Headaches
Decrease headache pain with the iSpine Clinics team of experts.
Headaches occur for many reasons. They can result from a traumatic injury to the neck (new or old), poor posture, or other issues that can cause range of motion limitations, stiffness, pain and weakness. The body’s natural response to trauma is to lay down scar tissue around the affected joints for stabilization, which can cause a loss in range of motion as well as postural issues. Whatever the cause, iSpine Clinics’ team of experts can help.
Types of Headaches We Treat
Occipital Headaches
- Occipital nerves can get compressed and/or inflamed causing muscle spasms and pain along the occipital nerve.
- Pain usually begins at the base of the skull and moves up into the head.
TMJ (Jaw) Dysfunctions (TMD) Headache
- Head pain can be felt in eyes, ears, scalp, forehead, cheeks, or teeth; with or without jaw pain.
- Poor posture, teeth clenching &/or night grinding can contribute to TMD and cause HA’s.
Cervicogenic Headache
- A referred HA caused by a disorder or lesion in the neck, such as whiplash injury, pain usually begins at the base of the skull and moves up into the head.
- Head & neck movement can increase pain, and the base of skull can be tender to the touch.
- Impairments in strength and endurance of the neck muscles are defining features of this type of HA. Research shows that strengthening these muscles can reduce the frequency and severity of these HA’s.
Tension Headache
- Mild to moderate in intensity, these HA’s can feel like a tight band around the head but do not generally throb or pulse.
- Can be triggered by stress, neck strain, lack of sleep, &/or poor posture (esp. with prolonged computer use).
%
iSpine Patients reported "significant" decrease in headaches
Headache Treatment Program
At iSpine Clinics Rehab, we utilize a specialized approach to increase strength and range of motion, reducing headache pain.
- MedX equipment allows isolated exercise of the neck muscles to achieve improvement in moving and turning the head and neck. These machines also strengthen the muscles – providing long-term benefits.
- At iSpine Clinics, we teach specific neck exercises to do on your own that will improve endurance to sitting, driving and computer work, reducing neck pain and headaches.
- Medical literature suggests that the success of physical therapy for the long-term prevention and control of headaches appears greatest in patients who are involved in ongoing exercise and physical conditioning programs, including regular aerobic exercise. Our exclusive core circuit training program provides whole-body conditioning in just 30 minutes!
- Manual therapy has been shown to be helpful for reduction of Headaches. At iSpine Clinics, our therapists have completed post-graduate training in various manual therapy techniques to treat the cervical spine (neck) to effectively reduce Headaches.
Other techniques that may be used, include:
- Cervical traction
- Kinesiotape
- Cervical stretches
- Treating TMJ Dysfunction via manual therapy, modalities, education &/or jaw exercises