If you have headaches, we will assess you for its description, location, severity and whether the neck is contributing. This allows us to classify your headache type. A positive response to manual therapy (immediate reduction in your headache) confirms at least part if not all of the headache is coming from your neck.
Headaches vary in their cause, severity and impact on your life. The International Headache Classification (IHC) labels three common types as migraines (with or without visual disturbances/aura), neck headaches and tension type headaches. Neck headaches (also known as cervicogenic headaches) can be effectively treated with physiotherapy (manual therapy and specific exercise) whereas a classic migraine has a chemical cause and usually requires medication control from your GP or a neurologist.
If you have a headache which presents:
- on one or both sides of the head
- doesn’t have any vision disturbances associated
- and varies in relation to certain postures or activities,
it is likely to respond well to physiotherapy and provide you some pain relief.