Physical Therapy Treatment for Headaches
As most people know, the pain that occurs in any part of the head is called a headache. This pain can be frustrating at times and for some people, it can seem almost inevitable to manage. Though most headaches aren’t the result of a chronic or acute illness, you won’t know unless you get them checked out by a professional.
Types of headaches
Headaches are an extremely common complaint. According to The International Headache Society, there are several different categories of headaches including tension headaches, cluster or migraine headaches, and facial pain. There are also secondary headaches that come from underlying causes like sinus headaches, fever headaches, and so on. It’s important to know which type of headache you may be experiencing if you want to find the best solution possible for averting them in the future.
Causes of Headaches
We all know that headaches can be brought on by stress or tention: jobs, kids, lack of sleep, etc. Other causes may include but are not limited to malnutrition, tumors, vascular problems, sinus issues, muscle and joint complications, and more. Physical therapy has been used to treat headaches that are a side effect of many musculoskeletal issues including muscle tension, disc pathology, lack of neck motion, and even poor posture. Concussion can cause trauma that leads to consistent or intermittent headaches (Learn more from our Post Concussion Syndrome blog). Patients who reported using physical therapy for these complications also reported fewer headaches, while many of them were unaware that the two were even connected.
How A Physical Therapist Can Help
While many headaches are harmless and will often go away on their own, some headaches require further treatment in order to successfully eliminate them. The real challenge is determining which type of headaches you have, what is causing it, and determining which treatment would be most successful.
Implementing a physical therapy plan for headaches is a traditional but non-medical option that gives patients an opportunity to develop a personalized, individual approach to their health. A physical therapist will work with you to determine the underlying cause and help alleviate the pain. After a series of evaluations and thorough review of your medical record, your PT will sit down with you and ask you some basic questions about your daily activities and lifestyle habits to further determine the type of headaches you have. If the headaches you are experiencing are musculoskeletal, otherwise known as a tension-type headache, your physical therapist will work with you to create an appropriate plan of care.
Things to consider
Even though all physical therapists have been trained to treat a variety of conditions and injuries, when it comes to treating headache complications, you might want to consider a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) who has experience and training in craniofacial focus. These are PT’s who focus their practice on movement and disorders pertaining to the skull and facial structure. And you may also want to consider a PT who has completed a residency or fellowship in orthopedic physical therapy. This kind of physical therapist has more experience and advanced knowledge which could ultimately help with the diagnosis of your condition.
Doctors Andrew J Gaetano, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS and Evan J Marsh, PT, DPT can provide exceptional support in treating headache and concussion. Contact them at their Saratoga / Malta or Queensbury / Glens Falls PT clinics for more information.
