Headaches
Imagine sitting at your computer or desk to begin the day. Work is going well, but things begin to pile up and you begin to feel more and more stressed as the morning progresses. By lunchtime, you begin to get a dull ache in your neck and shoulders. As the day continues, the dull ache has intensified and a headache has emerged.
If this sounds familiar, you or someone you know may be suffering from cervicogenic headaches. In fact, it has been estimated that 1 in every 6 Americans experience frequent headaches. What you may not know is there are many different types and causes of headaches. Therefore, it is important to identify the cause of them so that the correct treatment can be implemented.
These types of headaches may begin as a small neck ache and can take as long as a few hours for serious pain to be felt. Common places for pain are the back of the head, the sides of the head, and the forehead. Factors that can lead to these types of headaches may be stress, poor posture, muscular imbalances, or a decrease in spinal joint mobility. If stress seems to be the main trigger of symptoms, then stress may be amplifying an underlying dysfunction that leads to a headache coming on.
Headaches may also be associated with an injury or trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident or fall. If serious issues are ruled out and pain persists, Physical Therapy may be a good treatment option. Physical Therapy treatment begins with a thorough examination of posture, neck and shoulder strength and range of motion, soft tissue extensibility, spinal joint mobility, and other possible contributing factors. Treatment focuses on improving the underlying cause of cervicogenic headaches.
If this sounds familiar, you or someone you know may be suffering from cervicogenic headaches. In fact, it has been estimated that 1 in every 6 Americans experience frequent headaches. What you may not know is there are many different types and causes of headaches. Therefore, it is important to identify the cause of them so that the correct treatment can be implemented.
These types of headaches may begin as a small neck ache and can take as long as a few hours for serious pain to be felt. Common places for pain are the back of the head, the sides of the head, and the forehead. Factors that can lead to these types of headaches may be stress, poor posture, muscular imbalances, or a decrease in spinal joint mobility. If stress seems to be the main trigger of symptoms, then stress may be amplifying an underlying dysfunction that leads to a headache coming on.
Headaches may also be associated with an injury or trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident or fall. If serious issues are ruled out and pain persists, Physical Therapy may be a good treatment option. Physical Therapy treatment begins with a thorough examination of posture, neck and shoulder strength and range of motion, soft tissue extensibility, spinal joint mobility, and other possible contributing factors. Treatment focuses on improving the underlying cause of cervicogenic headaches.