At Ormond Physiotherapy, we are able to help the Ormond, Bentleigh & McKinnon community with their neck pain and headaches.
About Neck Pain & Headaches
Neck pain is a common condition, with 10% of the population suffering at any given time. If you consider the lifestyle’s we pursue involving extended screen time and poor posture, then this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Similarly, headaches are the most common condition to affect the Australian population, with 3 in 20 people taking pain relief medication for it at any given time. You’d be forgiven for thinking that this makes them excusable; however, headaches are generally just a symptom for something else being wrong.
Causes
Neck pain is generally not caused by any sinister underlying pathology; however, your treating physiotherapist will carry out a thorough assessment to rule this out. Typically, neck pain comes on after extended periods of poor posture due to sleeping in an awkward position, sitting with poor posture, or incorrect workstation ergonomics. Other common causes include tension, muscle strain, whiplash and sporting injuries. Less common causes may consist of a compressed nerve, arthritis, an infection, cancer or osteoporosis. Neck pain can also refer to other parts of the body and cause headaches, shoulder pain, jaw pain, pins and needles, or upper back pain, to name a few. If you experience any of these, we recommend that you contact us and make an appointment to have one of our experienced physiotherapists’ assess your condition.
There are many different types of headache, all with different “triggering” mechanisms, however tension headaches and migraines are the most common. Headaches come on due to various factors including nerve irritation, poor posture, stress, muscle tension, infections and/or hormones, to name a few.
Assessment & Treatment
Your therapist will complete a detailed history to determine any previous triggering factors. In addition to your history, your treating therapist will conduct a thorough assessment to define the cause of your pain. In the rare case that a diagnosis is unable to be made, further diagnostic examination such as an X-Ray or MRI may be recommended.
Physiotherapy is a great place to start when it comes to neck pain and headaches. Through the use of manual therapy, physiotherapists can carefully restore the proper movement of the spinal joints to reduce nerve irritation and increase mobility, leading to a decrease in tension, pain, and alleviation of headaches.
If you suffer from reoccurring neck pain, then some additional treatment options at Ormond Physiotherapy include;
If you are suffering from neck pain or headaches, book an assessment with one of our experienced therapists today by calling 9578 6588 or booking online.