Osteopathy for Headaches
Headaches are one of the most common presenting complaints at our Clinic.
There are many different types of headache including:
- Tension headaches
- Cervicogenic headaches
- Migraines
All have quite separate symptoms and causes, but all respond well to Osteopathy.
Tension Headaches
A tension headache in particular may prompt visits to the Osteopath as these can occur from contracted and tense muscles in the neck and back. Anytime the spinal bones are misaligned or compromised in some way, a headache can occur due to nerve or tissue pressure. Problems with the spine, including the neck and back areas are often missed and don't receive examination. They can cause quite a painful headache and head pain may become chronic.
Headache pain may then be covered up for years through the use of over-the-counter medications. These medications treat the symptoms rather than the cause and also can result in medication overuse and rebound headaches. Therefore, seeing an Osteopath for diagnosis and treatment can be helpful. NICE also recommends Medical Acupuncture as a treatment option for chronic tension-type headache. Our Osteopath is a fully qualified in the use of medical acupuncture and often uses this in combination with gentle Osteopathic techniques.
Cervicogenic Headaches
A cervicogenic headache is caused by the cervical spine (the bones in the neck) and can occur from a lack of mobility in the upper cervical area. Osteopathic care is thought to be very helpful for this type of headache because it can correct the source directly by gentle manipulation to realign these bones.
It is also suggested as a helpful treatment for other types of headaches such as common tension headaches, because they may share the same cervical element.
A Tension headache in particular can possibly benefit from spinal manipulation, as this can relax and stretch tense neck muscles and joints.
Migraines are a severely painful and recurrent headache that are sometimes accompanied by other symptoms such as visual disturbances (aura) or nausea. There are two types of migraine – migraine with aura (formerly called common migraines) and migraine without aura (formerly called classic migraines). Although there is no cure for migraines, you can manage the condition by reducing the frequency of attacks and lessening pain once an attack starts.
Because a migraine headache is so complicated and disabling, we have given them their own separate page on the website.
Visit our sister website Taunton Chiropractors
Client Testimonials
“Great to find an Osteopath that can adjust my neck! Some very effective soft tissue work, trigger point therapy and stretches to help with my headaches.”Christa Headache