Stress-related headaches are also called tension headaches and they are the most common type of headache that impacts people. While they are not as serious as migraines, tension headaches are a sign that something in your body is “off.”
Are stress-related headaches are happening so often that they are impacting your daily life, If your answer is yes, then it’s time to start thinking about physical therapy for relief.
A physical therapist can work with you to determine the cause and eliminate stress-related headaches for good. To learn more about the benefits of physical therapy for headaches, call Total Care Physical Therapy today to speak with one of our staff about scheduling a consultation!
Why do tension headaches happen?
Headaches have a bad habit of making their appearance at the most inconvenient times. They may hit you in the middle of the workday, early in the evening when you’re trying to run errands or get dinner on the table, or even first thing in the morning when you are trying to pay attention to your morning meeting.
One of the main causes of stress-related headaches is right there in the name: stress. The headache generally happens when the muscles in the neck or scalp become tense and contract.
Depression and anxiety are similar emotions to stress that can also lead to headaches. In addition, there may be a physical cause behind your stress-related headaches. An accident or injury to the neck or back can contribute to headaches. Poor posture and arthritis are two other potential causes.
How a physical therapist can help diagnose and treat your headache pain
According to the APTA, “not only is physical therapy cheaper than injections or surgery in the short-term, but it’s also an approach that is likely to save on treatment costs for at least a year after the initial diagnosis, with average savings of 18% over treatments that begin with injections and 50% over treatments that begin with surgery.”
Before your physical therapy treatments begin, your therapist will work with you to diagnose your headaches.
You’ll need to discuss your medical history with the therapist. If you sustained an injury to your neck, back, or jaw years ago, it could still be contributing to headaches to this day.
The location where you experience pain, such as in the face, back of the neck, or forehead, can also help to diagnose the source.
Your physical therapist will likely run you through some tests as part of the diagnosis phase. For example, your posture will be checked as you engage in several activities. The strength of your muscles and the range of motion in your neck and shoulders will be tested.
Your therapist may elect to perform manual therapy techniques as well to see how mobile your neck joints are. Once the cause of your stress-related headaches is determined, a customized course of physical therapy can be prescribed to treat them.
How can physical therapy improve headache pain?
The ultimate goal of your physical therapy regimen will be to eliminate your stress-related headaches. However, in addition to relief, you will gain additional benefits that will likely improve your overall quality of life:
- Reduced Neck Tension: Thanks to manual physical therapy techniques applied to the muscles in your neck, you will have a better range of motion in your neck and reduced tension as well.
- Improved Strength: Your therapist will teach you exercises to strengthen your neck and upper back, which will lead to improved posture. With better posture, you will be able to stand and sit longer without experiencing discomfort.
- Better Posture: Bad posture is one of the leading causes of stress-related headaches. If you don’t have good posture throughout the day, it is likely to lead to more generalized aches and pains, as well as the muscle tension that contributes to stress-related headaches.
Physical therapy techniques for headache pain
The treatment of your stress-related headaches will depend in part on the diagnosis. For example, one course of treatment that would work for correcting your posture and strengthening the neck muscles might not be appropriate if your headaches are the result of a past injury. In general, you can expect stretching and strength training to be part of your treatment.
Other treatment methods and options that your physical therapist might choose for your condition can include:
- Body mobilization
- Cervical traction
- McKenzie therapies
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Hot and cold compressions
Aside from your physical therapy sessions at the clinic, your therapist will also recommend exercises, stretches, and lifestyle changes that you can make at home, which will all contribute to eliminating your headaches.
Kick headache pain once and for all
What are you waiting for? Stress-related headaches can be a thing of the past for you, after working with a physical therapist to correct the problem. Contact Total Care Physical Therapy today to schedule your first appointment.
