Understanding Headaches: Causes, Types, and How Physical Therapy Can Help

Headaches can be a very debilitating condition to have regardless of what type of headache it is.  There are 3 main types of headaches.  We can either have migraines, tension headaches, or headaches that are coming from the joints in the neck right below the skull.  

We call the headaches that come from the neck “cervicogenic headaches”.  Our spine is a series of joints and sometimes, if irritated, the joints closest to the skull can refer pain to the head.  Pain that comes from the upper neck is often on one side and can happen when our necks are in awkward positions for long periods of time.  

Migraines are often preceded by an “aura”, which can present as a visual disturbance that sometimes looks like what you see after looking into the sun (don’t try if you haven’t already) or a general feeling of unease and/or nausea.  Migraine headaches can sometimes be on one side but are unpredictable and can change sides.  They can also come with sensitivity to light and sound.  These headaches often last a lot longer than the other types of headaches and can be vastly more severe. 

Tension headaches are a bit less well understood.  These headaches generally span the entire head and feel like a muscle ache around the skull.  Tension headaches are most often mild to moderate and are less well understood why they happen.  They can be precipitated by stress, poor sleep habits, or inadequate water intake.

If you are struggling with headaches and can’t seem to find anything that causes lasting relief, our team here at Roba Physical Therapy and Wellness can assess what type of headache you have and help to get you on track to a headache free life!