Using physiotherapy to treat neck pain headaches

Osteopaths and physiotherapists are able to successfully treat some migraines and headaches. The first task of the physiotherapist is to establish the cause of the migraine or headache as physiotherapy and osteopathy can be used as a treatment for headaches if the origin of the headache is connected to neck pain.

There are a group of causes for headaches and migraines called cervicogenic . 'Cervico-' meaning neck and '-genic' meaning origin. These types of headaches and migraines are caused by problems with the neck.

If an individual is suffering from stress it can cause the muscles in the neck to become tight. When the muscles in the neck become tight it affects the blood supply and nerve supply feeding the brain and causes a person to suffer with headaches or migraines.

The physiotherapy and osteopathy treatment for cervicogenic headaches is to use exercises aimed at improving the mobility in the neck which reduces the muscle tightness causing the headaches.

Results are often immediate. When an individual visits a physiotherapist with this type of headache it is possible that the neck exercises will dissipate the headache straight away.

Tim Allardyce, D.O., M.C.S.P., S.R.P. T
Osteopath and physiotherapist at the Osteopathy and Physiotherapy Clinic in Croydon

10063 December 2011