Physiotherapy Treatment for Headaches

If you are experiencing a persistent headache that’s not responding to painkillers, you should first see your GP.

Headaches can be caused by numerous factors, but most can be sorted into the following categories:

• Cervicogenic / Tension Headaches – Pain is felt on one side of the head (or sometimes both sides), radiating from the back of the skull to just above the eyes. The pain is often described as a dull throbbing sensation, or as band of tightness. These headaches are either causes by tension in the neck muscles or stiffness in the joints of the neck.
• Cluster Headaches – This type of headache tends to run in one’s family. Pain can be excruciating, felt over one eye or temple. Cluster headaches tend to be episodic, and the sufferer will commonly experience several episodes lasting minutes or hours. Afterwards, they may be pain-free for several months before another headache occurs. Cluster headaches can also cause nasal congestion and eye swelling / watering.
• Migraines – Migraine sufferers frequently experience their first attacks during adolescence. They are more common in women but can affect men too. Migraines often occur pre- or post-menstruation; they can also be triggered by sensitivity to food, smells, light, or even fluctuations in the weather. Migraine sufferers report that, along with the pain, they can feel nauseous, lethargic and/or irritable during an attack.

Physiotherapy may not be the first consideration for a headache sufferer. However, by using acupuncture along with certain physiotherapy techniques to address tension headaches we can often reduce the pain and manage the symptoms of all three headache types.

Get in touch now > to book an appointment at our clinics in Cardiff or Barry.