HEADACHES
Headaches-who has not had one? Headaches can range from just feeling a little pressure, soreness or tightness in the head to pain that can be incapacitating, ruining your day. Some of the more common types of headaches include migranes, cervicogenic, and sinus. Often times, a person’s first reaction to a headache is to take something for the pain, usually an over the counter (OTC) medication. While this can help mask the pain of the headache giving temporary relief, it does not get to the cause of the pain. Through the use of manual therapy techniques and chiropractic manipulation, Excel Sport Therapy & Chiropractic can help you with your headaches. In many cases there is no need for medication since treatment is aimed at the cause of your headache.
Why does Over The Counter (OTC) pain medication only give me temporary relief?
While OTC’s may be OK for relieving pain, often times they are not going to get to the root cause. For example if muscles are sore or tight pulling on the head causing it to ache, OTC’s will help keep the pain under control but they are not going to be able to loosen the muscles. Ultimately the muscles stiffness and soreness need to addressed as the cause, otherwise the headache will have a tendancy to return.
What could be causing my headache?
Muscle Tightness-The muscles that run throughout the neck, upper back, and shoulders that attach and move your head vary greatly in size. Some are as short as an inch while others run from below your shoulder blades all the way to the base of your head. If muscle(s) are tight, they are going to pull at the base of your skull, causing a pain or pressure feeling in the head (notice the picture at left and the numerous muscles that connect to and can cause the head to ache). Especially in longer muscles such as the cervical paraspinals (which run the length of the neck), or muscles that cover a larger area such as the trapezius (which runs from your middle back to the base of your neck and out to your shoulders) the area of tightness could be anywhere in the muscle. When treating muscle tightness, it is important to treat the whole length of the muscle.
Trigger Points-(see this month’s "Spotlight on Trigger Points")-Trigger points are very influential in headaches. Often times, applying pressure to the correct trigger point can instantly reproduce the headache (for treatment of headaches, this is normal). By treating the trigger point, the pain can be reduced that is referred into the head.
Muscle Weakness-Even if you don’t feel the muscles are getting a workout throughout your neck, upper back and shoulders, they most definitely are! Imagine the amount of work that the muscles must do to support the head (which weighs about as a much as bowling ball) all day long. If the muscles are weak, then they will have a harder time supporting the head leading to pain and headaches.
Previous Injury-Previous injuries such as a neck sprain/strain, a severe hit or fall, as well as those that were not rehabilitated properly can cause headaches. When the neck or areas around it become injured, the muscles around the area can become tight or even spasmed in an effort to protect and help stabilize the weak or injured area. If the tight muscles are not treated, they can continue to stay tight and pull on the head, exerting unnecessary pressure causing the head to ache.
Arthritis-If signs of arthritis are present in the neck, often times the muscles around the arthritic joints in question are tight and achy from having to support the joints, eventually leading to a headache.
| Spotlight: Trigger Point Referred Pain
Trapezius muscle trigger points (TrP) represented by X. Trigger points are spots in muscles that have become irritated due to trauma such as a whiplash type of accident, or repetitive stress activities such as typing of lifting weights. While the trigger point itself will be sore when pressure is applied to it, it can also cause pain to radiate or refer into other parts of the body, mimicking the person’s complaint. For example, applying pressure to a trigger point in the neck/shoulder region, can refer pain into the head, mimicking a headache. Trigger points can be found throughout the body and due to their referral patterns can represent pain in several different areas. Trigger points can be treated by a variety of methods including manual therapy techniques such as Active Release Technique® (ART®) and Graston® Technique.
Trigger points in the sternocliedomastiod muscle. |
Injury of the month: Cervicogenic Headache
What is it? Headaches where the cause is traced back to your neck and may or may not present with neck pain and stiffness. For example, even though the cause is your neck, the headache can present itself in any number of places in your head including the side/temporal region or in the front of the head around the eye.
What causes it? This can be due to a number of factors that affect your neck including previous trauma, whiplash, chronic tightness, arthritis, and trigger points. There are many muscles and structures that attach your head to your neck and help support and move it. If certain neck muscles such as the sternocleidomastiod or cervical paraspinals are tight, they are going to place unwanted pressure on your head as well as causing your neck to feel stiff.
How can Excel Sport Therapy & Chiropractic treat it? When treating a cervicogenic headache, treatment is focused mainly on your neck. Through the use of manual therapy techniques such as ART® and Graston®, treatment is aimed at loosening and stretching the muscles in your upper back, neck, and shoulder region to regain motion in your neck since these muscles are very influential on cervicogenic headaches. This includes large muscles such as the trapezius and small muscles that are deep in the neck such as the obliquus capitis and rectus capitis. Chiropractic manipulation is incorporated to help promote range of motion in your neck and spinal column as well. In cases where the pain is severe, Kinesio® Tape can be used to help support your neck and head. Once range of motion in the neck and head has returned and pain has decreased, exercises are incorporated to help strengthen the muscles and structures that support your head.
Stretch of the month: 5 way Neck Stretch
What does it stretch? Muscles that help support and move your head and neck.
Why should you do it? The neck muscles tend to get tight and achy, especially in those who work a lot of hours at a desk.
How should you stretch it? To stretch the left side of your neck, place your left hand behind your back. Once in this position, place your right hand on top of your head, pulling your right ear to your right shoulder. Next, still using your right hand pull your head forward at a 45 degree angle. After stretching your neck in this position, use both hands to pull your head forward bringing the chin to your chest. Now stretch the right side of your neck by placing your right hand behind your back while you use your left hand to pull your left ear toward your left shoulder. Hold each stretch for 20 seconds and repeat as necessary throughout the day. There are a number of ways this stretch can be modified-sometimes you may want to pull the head forward at a 30 degree angle. Try different positions feeling for a position that stretches the tight neck muscles in question.
"Helping you reach the finish line pain free!"
If you have an injury, or a previous health condition, check with your doctor before performing any of the information mentioned in this article.
Dr. Bradley R. Schmidt, D.C.-As a three time Ironman Hawaii finisher, as well as, a college cross country runner, Dr. Schmidt has suffered his fair share of injuries. He enjoys sharing his first hand injury experiences from training and racing, incorporating them into the treatment of his patients. Dr. Schmidt also incorporates techniques such as Active Release®, Graston®, Active Isolated Stretching, and Kinesio® Taping. By combining athletic experiences and effective treatment techniques, Dr. Schmidt is able to understand and help athletes and patients reach the finish line pain free!
Questions? E-mail us at drschmidt@excelsporttherapy.com or visit www.excelsporttherapy.com
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All information copyright Dr. Bradley R. Schmidt, D.C.