Headaches are the most common medical complaint worldwide. In Australia, approximately 70% of the population suffer from headaches!
The most common cause of headache originates from muscle tension or joint strain in the neck and upper back region. Clinical features include a dull ache over the forehead and temples, often radiating into the base of the skull and behind the eyes. It may also be associated with light-headedness, fatigue and generalised neck stiffness.
Your Osteopath is trained to differentiate between headaches due to common causes and those due to serious pathology. On initial consultation, your Osteopath will perform comprehensive evaluation and diagnostic procedures, including orthopaedic, neurological and spinal examinations, in order to determine the cause of your headache.
Further testing such as X- ray or MRI may also be required. Upon arriving at a specific diagnosis, a treatment plan will be discussed and treatment will then commence.
Osteopathic treatment is extremely effective for the treatment of headaches, in particular, cervicogenic headaches (pain that is referred to the head from either bony structures or soft tissues of the neck).
Using a combination of soft tissue massage, stretching, joint mobilisation and manipulation techniques and your Osteopath can:
Furthermore, they will also: