Dealing with Headaches

Headaches are not fun, and migraines are another level of awful. Living with either of these issues can make you feel grumpy and in the worst-case scenario leave you unable to function. Medication can help in the short term but when the problem is ongoing, or re-occurring, pills are not enough. Oftentimes, the source of your headaches and migraines has an underlying structural component, and this is where osteopathic treatments can help.

There are many types of headaches with the most common being:

• Tension headaches are the most common headache among adults and teens. They cause mild to moderate pain and come and go over time and usually have no other symptoms. Multiple factors can bring on tension headaches, including stress, inadequate sleep and poor posture. The main symptom is pain on both sides of the head that may be associated with muscle pain.
• Migraine headaches are sometimes preceded by warning symptoms. Triggers include hormonal changes, certain food and drink, stress and exercise. Migraine headaches can cause throbbing in one particular area that can vary in intensity. Nausea and sensitivity to light and sound are also common symptoms.
• Cluster headaches are intense and are associated with a burning or piercing pain behind or around one eye, either throbbing or constant. It’s the least common but the most severe type of headache. Bouts of frequent attacks, known as cluster periods, may last from weeks to months, usually followed by long periods of relief (remission). During remission, attacks may stop for months or years.
• Sinus headaches are often associated with a deep and constant pain in your cheekbones, forehead, or bridge of your nose. They happen when cavities in your head, called sinuses, get inflamed. The pain usually comes along with other sinus symptoms, such as a runny nose, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and swelling in your face.
• Hormone headaches often occur due to changing hormonal levels in women during their menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause. The hormonal changes from birth control pills also trigger headaches in some women.

How osteopathy can help

Osteopaths work to identify and diagnose patterns of strain within your entire body. These strain patterns are often the cause of your pain as they place excessive stress on the tissues found around the head and neck. By restoring proper movement, blood flow and lymphatic drainage to the spine and head the osteopath is able to significantly reduce the presence of nerve irritation and muscle tension helping to alleviate the cause of your headaches.

Osteopaths use a number of hands on techniques in the treatment of headaches and combined with our thorough assessment we can devise an individualised treatment plan to suite your particular needs.  If you feel that we may be of assistance to your headaches, please contact us directly on 0413 900 932 or you can make an appointment using our online booking tool.