Osteopathy treats Headaches

Common Causes of Headache

Headache originating from the neck is the most common type of headache. Other varied causes are eyestrain, sinus disease, neck injury (eg. Whiplash), tension headache from stress, poor posture, etc, migraines, jaw misalignment (eg. Following dental work).

There are other more serious causes such as infection, haemorrhage and brain tumour.

Osteopaths, as primary health care practitioners, are trained to differentiate between headaches with common causes and those due to serious pathology.

Mechanism of Tension Headaches

A common presentation with headache is an increase in the muscular tension at the base of the skull with pain locally and possibly referred to the forehead and eye area. The tightened muscles and joint restrictions (from poor posture, stress, injury etc) in the upper neck, contribute to reduced mobility, and irritation of the local nerves and blood vessels.

How Can Osteopathy Help Someone With Headache?

An osteopath is a primary health care practitioner with appropriate skill and knowledge to assess your complaint and decide the most effective course of action.

Osteopaths assess structural changes that may lead to immobility and dysfunction. They do thorough physical examination, including observation and palpation, to form a diagnosis.

An Osteopath will Work Gently With Your Body to:

  • Improve joint mobility (especially in the spine).
  • Reduce muscular tension.
  • Reduce nerve irritation.
  • Improve blood supply and drainage to and from the head and neck.
  • Help prevent future headaches with advice on posture, exercises and stretching.
  • Provide advice on improved ergonomic environment.

Research Stating The Benefit Of Osteopathic Treatment In The Management Of Headache SymptomsAnderson, R. E., Seniscal, C., (2006), A Comparison of Selected Osteopathic Treatment and Relaxation for Tension-Type Headaches. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain Vol. 46, Issue 8, Sept, pp. 1273–1280

This research paper concluded that people who received osteopathic treatment for tension-type headache had significantly more days per week without headache than those who did only relaxation exercises.


View a list of common complains that Osteopathy can assist with

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