Headaches and migraines affect about 15 percent of the adult population of the U.S. alone. A headache is a disorder of the nervous system and can often be treated with over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen and acetamenofen, as well as with heating pads and ice packs. But for some people, these treatments just don’t cut it.
Are OTC or prescription drugs not helping your headaches? Consider physiotherapy as your headache treatment of choice.
“The prevalence of headaches among women is twice that of men.” — Statista
What Causes Headaches?
Headaches are often tough to treat since they have a variety of causes. A few root causes of headaches are:
- Fatigue
- Lack of sleep
- Stress
- Medication side effects
- Viral infections
- Sinus problems
- Dental issues
- Thoracic or cervical spinal abnormalities
- Alcohol
- Processed meats that contain nitrates
- Bad posture
- Skipped meals
- Stress
Physiotherapy is an effective treatment for headaches caused by nearly all these causes. However, not everyone is a candidate for physiotherapy. Usually, people with viral illnesses won’t see good results from participating in a physiotherapy program.
“Headaches caused by viral illness, such as respiratory infections and sinusitis, for example, will probably not be cured by physiotherapy. However, headaches caused by strained muscles, soft tissue tension, joint strain, ligament tension, etc., might respond excellently to physiotherapy,” stated Can Physiotherapy Heal Headaches?
Keep this in mind as you move toward finding a solution for your headaches.
“Headache pain is the third most common pain complaint worldwide.” — Life’s Work PT
How Physiotherapy Reduces or Eliminates Headaches
Physiotherapy is highly effective at either eradicating or reducing headaches. This is because physiotherapists:
- Teach patients to relax and retrain their muscles.
- Prescribe customized exercises that foster relaxation and strengthen weak muscles.
- Provide soft tissue mobilization and hands-on manual therapy designed to quell pain.
- Educate patients on pain sensitization.
- Teach proper posture, which is critical for correcting neck problems that cause headaches.
- Help people modify their workstation or home office.
Whether you suffer from cervicogenic, migraine or tension headaches, research shows physiotherapy can reduce headache symptoms.
Ease Headaches the Drug-Free Way with Physiotherapy
Are you are a headache sufferer who doesn’t like the idea of killing pain with OTC or prescription drugs? Do you have severe headaches that drugs aren’t relieving and that aren’t being caused by a viral illness? Either way, a physiotherapist can work with you to find out what is causing your headaches and design a plan that will ease pain and increase your quality of life.
If you live near Winnipeg and want more information, contact Elite Sports Injury Physiotherapy Clinics.