Headaches. Such a pain in the…

Yes, that’s right. It could be your neck that is the cause of your headache.

Most of us will suffer from headaches at some point in our lives (even if it is the dreaded “ice headache” from sucking on that Slurpee a little too quickly)… but did you know that headaches are often caused by disorders of the neck.

Any of the following points could suggest that your neck may be the cause of your headache:

• Is your headache associated with neck pain? Does the pain radiate from the back of your head to the front?
• Is your headache brought on or worsened by staying in the same position for a long time (ie spending too much time in front of the computer screen) or by neck movements?
• Does your headache tend to feel worse on the same side of your head?
• Does your headache make you feel dizzy or light-headed?
• Can your headache be eased by pressure to the base of the skull?
• Does your headache persist even after your doctor has checked for other causes?

Did you know that Physiotherapists can successfully treat headaches originating from the neck or soft tissues? What’s even better is that they can show you how to prevent the pain from recurring.

Another great way to sort headaches out is by doing Pilates. What?! Yep, Pilates can really help by bringing the body back into correct alignment. Pilates includes postural exercises which help to strengthen the muscles of the back so that we can keep the shoulders in the correct position. We can also add other exercises to help stretch the tight muscles in our chest, further helping us to bring our shoulders back into the correct position.

Postural strength is super important to help prevent headaches.

So if you’re suffering from a painful headache, neck ache or migraine, stop feeling like your hitting your head against a brick wall and pay a visit to your Physiotherapist. They’ll be able to assess your condition and help you out.

It’s wise to remember that headaches can be caused by, or contributed to by other factors. If this is the case, your Physiotherapist will advise you to see your Doctor.