Can anything be done for Tension Headaches????

The answer here is most certainly yes. Tension headaches are the most common form of headache. Varied causes are suspected to contribute to these headaches including stress and posture. Many describe a tension headache as the feeling of a tight band across your head (per Mayo Clinic). Often times individuals are likely to treat these headaches solely with medication. But is there something else that may help? Absolutely!

A recent study by Mesa-Jimenez examined the benefits of manual physical therapy compared to medication alone. The study found that the hands on interventions of physical therapy had the potential to reduce headache intensity, frequency and duration in the short-term over medication alone. The long-term benefits however were not found to be significantly better. So what does this tell us? Well, that is up to the reader to decide. That said, I will give you the physical therapist take and what the study tells us.

In this study, patients likely derived benefit from the hands on treatments. Why? Because part of the reason for their tension headaches is related to posture or tension of the head/neck, which can be identified and treated by skilled manual physical therapists. Headaches that are of true tension origin actually response amazingly well and quickly to hands on treatment. It is possible to take the patient reporting a significant headache upon entering to no headache by end of treatment. The next part depends upon the patient…they must do their exercises to address the cause of the headache (which is only the symptom). Maintenance is key for tension headache sufferers.

For those long-suffering with headaches help/treatment is available. No longer should the only treatment be medication alone. It is time to seek consultation from a skilled MANUAL physical therapist (yes, there are differences), to assist you with reducing your headaches. There is a big part that can be done to assist you, but you must remember, to get longer lasting relief you must be willing to do your part as well. This means some form of exercise and/or attention to posture. Typically the exercises are not that difficult or take that much time, but must be done to address the root cause. I cannot stress this part enough. We can treat symptoms (the headache) but if the cause is not addressed, then failure will follow. Help for your headache is only a call away, stop letting headaches interfere with your life and seek care.