What Headaches are and What You can do About them
Overview:
- A headache is any pain in the head region. Pain may be felt on one side or both sides, it can radiate across the head or it could be in just one specific location. The pain can range from a dull ache to a sharp pain or throbbing sensation. They can develop quickly or gradually and they can last for just a short period of time or linger for several days.
- Contributing factors: Stress, poor posture, changes in sleep pattern, skipping meals or poor diet, alcohol, neck or jaw pain, and muscle tightness in shoulders and neck
- The most common types of headaches are tension, migraine, and cluster headaches.
Lifestyle Changes to help prevent headaches:
- Get into a routine of eating healthy at every meal, drinking water throughout the day, keeping a consistent sleep schedule and focusing on reducing stress.
- Other key lifestyle changes include improving posture and ergonomics, changing positions frequently, avoiding sitting in front of a computer for prolonged periods of time, and exercising regularly.
Physical Therapy Can Help You By:
- Relieving pain and increasing mobility with manual techniques to stretch muscles and joints of the upper back and neck.
- Assessing posture and recognizing muscle imbalances or improper body mechanics that may be exacerbating headaches.
- Providing tips for an ergonomic work space.
- Developing an individualized exercise program to increase strength of muscles that stabilize the upper back and neck and improve posture.
- Physical therapy treatments are different for each patient as each headache can have a unique cause.
- PT treatments can work quickly. Some patients experience immediate relief.
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www.RegainPT.com
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