HEP: Cervicogenic Headache
Patient Education
What’s going on?
Your muscles around your neck become stiff/tight from sustained postures or repetitive movements.
An imbalance in the strength of your deep neck muscles and your larger superficial muscles can be a contributing factor to your pain and headaches.
How long will it take?
Some of these types of headaches can respond very quickly to physical therapy, yet some of the causes can be quite chronic in nature. It may take several weeks for the symptoms to resolve, but there is research to suggest that physical therapy and acupuncture can help this problem.
How will we treat your condition at IHSM?
At IHSM, a doctor of physical therapy will perform a detailed physical examination to assess your neck and will restore your mobility to your tight joints and muscles that are found to be a contributing factor.
You will also be given stretching and strengthening exercises to do on your own to help regain the balance between the weak muscles and the tight muscles.
Your physical therapist will give helpful suggestions to avoid the aggravating positions, movements, or postures that increase your neck pain. This will include tips on how to set up an ergonomic workspace.
What can you do to help yourself?
It is crucial to pay attention to your posture. Try to maintain your ears line up over your shoulders and your shoulders lined up with your hips. This will assist in keeping your spine in a neutral position, which will relieve the stress of gravity on your neck muscles.
To help maintain proper posture make sure you set up an ergonomic workspace.
Take 30-second work breaks every 1 hour to readjust your posture and to do your stretches. Remember taking a break before your body experiences pain or discomfort is the way to manage your neck pain.
If any of the stretches or exercises aggravate your symptoms, let your physical therapist know so they can adjust your home exercise program.
Instructions:
You may do all of these exercises right away but avoid any movements that increase your pain.
About IHSM
Integrative Health and Sports Medicine, LLC is a one-stop health and wellness center. Our mission is to restore our patients to a healthy, pain-free, and productive life. By combining orthopedic physical therapy techniques, sports medicine, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine, we are able to treat conditions and achieve results in cases that have not responded well to modern Western medicine.
We are located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Please email us at info@integrativesports.com to schedule a consultation and let us help you on your journey to optimal health.