Headaches Got You Down? Myotherapy Can Help!

Everyone has had them: headaches that can ruin your entire day. They might just sit in the back of your mind all day, draining your energy as you try to push through. Or, they can be so debilitating that you need to put everything on hold until you feel functional again.

No matter the severity, there can be a million causes of headaches, and often it's more than just one. Dehydration, stress, hormones, diet, neck tension, jaw tension/grinding, dental issues, optical issues, you slept funky, you didn't touch wood when you said it's been a while since your last headache!

For the purpose of this blog, I’m going to focus on headaches caused by tension.
Often muscle tension contributes no matter the cause of the headache as we tend to tense and guard the parts of our body that are sore. 

We focus on several key areas to help alleviate headaches: the neck, head, and jaw.

The most common area for tension is the back of the neck, radiating up towards the base of the skull. However, the front of the neck, particularly the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle that runs from behind your ear to your collarbone and sternum, can also be a major culprit. Often overlooked, this muscle can refer pain throughout the head and face.

Located at the base of the skull, the suboccipital muscles can also contribute to headaches, referring pain to the back of your head and behind your eyes.

Finally, the muscles involved in jaw movement can also be a source of headaches. This includes both the external muscles around your temples and cheeks, and the internal ones located deep within your mouth, connecting your jawbone to your facial bones.

If you suffer from frequent headaches and haven't tried soft tissue work or treatments that target these areas, we can help! Click on Online Bookings to arrange your Free Chat Consult to ask us any questions!