Headaches and migraines can be debilitating, stopping you from being able to function and think clearly. They are generally classified into two groups, primary and secondary.
Primary headaches
Primary headaches can happen on their own and are not caused by another health problem or disease. They are likely to come from chemical activity in your brain, the nerves or blood vessels surrounding your skull, or the muscles of your head and neck (or some combination of all). Primary headaches may include:
- cluster headaches
- tension headaches
- migraines
Cluster headache is a relatively rare but extremely painful type of headache. This type of headache usually occurs in groups or clusters.
Tension headaches are characterised by a mild to moderate pain intensity around both sides of the head, which can be described as a dull, pressure-like headache without any neurological symptoms and can be recurring (1).
Around 67% of men and 87% of women will suffer one or more tension-type headaches (TTHA) throughout their lifetimes. It is more common in the 30-40-year-old age group. TTHA may be caused by myofascial trigger points, stress, and/or jaw clenching.
Migraines are commonly intense headaches that can come with or without aura, dizziness, and nausea. It is not fully understood what the actual causes of a migraine are; however, it is thought to be caused by an increase in blood flow to the cranium, and can be triggered by bright lights and hormonal changes.
In Australia, migraines affect 28% of women and 12% of men, with 70% of people experiencing migraines without aura. Identifying triggers that bring on migraines is vital for your long-term management.
Secondary headaches
Secondary headaches result from another health problem or disease. These conditions can vary greatly in severity from ice-cream headaches and hangovers to brain tumors.
How osteopathy may assist
Our osteopaths will take a full medical history and assess your biomechanics and lifestyle, which will allow them to diagnose and identify what type of headache you are experiencing. From there, they will provide a hands-on treatment and prepare a tailored plan for you. The treatment plan may involve:
- Addressing biomechanics
- Soft/deep tissue massage
- Spinal manipulation – a joint mobilisation technique that involves a high-velocity, low amplitude, thrust to allow for a smoother movement, helps relax the nervous system, increases range of motion through the joints, increases the joint space through the spine, and relieves pain.
- Myofascial release – myofascial release is a gentle hands-on technique to unwind muscle tension. It involves applying gentle pressure over a broad area of muscle to release tightness in trigger points and muscle tissue.
- Rehabilitation/exercise programs – home exercises or sessions in our rehab studio
- Addressing lifestyle factors, such as water intake, diet, exercise, and any stress triggers
- Referring you for more testing or to other medical professionals
Most headaches take a few appointments to address the root cause. Through osteopathy principles, we aim to relieve your symptoms now and give you the tools to manage or prevent them in the future.
How to book an appointment
Please book online or call 9830 7044
References
Mayo Clinic – https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/headache/basics/causes/sym-20050800
Migraine and Headache Australia – https://headacheaustralia.org.au/