Welcome to my blog everyone. My name is Joan Templer, and I am the manager of a successful netball team. I am a firm believer in combining excellent coaching skills with physical and psychological therapy to produce the best players possible. One of the most important aspects of our team preparation is ensuring that players have access to quality massage services. Over the years, I have seen considerable evidence that regular massage helps reduce injury recovery time and relaxes players so that they perform at their best. Of course, you don't have to be a sportsperson to suffer from stress or injuries. For example, many office workers are under daily pressure and gain various aches and pains from hunching over desks. I have started this blog to sing the praises of regular massage and explain the different techniques available. Please browse and I hope your life can be stress-free.
If you regularly suffer from bad headaches that can't be fixed with over the counter medicines or by your doctor, physiotherapy may give you some relief. When can physio help cure headaches and what do you need to consider before taking this route?
Neck Pain and Headaches
Some headaches are actually caused by problems in the neck and may be relieved by physio treatments. Typically, headaches that come from your neck may have the following features, according to the Australian Physiotherapy Association:
If your neck is the root of the problem, a physio may be able to ease the pain through interventions such as passive movements or massage, which may help if you're suffering from stress in the neck muscles or structural problems. If postural problems are affecting your neck, your physio may also give you a program of exercises and advice on how to help correct your posture.
You may also get useful advice on how to prevent these kinds of headaches from happening again in the future. For example, your physio may recommend a program of neck exercises or may give you advice on how to hold your neck when you're in certain positions to avoid pain and stiffness developing that may spread to your head.
Before You Use Physio to Cure Headaches
If you are having regular headaches, it's typically best to consult your doctor before you try physio. While the Australian Physiotherapy Association says that physio can be an extremely effective treatment for headaches that come from the neck, it also recommends that you should have your doctor check you out first to make sure that your headaches aren't due to other causes. Other types of headaches may share similar symptoms to those caused by neck problems and may not respond to physiotherapy.
It's also important to choose a physiotherapist that has specific training in treating headaches caused by neck pain or problems. You're likely to be in safe hands with a specialist physio but should avoid using a practitioner without specialist experience in treating this area of your body. According to NPS MedicineWise, spinal manipulation of the neck can lead to a stroke. Although this is extremely rare, it's better to be safe than sorry and to find a physio that knows how to treat your pain safely and effectively.
Share16 February 2016
