Headaches Are a Pain in the Neck!!

While this may just seem to be a saying, at Whitefish Therapy we believe there’s a lot of truth behind it! If you suffer from headaches, chances are you’ve already tried different techniques to treat your problem. And chances are, they haven’t worked; or have only worked temporarily. You may have even tried physical therapy before, but without lasting relief. 

 We offer a specialized headache program that has a proven success record for patients who follow-through with the recommended protocols. 

Symptoms in the head and face most often stem from the neck - more specifically, the cervical spine.

The symptoms can vary widely:

• pain, soreness

• achiness

• tightness

• numbness

• tingling

• tooth pain

• jaw pain

• dry or watery eyes

• tight or sore sinuses

• vision changes

• nausea

• fullness or ringing in the ears…the list goes on and on. 

 How can all of these different symptoms come from a neck problem? 

Small muscles at the base of the skull, called suboccipitals, can become very tight. When they are tight, they put pressure on the tissues nearby, which include nerves from the brain and cervical spine. In addition, if there is a problem in the lower neck, this can cause miscommunication from this part of the spine to the base of the skull, causing symptoms.

 Recurring headaches rarely just go away on their own and they tend to get worse over time the longer you let them go. A specific, detailed examination by a physical therapist specializing in headaches can identify what segment(s) of the neck your symptoms are stemming from and allowing your therapist to customize a program to address the root of your problem. 

  “Physical therapy has reduced my problems by 90%."

~ L.F., after a 40-year history of headaches.

“Physical therapy has been life changing! And I am medication-free." 

~ A.W., after 20 years of migraines.

If headaches are becoming a pain in your neck, contact us to learn more about what the therapists at Whitefish Therapy can do to help.