For some people, headaches are more than an occasional annoyance that can be solved by a trip to the pharmacy. In fact, severe and frequent headaches – also known as migraines – are a type of headache disorder that can be debilitating for those who experience them. Migraines can involve a range of symptoms, including intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting. While migraines can affect anyone, they are more common in women and can be hereditary.
Can We Help with Your Headache?
At Avenue Health we have great success in treating various types of headaches, including tension headaches, migraines, sinus pain and spinal headaches (a spinal headache, also known as a post-dural puncture headache, is a type of headache that can occur after certain medical procedures, such as a spinal tap or epidural injection).
What many people do not realise is that headaches are not ‘random’ occurrences and there are underlying reasons as to why they happen. Our treatment, therefore, does not involve taking painkillers or drugs but relies on resolving the root problem causing the headache. This gives a person more knowledge and control over their headaches and reduces the likelihood of them occurring.
How Our Treatment Works
People often suffer from headaches when they are stressed or tired. It is useful to think of our bodies as an elastic band; when we stretch ourselves too much, eventually, the band will snap back – often violently – causing pain. In the same way, when we overwork ourselves or experience too much stress, the body develops tight muscles and restricted joints. This can lead to tension in the head and neck, bringing upon the sensation that the head is being squeezed by a tight band.
Similarly, when a person is under stress, cortisol causes their blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood flow to the brain. This reduced blood flow can cause a headache.
At Avenue Health, our treatment starts with a full assessment to identify the areas of the body that are leading to a headache. This is because, in most cases, people are not even aware of this underlying problem as the pain from a headache masks pain in other areas of the body. For those who suffer the odd mild headache, this just goes to show how completely overpowering a bad headache can be!
We then treat the identified areas by relaxing the muscles and mobilising any restricted joints with gentle massage and articulation. In a sense, this ‘rebalances’ the body so that it is in alignment once more and a much happier place.
Our friendly team will also give advice on self-treatment at home to prevent the symptoms from reoccurring in the future. For most headaches, a short course of 6 treatments is all that is required. We aim for you to leave feeling empowered and in control over your headaches – much better than relying on pills that often don’t work!
Book an appointment today to take control of your headaches and stop living in fear as to when they will next strike.
Get a 30-minute new patient assessment, diagnosis & treatment plan for just £35
For more information about osteopathic manipulative treatment to effectively treat migraines, various controlled research studies are available to read here:
