Physiotherapy can be a valuable tool in managing headaches, especially those related to muscle tension or poor posture.
Common forms of headache include
- Referred cervical headache – is a type of headache that originates in the neck and is felt in the head caused by poor posture, muscle tension, neck injury or degenerative disc disease. Referred cervical headache is often described as a dull ache or pressure in the head. It may also be accompanied by neck pain, stiffness, and tenderness. The pain may worsen with neck movement or activity.
- Muscle tension headache – the most common type of headache. Characterized by a dull, aching pain that feels like a tight band around the head. Caused by muscle tension in the head, neck and shoulders from stress, poor posture or injury.
- Headache caused by whiplash – occurs when the head and neck are suddenly jerked forward and backward, often as a result of a car accident.
Staff at Orchard Physiotherapy Clinic are experts in treating all these conditions.
Benefits of physiotherapy for treatment of headaches
- Pain Relief: Physiotherapists can use techniques like massage, trigger point therapy and joint mobilization to relax tense muscles and reduce pain.
- Improved Posture: Correcting poor posture can alleviate strain on the neck and upper back muscles, which can contribute to headaches.
- Enhanced Muscle Function: Specific exercises can strengthen the muscles supporting your head and neck, reducing the likelihood of future headaches.
- Stress Reduction: Physiotherapy may incorporate relaxation techniques like breathing exercises and meditation to help manage stress, a common trigger for headaches.
- Reduced Medication Reliance: By addressing the underlying causes of headaches, physiotherapy can help reduce the need for pain medication.
- Improved Quality of Life: By reducing the frequency and severity of headaches, physiotherapy can significantly improve your overall quality of life.
Our Physiotherapy services aim to reduce your pain, restore movement and return you to your optimal function whether you are affected by illness, injury, disability or ageing.
If you suffer from frequent headaches, consulting a qualified physiotherapist at Orchard Physiotherapy Clinic can help you identify the underlying causes and develop a personalized treatment plan.
What we will do to treat your cervicogenic headaches
We will work with you to help address posture, joint stiffness, muscle tension and weakness, which can all contribute to cervicogenic headaches.
- Identifying the cause: We will assess your posture, muscle tension and movement patterns to determine the underlying cause of your headaches..
- Relaxing tight muscles: We will use physiotherapy techniques to relax tight muscles to reduce pain and improve blood flow to the area.
- Improving posture: We will teach you exercises and stretches to improve your posture and reduce muscle tension.
- Strengthening weak muscles: We will offer corrective advice and prescribe dedicated exercise routines to strengthen weak muscles and stretch tight ones.
- Homework: We provide ongoing advice and exercise to help you to manage your headaches at home. This may include tips on how to improve your posture, how to relax your muscles and how to manage stress.
Suffering Aches and Pains?
If you are suffering from a physical health condition, sports injury or general pain and discomfort then we are here to help you.
Our goal is to treat your symptoms, reduce your pain, increase your range of motion, improve your flexibility and help you return to your optimal function. Our physiotherapists are able to treat a range of complaints, such as a bad backs, sore necks, muscle and joint pain, tennis elbow, sciatica, knee pain, hip problems, as well as many more conditions.