Learn more about headaches and migraines
Headaches and migraines
Neck pain is one of the most common injuries we see. In any given year roughly 15% of Australian adults can have an episode of neck pain. Often this is associated with headaches.
Currently have a headache? Our osteopaths will examine your neck and surrounding areas to determine the cause, provide a diagnosis and give you a plan to get you moving again.
What are headaches and migraines?
For people who suffer headaches and migraines, at times there is nothing worse. It can be very debilitating and affect us in multiple ways.
The symptoms someone experiencing a headache will experience will be often a dull ache anywhere in the head. It may be one sided, both sides, front or back, on top of the head or behind the eyes. On some occasions it’s just everywhere.
The typical difference between a headache and migraine is that a migraine is much worse. The location can be similar to that of headaches but intensity is far greater. In addition sufferers may also experience an aura prior to getting their migraine, nausea/vomiting, sensitivity to light or sound, dizziness or a more throbbing pain.
Migraines attacks can also often be “triggered”. This can be from things like bright lights, extremes of weather, dehydration, stress, loud sounds, smoking, certain alcohols, caffeine, certain foods, intense exericise or certain smells.
Your osteopath will try to find the cause of your pain to adapt a treatment approach specific to you.
What causes headaches and migraines?
Headaches are either primary (not due to another health problem) or secondary (due to another health problem)
For example. primary headaches can be due to, alcohol consumption, certain trigger foods, caffeine, poor posture, skipping meals or stress. While secondary headaches can be caused from sinus related issues, eye referral such as eye strain, referred pain from the neck, dental issues, nerve injuries, blood vessel related conditions, ear infections, complications from medications or head trauma.
The true cause of migraines is not completely known, however there are common triggers that are known. Knowing yours can go a long way to preventing attacks.
What causes your pain?
These are some of the specific conditions that impact your headaches and migraines
Facet joint sprain
Headaches and migraines at The Osteo Collective
How we help.
Your practitioner will start by asking you questions about your pain. This will be followed by a physical assessment testing the range of motion of your neck, palpating the surrounding muscles and performing some special tests. We will discuss with you our diagnosis and develop a plan with you to help you and your pain.
Treatment with our osteopaths is a hands-on approach. After determining where, why and how you have developed your pain we will use a combination of soft tissue techniques, stretching, mobilisation and other joint related techniques. We also consider what you do day to day and develop a home treatment plan for you to implement.
No one wants regular, recurring nagging chronic pain. Our exercise physiologist is the person to help with prevention. Improving your strength, function and flexibility, along with lifestyle changes will help prevent any future re-injuries.
Ask us anything
Free call with an osteopath.
Which service is best for me? Can you help with chronic low back pain? Do you treat sports injuries? People ask us all kinds of questions before visiting The Osteo Collective. Do you have a question for us? Get in touch.