Headaches & Migraines
Finding Relief from Headaches: Osteopathy and Holistic Massage Therapy
Are you tired of battling with recurring headaches? At our clinic, we offer a comprehensive approach to help you find relief and reclaim your well-being. Our team consists of highly skilled osteopaths and experienced holistic massage therapists who are dedicated to providing effective solutions for managing headaches.
Headaches can stem from various causes, see the list below for some common causes and can have a significant impact on your daily life. That’s why we believe in addressing the root causes rather than just treating the symptoms. Our osteopaths specialise in understanding the intricate connections within the body and will take a detailed case history to identify the underlying factors contributing to your headaches.
In addition to osteopathy, we also offer the option of holistic massage therapy as another approach to support the treatment of headaches. Our talented holistic massage therapists are trained in specialised techniques that can help alleviate muscle tension, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. By combining the benefits of osteopathy and holistic massage therapy, we provide you with options to tailor your treatment based on your preferences and needs.
Headaches can look very different person to person and can be caused by a variety of factors. For this reason, they are often poorly diagnosed, overlooked, or left untreated. It’s often a combination of stressors from the list below that results in the onset of a headache or migraine.
If you are suffering chronic headaches or migraines, it’s important to try and identify what is triggering them. Your practitioner will take a detailed case history to identify the root cause of your headaches, and build a treatment plan around you.
Stress
Jaw tension and misalignment
Screen time / Visual strains
Neck pain and tensions
Posture
Dental issues or dental treatment
Head injury / Whiplash
Allergies and sinus pressure
Illness
Dehydration
Diet / nutritional deficiencies
Hormonal imbalances and fluctuations
Headaches vs Migraines
Headaches are defined as a continuous pain in the head. The pain is often focused to the forehead, temples or occipital zone at the base of the skull. Headaches are most commonly dull and throbbing in nature and can affect one side of the head or both or even feel like a tight band around the head.
Migraines differ from everyday headaches in that they are often much more intense and come with additional symptoms such nausea, vomiting, vertigo, visual disturbances and light sensitivity. Migraines tend to last a lot longer than headaches and can be very debilitating, people often find they need to stop what they are doing and go to bed to sleep off a migraine.
With both headaches and migraines figuring out your triggers and aggravating factors is key in keeping pains at bay. For example, if you have identified chocolate as a trigger then the answer is simply (but sadly) to avoid chocolate in future. Common dietary triggers for migraines are alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, dairy and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame.
Can osteopathy help with headaches and migraines?
Yes, evidence exists to support this!
Research by the National Library of Medicine shows that osteopathic treatment is a successful and recommended method of headache/migraine management and prevention.
Tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches
Tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches are the most common types of headaches we see in the clinic. The world health organisation (WHO) estimates about 50% of the population will suffer these types of headaches in any given year.
These types of headache stem from tensions and/or dysfunction in the neck and spine. Underlying structural problems such as joint restrictions, postural changes, spinal misalignment, and muscular imbalances can all cause local irritation, inflammation and neurological referred pain into the head, face and neck. This type of headache is common in people who spend a lot of time working at a desk or driving. Dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), aka the jaw, is also a really common structural cause of headaches and facial pain.
How can your clinic help me?
Osteopathy and holistic massage therapy offer effective approaches for managing headaches and migraines. Osteopathy focuses on identifying and addressing the underlying causes of headaches, taking into account factors such as posture, lifestyle choices, and stress. Through gentle manual techniques, osteopaths aim to restore balance and alleviate tension in the body, promoting overall well-being and reducing the frequency and intensity of headaches. On the other hand, holistic massage therapy utilises specialised techniques to release muscle tension, reduce stress, and promote relaxation.
By targeting specific areas of tension and promoting improved blood flow and lymphatic circulation, holistic massage therapy can provide relief from headache symptoms and contribute to a sense of overall well-being.
Whether you choose osteopathy or holistic massage therapy, both modalities offer valuable tools for managing headaches and migraines, providing you with options to find the approach that resonates with you and supports your journey towards a life with fewer headaches.
Take the first step towards finding relief from your headaches. Schedule your appointment now and discover the difference our integrated approach can make in managing your headaches. Your journey to relief starts here.
REQUEST A CALLBACK
Let's Get The Ball Rolling!
If you’re interested in scheduling a callback with one of our practitioners to discuss your needs and explore how we can assist you, please complete this form. Our dedicated team will promptly follow up with you.
