If stress-related headaches are interfering with your daily life, it’s time to consider physiotherapy as a possible treatment. The most common type of headache is stress-related headache, also known as tension headache.
Tension headaches, while not as severe as migraines, indicate that something in your body is “off.” A physiotherapist can help you identify the source of your headaches and eliminate them for good.
To get started on your personalized treatment plan, contact The Running Physio in Toronto, ON today.
Why am I experiencing headaches?
One of the main causes of stress-related headaches is right there in the name: stress. A headache generally happens when the muscles in the neck or scalp become tense and contract.
Depression and anxiety are similar emotions to stress that can also lead to headaches. In addition, there may be a physical cause behind your stress-related headaches. An accident or injury to the neck or back can contribute to headaches. Poor posture and arthritis are two other potential causes.
Physiotherapy can diagnose your headaches
Your therapist will work with you to diagnose your headaches before beginning physiotherapy treatments. Your therapist will need to know about your medical history. If you suffered a neck, back, or jaw injury years ago, it could still be causing headaches today. The location of the pain, such as the face, back of the neck, or forehead, can also aid in determining the source.
As part of the diagnosis phase, your physiotherapist will most likely administer some tests. For example, your posture will be assessed as you participate in various activities. Your muscle strength and range of motion in your neck and shoulders will be evaluated. Your therapist may perform manual therapy to assess the mobility of your neck joints.
Once the source of your stress-related headaches has been identified, a tailored course of physiotherapy can be recommended to help you heal.
Headache relief and physiotherapy
Our physiotherapist can help you get to the bottom of your headache problem.
If your headache is carcinogenic in nature, we may need to work on your neck. For instance:
- Exercises that strengthen and loosen your neck muscles can help to ease the stresses that set off your headaches.
- Chiropractic adjustment can correct skeletal misalignment issues that place your neck muscles under unnatural strain. These adjustments can also help to reduce cluster headache attacks.
- Laser therapy and massage therapy can both relax tight neck tissues and speed the recovery to injured muscles.
- Corrective exercises and postural/ergonomic changes can help you steer clear of “text neck” and other occupational headache triggers.
- If your migraines are the result of a recent concussion, a carefully-administered course of physiotherapy can actually help you recuperate from that concussion more quickly.
- Our physiotherapist can help you identify other migraine triggers and suggest strategies for avoiding them in your everyday life.
What are the benefits of seeing a physiotherapist?
The diagnosis will influence how you treat your stress-related headaches. For example, if your headaches are the result of a previous injury, one course of treatment that would work for correcting your posture and strengthening your neck muscles may not be appropriate.
Stretching and strength training will most likely be part of your treatment. Your physiotherapist may also use the following options:
- Hot and cold compressions
- McKenzie therapies
- Body mobilization
- Cervical traction
- Soft tissue mobilization
Aside from your physiotherapy sessions at the clinic, your therapist will also recommend exercises, stretches and lifestyle changes that you can make at home, which will all contribute to eliminating your headaches.
What will I gain from my treatments?
The ultimate goal of your physiotherapy regimen will be to eliminate your stress-related headaches. However, in addition to relief, you will gain additional benefits that will likely improve your overall quality of life:
- Increased strength: Your therapist will teach you exercises to strengthen your neck and upper back, which will lead to improved posture. With better posture, you will be able to stand and sit longer without experiencing discomfort.
- Neck tension relief. You will have better range of motion in your neck and reduced tension, thanks to manual physiotherapy techniques applied to the muscles there.
- Improved posture. Bad posture is one of the leading causes of stress-related headaches. If you don’t practice good posture throughout the day, it is likely to lead to more generalized aches and pains, as well as the muscle tension that contributes to stress-related headaches.
Contact The Running Physio for relief!
Don’t accept painful headaches as a normal part of your life. Stress-related headaches can be a thing of the past for you, after working with a physiotherapist to correct the problem. Contact our Toronto, ON office today to schedule your first appointment!
