Headache is one of the most common conditions found in our community and is defined as ‘pain in the head or upper neck which could radiate to the face and around the eyes’. 87% of people experience headache every year. There are many different causes of headaches, the most common being stiffness in the upper joints of the neck also known as ‘cervicogenic headache’. Causes for this could be a specific incident like whiplash, prolonged slouching, poor posture particularly associated with the use of computers and sitting at desks.
Symptoms are generally:
- Pain that radiates from the back to the front of your head
- Pain brought on or worsened by neck movements or prolonged postures and
- Pain which always feels worse on the same side of your head.
Treatment for this type of headache would generally include a detailed subjective and objective assessment performed by a physiotherapist, followed by specific treatment including hands on techniques, posture correction, ergonomic advice, advice on pillows and sleeping postures along with a home exercise program of stretches.