Headache Treatment


People with chronic or persistent headaches report disabling symptoms that interfere with daily activities. Many have sought numerous different headache treatment approaches, only to accept these headaches as a fact of life, and becoming dependent on medications to relieve their symptoms.

The International Headache Society has classified hundreds of different types of headaches into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches/ Primary headaches include migraine, tension type, and cluster headaches. They are the most common type of headache and stem from a single cause.

Secondary headaches are classified according to their causes, including temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, vertigo, myofascial pain, and cervicogenic headaches, which are attributed to mechanical disorders of the neck. Both types of headaches can be treated with physical therapy.

What Causes Headaches?

Headaches are often a combination of factors, including musculoskeletal, psychological, neurovascular, nutritional, and chemical imbalances in the brain. Some headaches relate to or are indicative of a disease process; some are life-threatening and others benign. Thus, a thorough medical evaluation is necessary with any onset of a new or ongoing headache.

A thorough physical therapy examination attempts to determine the type of headache and to define the neuromusculoskeletal factors contributing to it. Muscle tension, joint dysfunction of the neck and jaw, poor posture and stress are factors that can be addressed and treated by a skilled physical therapist trained in manual therapy.

How Can Physical Therapy Provide Headache Treatment?

Treatment may include use of heat or ice, soft tissue mobilization, shoulder blade, mid back, rib, and neck mobilizations, neck stretches, neck and mid back strengthening, and posture education. In addition, we’ll provide you with best practices to manage or decrease your pain the next time you feel a headache coming on.

Each patient is treated differently, as each headache is unique!

Physical therapy treatment for headaches can be extremely effective – some patients may notice immediate relief, though some may require a few weeks of physical therapy to address strength issues. Not only can PT reduce pain for those suffering from headaches and migraines, it can also prevent future occurrences.

If I’m Suffering From a Headache, Why Does My PT Want to Focus on My Muscles or Joints?

Fairly frequently, headaches can actually stem from musculoskeletal problems involving the neck, jaw, and shoulder, and there are two ways the muscles and joints in these areas can cause pain.

The first is called referred pain. Most people know that pains in the chest, left shoulder, and left arm frequently signal a heart attack. When the heart muscle is stressed, the pain experienced can be felt in the arm, likely because of the way the nerves from the arm and the heart travel together to the brain. That’s referred pain. Similarly, the neck’s muscles and joints can refer pain to the head.

For example, if you’re someone who works a desk job or is frequently bent over a computer, you’re likely to develop myofascial trigger points, or knots. These knots can refer pain up the neck and into the temple.

The second way musculoskeletal issues can cause headaches is when the muscles in the neck trigger a migraine. For some, muscle tightness and dysfunction in the neck can lead to pain and discomfort that triggers a migraine headache.

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But don’t take our word for it. Hear what SporTherapy patients are saying.

My experience has been astounding. The entire staff is made up of professional individuals who want to make a positive impact on their patients, and every single team member is amiable. In the beginning, I had pain walking but with my physical therapist team’s expertise I got to a point where I could run pain…

five stars Dmitriy

Monday I finished my physical therapy at your facility in Weatherford, and I want to commend to you your facility and the people who work there. I started on August 24 of last year, and in all that time, I never heard a cross word from anyone, neither employee, staff, or client. Everyone always practiced…

five stars Nancy C.

I HIGHLY recommend SporTherapy…they are a very friendly and helpful group.

five stars Kathy F. SporTherapy Patient

I really love this place. Everyone is super laid back, which is what you want when you’re recovering from an injury. Super professional and knowledgeable team. A+ all around.

five stars Catherine B. SporTherapy Patient

Awesome, knowledgeable staff! It can be beyond frustrating to rehabilitate an injury, but this is definitely the place to do it! All in all, a great place and assuredly where I’ll be doing my rehab next time! If I could, I’d rate this place 10 or 11 stars, but I can only put 5.

five stars Craig W. SporTherapy Patient

I love this place! The staff is great and have guided me through two knee replacements. I am very pleased and highly recommend!

five stars Mary D. SporTherapy Patient

My doctor said I could try physical therapy if I wanted for my broken ankle, but I would probably still need surgery. I am happy to say that the SporTherapy team did a wonderful job. I am at 100% and I DON’T need surgery. You guys ROCK!

five stars Valerie N. SporTherapy Patient

I just want to offer my thanks and appreciation to the staff of your Granbury location for the outstanding treatments and outcomes from my therapy. I have used them twice now for several months at a time for a knee and hip replacement. I found them to be far more effective than a clinic I…

five stars Michael D

You people are the BEST! “Thank You,” isn’t enough to convey my gratefulness to each of you. Since I have been a client here for the past ten months, I consider myself a bit of an expert on this place. I have observed and experienced your staff’s dedication to your clients’ well-being at every level…

five stars Anita B

Looking for a ways to manage headaches beyond medication?

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