Headaches and Migraines

A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck.

The brain tissue itself is not sensitive to pain as it lacks pain receptors. Rather, the pain is caused by disturbance of the pain-sensitive structures around the brain. Nine areas of the head and neck have these pain-sensitive structures, which are the cranium (the periosteum of the skull), muscles, nerves, arteries and veins, subcutaneous tissues, eyes, ears, sinuses and mucous membranes. Treatment of a headache depends on the underlying cause.

Manual therapy can be highly effective in reducing the symptoms and addressing the causes of  headache pain by relieving the stress, tension, inflammation and impingement of the nervous and soft tissue in the neck, shoulders, arms and back.

Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent moderate to severe headaches often in association with a number of autonomic nervous system symptoms. Typically the headache affects one half of the head, is pulsating in nature, and lasting from 2 to 72 hours. Associated symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, sound, or smell. The pain is generally made worse by physical activity. Up to one-third of people with migraine headaches perceive an aura: a transient visual, sensory, language, or motor disturbance which signals that the headache will soon occur. Occasionally an aura can occur with little or no headache following it.

Manual therapy can be highly effective in reducing the symptoms and addressing the causes of  migraine pain by relieving the stress, tension, inflammation and impingement of the nervous and soft tissue in the neck, shoulders, arms and back.

Whiplash is a non-medical term describing a range of injuries to the neck caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck associated with extension (back of head extended backwards toward spine).

It is commonly associated with motor vehicle accidents, usually when the vehicle has been hit in the rear; however, the injury can be sustained in many other ways, including headbanging, bungee jumping and falls.

Manual therapy can be highly effective in reducing the symptoms and addressing the causes of whiplash pain by relieving the stress, tension, inflammation and impingement of the nervous and soft tissue in the neck, shoulders, arms and back.