Do not suffer, even if you believe that a headache once a week is unimportant. Physiotherapists and osteopaths, contrary to popular belief, may both treat on difficulties with deep tissue manipulation, offering instant relief for the vast majority of patients.
Are All Headaches the Same?
The most common type of primary headache is a tension headache. It affects up to 80% of the population on a regular basis. Tension headache is only considered an issue if it becomes frequent or long-term, as the symptoms are not as severe as those of a migraine. Pain behind the eyes, in the neck, and in the head, particularly the forehead, are common symptoms, which are characterised as feeling like a tight band wrapping around the head.
Muscle tension, the central nervous system (nerves and neurotransmitters in the brain), and blood vessel alterations are thought to all have a role.
What Are the Symptoms of a Tension Headache?
When you have at least 10 headaches in a month, you are diagnosed with frequent tension headache. The degree of frequency and chronicity varies. Chronic tension headache sufferers experience pain for more than 180 days out of the year.
The symptoms include, Headache on both sides, across the temples, over the eyes and forehead, and going around the head. In nature, there is a pushing or tightening. Intensity is mild to moderate (and will not tend to interrupt or inhibit your ability to work or continue daily activities).
Tension headache sufferers may have migraine-like symptoms such as nausea and hypersensitivity to light and noise, but just one of these symptoms is usually present.
What Triggers a Tension Headache?
- Poor posture – including desk, computer
- work, work space environment, and
- sleeping position
- Long periods looking at screens
- Eye stress, related to poor vison not
- being corrected with lenses or eye stress
- from blue light rays from screens l Fatigue
- Drop in blood sugar, not eating at regular intervals.
Although stress is a common cause of tension headaches, they can also be caused by poor nutrition, exhaustion, insufficient sleep, alcohol consumption, hormone fluctuations, and weather changes.
How Is a Tension Headache Diagnosed?
There is no single test that can be used to diagnose tension-type headaches. The doctor will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms and how you respond to various therapies.
If you keep a headache journal, your doctor will be able to spot patterns or discover triggers, which will aid in diagnosing the sort of headache you have and giving you advice on how to avoid it.
How Can Physical Therapy and Massage Help You?
Physical therapy, especially neck massage, can relieve tension headaches quickly and effectively by relaxing muscles that are overly tense or in spasm.
Excessive muscle tension compresses, distorts, or irritates joint structures, including nerves, which can lead to cervicogenic headaches (headaches originating from a malfunction in your neck), complicating your symptoms further.
Your Tension Headache Treatment May Include All or Some of The Following Techniques:
- Joint mobilisation (gentle gliding techniques), joint traction, or, in some situations, a delicate and localised joint manipulation approach may be used to loosen or unlock stiff neck joints.
- Specific deep neck muscle strengthening exercises may be required to stabilise, control, and limit the joint movement possible in hypermobile (or dynamically unstable) joints.
- Stretching, massage, acupuncture, dry needling, or other relaxation therapies may be required for tight or hyperactive muscles.
- Specific strengthening activities may be required for weak muscles. This could involve the muscles of your postural shoulder blade and neck.
- Your physical therapist may treat nerve dysfunction depending on the results of your evaluation. Nerve sensitivity is a common symptom of neck problems, such as strain and muscular spasms, as well as bad posture. Nerve mobility and discomfort can be improved with specific treatment and home stretches.
- Specific exercises, posture awareness techniques, taping, or a posture brace may be advised for posture repair.
How Can You Avoid Triggering a Tension Headache?
- Take breaks from prolonged postures and screen usage on a regular basis.
- Correct your posture at work by following your physical therapist’s recommendations for the proper seat, desk, and computer height.
- Your physical therapist can assist you in changing your sleeping posture and pillows to achieve proper alignment in bed.
- Learn stress-relieving strategies such as relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, and deep breathing that you may use throughout the day.
- Regular massage relieves stress and tension while also maintaining good mobility and muscle length, preventing muscle spasms in the upper back and neck. Massage encourages the release of endorphins, or happy hormones, which have been shown to lower stress levels.
- Regular physical activity or exercise is beneficial for reducing stress and strengthening or mobilising muscles and joints. Exercise has also been shown to release endorphins, which can help relieve tension and give you a good sensation.
- To de-stress, go to a yoga or Tai Chi class.
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If you require alternate appointment times, please contact us and we will gladly assist you with your reservation.
What to Expect on Your First Visit:
- At Physiotouch Courtice, you will register with our friendly front office staff.
- A comprehensive assessment by a Physiotherapist or other Health Care Provider will take you through a detailed history of your major physical concern, assessment of your range of motion and strength, as well as a variety of special tests specific to your injury or dysfunction. These assessment findings are analyzed and used to create a clinical impression. This will help us to better identifying and understanding your problem and formulating an effective treatment plan tailored specifically for your needs and to achieve the realistic goals. This treatment plan could involve a number of things including therapeutic exercises, therapeutic modalities, manual mobilizations, massage, patient and family education, activity modification, home exercise programs, supervised exercise programs and many others.
- There will be some treatments performed the first day to get you started on your path to recovery. However, during the next visits you will get into all aspects of your treatment plan.
- Our staff will help you scheduling your next visits at Physiotouch Courtice as per treatment plan recommended by related Health Care Provider. We offer many convenient appointment times, however, prime times can become busy, so it is best to book ahead as much as possible.
- If you have any questions at any time, please do not hesitate to call. We want to ensure your satisfaction and full recovery.
Before Your First Visit
- You will receive a confirmation email shortly after booking your appointment.
- This email will contain some forms which you can fill out and sign from your device in handy.
- If you have any questions, ask us before signing the form.
- If you are not able to access the forms online, please arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment so that we can help you with the paperwork.
- Make a list of questions that you want to discuss on your first visit.
- Bring with you if you have any imaging reports (i.e.) X-rays, Ultrasound/MRI (etc.) and doctor’s referral.
- Bring with you a copy of your insurance card and a photo ID.