Are you searching for chronic headache treatment? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans experience chronic headaches, or headaches that occur at least 15 days a month for more than three months. Thankfully, there are several forms of chronic headache treatment and prevention strategies that can provide meaningful relief from pain and help you regain your quality of life.
Your chronic headache treatment options
Your ideal course of treatment will depend on what kind of chronic headache you have. While a headache may just seem like a headache, this condition can actually be categorized into several different subtypes based on its specific symptoms and causes. For example, a headache triggered by allergies will require a different treatment approach than a headache related to a neck strain.
One way that a medical professional may categorize a chronic headache is to label it as either a cervicogenic headache or a tension headache. Cervicogenic headaches are caused by an underlying neck issue that transfers pain to the head, such as osteoarthritis or a bulging disc. Conversely, a tension headache may develop from a combination of stressors—like frequently staring at a computer screen or being anxious—that cause head and neck muscles to contract.
Once a medical professional has identified the source of your chronic headache and discussed your symptoms, he or she may recommend lifestyle changes, such as ceasing high-impact activities and making more time for relaxation, or medication to address the underlying cause of the headache. Another chronic headache treatment approach that has proven successful for many patients is physical therapy. In both tension and cervicogenic cases, physical therapy can help soothe strained head and neck muscles and improve headache-spurring conditions like whiplash and nerve compression.
Our approach to chronic headache treatment
Panther Physical Therapy provides comprehensive treatment to patients with chronic headaches from a variety of sources. We believe individualization is key to achieving the best possible outcomes; that’s why we merge personalized care with evidence-based, therapeutic exercises to provide powerful relief from headaches.
As our patient, you can be assured that an extensively trained physical therapist will carefully evaluate your symptoms, listen to your concerns and determine what is at the root of your pain. We will learn about your medical history and discuss what lifestyle factors may be contributing to your chronic headaches. Using non-invasive techniques free of potent drugs, we can release tensed muscles, increase blood flow throughout the head and upper back, and enhance cervical joint mobility to ease symptoms and help prevent future headaches from occurring.
Don’t delay the chronic headache treatment you need and deserve. Contact Panther Physical Therapy today to learn more or to schedule an initial appointment.