Have you ever had a headache that you can’t seem to get rid of or perhaps had one brought on at work after sitting for long periods? If your daily life is affected by the pain of chronic headaches, you may be interested to learn that persistent headaches can be alleviated with a variety of physical therapy techniques.

When you see a physical therapist for headaches, they perform a comprehensive assessment to figure out what could be causing the problem. Once they diagnose the root of your impairments, your PT will create a personalized treatment plan to help you begin to live a pain-free life.

Common Headache Causes

Issues in the cervical spine or the neck often cause persistent headaches; people with headaches related to neck problems may also have neck pain, tight neck muscles or muscle tension and tenderness in the neck.

Another common culprit of headaches stems from muscle tightness in the jaw or the TMJ (temporomandibular joint). Bad habits such as poor posture and spending a long time in one position may also contribute to headaches.  

Physical Therapy Treatments for Headaches

Physical therapists have many tools at their disposal to help alleviate headaches and migraines.  Treatment could include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Myofascial release
  • Stretching
  • Muscle release
  • Strengthening
  • Joint mobility treatment

Another helpful treatment technique for headaches is TDN, or trigger point dry needling. A physical therapist trained in TDN can utilize this as a tool to treat the muscles with tension that are causing your headaches.

In additin to alleviating current headache pain, some PT treatments can also assist with headache prevention. Ultimately, your treatment method will depend on how you present and how your physical therapist approaches your case.  

Physical therapy can provide headache relief using physical techniques rather than medication. If you experience headaches regularly that you believe may be related to muscle tension or neck issues, you should make an appointment with your local SetPT physical therapist for an assessment. Ready to live your life free of headaches? Reach out today!