Whether you are stressed, dehydrated, ate an ice-cream way too quickly or are a chronic sufferer, it’s safe to say we’ve all experienced a headache or two in our day. But if you’re finding that your ‘once in a blue moon’ headache is becoming a regular visitor, it’s time to seek professional help. Osteopathy can help those suffering from chronic headaches by determining the underlying cause and treating the body as a whole. Let’s take a quick look and see how we can help you to feel your best!
What is a headache?
A headache is any pain in the head region. The pain may feel sharp, dull or throbbing. It may be isolated to one side of the head, behind the eyes or felt evenly around the head. There are over 200 types of headache and they are broadly categorised as primary or secondary.
Primary headaches occur on their own (and are not influenced by another illness). These include:
- Tension headaches: are the most common type with mild to moderate pain. It may feel like a tight band across your head or a dull and aching pain. Tenderness in your scalp, neck and shoulders is also common.
- Migraines: cause severe throbbing and pulsing and are typically felt on one side of the head. Migraines are usually experienced with other physical symptoms. These include nausea, vomiting, body tingles and visual issues like sensitivity to light or blind spots.
- Cluster headaches: occur in episodic periods that range from one week to a year. They are extremely painful and typically present as striking pain behind one eye or on one side of your head. Migraine-like symptoms are common and eyes can become red, swollen and teary.
Secondary headaches are caused by another illness in the body. These vary greatly from sinusitis, concussions, to the flu or a brain freeze!
Causes
The causes of headache vary greatly! Secondary headaches have a direct link to another problem, but primary headaches commonly occur from:
- Stress
- Misalignment of the spine
- Poor posture
- Tense muscles
- Lifestyle factors
- Genetics
Can osteopathy help?
Our osteopaths will assess, diagnose and treat headaches. We’ll also treat other areas that can influence head pain, including the neck, jaw, shoulders and back, if necessary. This helps us get to the root cause of the issue! We use a combination of soft tissue massage, joint manipulation and stretching, and also offer lifestyle advice on exercise and posture to prevent headache frequency. Our hands-on treatment takes a holistic approach to not only treat your headaches but improve your overall quality of life. Because there’s nothing worse than a terrible headache!
Don’t put up with the pain! If you are experiencing frequent headaches, give us a call on +61 430 062 099 or email info@activeosteopathy.com.au to book your appointment today!
