Osteopathy and Headaches

The Head is a curious thing.

It is incredibly strong but also incredibly delicate. It goes through so much strain in life starting at birth, and any pain can perpetuate and affect us in so many ways from a physiological to psychological level; it can be a small frustration or life-affecting. 

Understanding head pain is a mystery worth unravelling, and the discovery is very rewarding when it can be treated and a patient can walk away happy and pain-free.There can be various reasons and contributing factors as to why head pain occurs–whether it is muscular fatigue, stress, diet, hormonal change, postural dysfunction etc. - and Osteopathy can be highly effective in treating it.

As Osteopaths we consider these relevant factors and are trained to recognise firstly, the structural reasons behind causes of head pain, and then consider all other aspects as we understand the patient in front of us. 

We assess the whole spine, as well as all local tissue and musculature, because tension can be rooted in the neck or upper back, which causes reduced blood flow to the head causing tissues to be stagnant and less mobile therefore causing head pain. 

Head pain can present in different regions of the head, and have various other symptoms related to is such as dizziness or nausea so it’s important to understand the various types of headaches –migraine, tension, cluster etc.–and to be able to effectively diagnose the type and the cause to rule out more serious conditions and then effectively treat.

No two people are the same, so a person’s pain is always assessed based on their personal medical history and current presentation.

This means the treatment will always be holistic in its approach. I take into account the whole body and then using various techniques like gentle manipulation, soft tissue work, and also more indirect techniques such as cranial, to allow an increase in motion of the affected joints, bones and tissues. By increasing motility and mobility, blood and lymph flow is improved, and increased amount of oxygen can reach the brain and body and pain can subside.Isn’t it time to start feeling a little more like you? If head pain is constant it’s important to see why this is happening and let me help you to start feeling like your regular self again.

This material is owned and copyrighted by Zoe Merkazy, and under no circumstances can be used by other persons without express permission from the author. Date of content written 1/06/2019 ©