Is Your Headache A Pain In The Neck?

These headaches are very different from a migraine because they have a mechanical cause – typically the position that we are in all day. For most of us this is sitting at a desk, staring at a computer screen. The sustained nature of this position means that symptoms are usually worse as the day goes on, starting in the mid-afternoon and lasting into the evening. This can cause a lot of discomfort when relaxing on the couch at home, reading in bed or even just trying to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in. The headache can also be something that you wake up with depending on the position you are in during the night.

The pain will usually originate from the base of the skull or one of the joints in the neck, it can then come over to settle in the forehead or behind the eyes (hence why poor vision is suspected). It can be on one side only or both sides of the head if it’s particularly bad.

Although the pain can be very intense, it can actually be fairly simple to address. A physiotherapy assessment will determine your body type and how this relates to your typical posture. An ergonomic assessment of your workstation will also give clues as to why the headaches occur and a simple change of the set-up can make all the difference.

If any of the above sounds familiar and you’re struggling with your headaches (despite drinking lots of water and having had an eye check!) then come and see us at Pure Physio and we can help you to identify the issue and then take you through a comprehensive rehabilitation to ensure that your headaches are not limiting you in your day to day life.