What is a headache?
A headache is any pain in the head area. They can take on many forms and the symptoms can vary greatly: a vise on the head, sharp, only on one side or both, throbbing, or a dull ache.
Some particularly important types of headaches are migraine, tension-type, and cluster. Migraines can affect up to 15% of the world's population and cause more disability than epilepsy, with an estimated 100 million workdays or schooldays missed annually. Tension-type headaches are the "ordinary" headaches, which can be stress-related or caused by structural musculoskeletal abnormalities. Cluster headaches are the most recognizable because of their particular symptoms: bouts lasting 6–12 weeks, once a year, only one side of the head, with intense pain around the eye commonly at night.
What helps get rid of headaches fast?
Depending on the type of headache, there can be different remedies. Talk to your doctor about medication options they recommend for you. If you're looking for medicine-free options, ice can be a great tool to decrease pain: cold therapy is known to decrease tissue blood flow by causing vasoconstriction, reduce tissue metabolism and inflammation, and slow the speed of nerve pain signals.
Can Dry Needling help my headache?
Trigger Point Dry Needling has been around for over 40 years, and in the past 10–15 years it has been used more by Physical Therapists. Headache pain can come on as a consequence of trigger points in the shoulders, neck, or facial muscles; the trapezius muscle can refer pain to the side of the head and around behind the ear. Chemical processes related to muscle trigger points may also cause migraine-like symptoms such as light sensitivity, nausea, and dizziness.
Current evidence in the literature suggests Trigger Point Dry Needling can be an effective tool in helping headache sufferers manage pain from headaches.
Schedule a consult call or make an appointment to see if we can help address your headaches.