Headaches are a symptom of pain anywhere in the head or neck region. The causes of a headache are numerous. While those experiencing regular headaches may be aware of the underlying cause of their pain, many other causes may go unknown.
There are basically two types of headaches, segregated as primary and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are most common among all kinds of people. They may be caused due to an issue in the brain function, but not the brain structure itself. Headaches & Migraines (cluster headaches and tension-type headaches) fall under the category of primary headaches. The other type of headache is secondary. Secondary headaches are a result of another problem inflicted in the head or neck region. These can be caused due to head injuries, neck injuries, inflammatory processes within the body, hormonal problems, etc. Severe cases may involve causes of brain tumour or aneurysms.
Other regular causes that may aggravate a secondary headache are:
- Dehydration of the body
- Skipping meals
- Insomnia or lack of sufficient sleep
- Inner ear or ear drum problems
- Exposure to excessive noise
- Hormonal changes
- Anxiety disorders
- Light glaring from sunlight, computer or any other screens
- Poor eye sight
- Medication
- Effects of alcohol
- Head injury or concussion
- Brain freeze due to eating something extremely cold
Diagnosis
As headache is a common pain experienced by many people regularly, it is not considered a very serious problem. However, sudden and severe headaches are to be taken seriously and consulted by a healthcare professional at the earliest.
People often seek advice from medical professionals for headaches only when it is reoccurring, constant or causes an unbearable pain that hinders them from functioning effectively.
Some questions that the healthcare professional will ask you in order to determine the cause of your headache before treating you are:
- Since when have you started having this headache?
- If you feel they are a result of a certain event or trigger
- How often do you experience this headache?
- How long does it last?
- How sever the headache gets?
- Which part of your head hurts?
- General health related questions.
According to your answers, the doctor will determine and suggest a suitable treatment method for you. While the most common method is to provide pain medications, a lot of people are unaware that Physiotherapy can help in healing your headache issues to a great extent.
The first step by Physiotherapists would be to examine our cervical spine for any kind of problems. Tension in the muscle in that region can be a cause of headaches namely cervicogenic headaches or tension headaches.
How does Physiotherapy help in relieving these headaches?
Physiotherapy involves massage techniques and joint manipulations that are extremely effective treatments for headaches. Physiotherapists may use different type of techniques to correct your posture (of your upper spine) and restore movement of the muscles in that area to benefit from short term relief of headache.
How to achieve long term benefits from Physiotherapy in order to get rid off headaches?
Physiotherapists can help you make changes or adjustments in your lifestyle to achieve long term benefits from physiotherapy to avoid recurring headaches. In most cases, certain muscle exercises can help in correcting the underlying cause of your headache. For example: A desk job; incorporating exercises or stretches that can be practiced at your desk may help relieve muscles and avoid tension in the muscles of your upper spine. Basically, the physiotherapist will help you deal with muscle imbalance issues that may be the cause of your headache.
With highly qualified health experts, Portea is a reliable player for physiotherapy services at home. Their physiotherapists determine the best practices to incorporate in your daily routine or lifestyle to solve your headache problems.
