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- Jaw Pain & TMJ Dysfunction
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Bedford Integrative Health Centre
66-68 St Loyes Street
Bedford, MK40 1EZ
Tel: 01234 409538
0845 123 7580
Headaches & Migraine
Headaches can have a number of causes. Most of us have experienced the dehydration headache which follows a night of alcoholic excess, but the commonest headache is due to tension in the muscles of the upper neck. This tension may be caused by stress or by poor posture, or of course a combination of the two.
Sitting at a desk tends to encourages us to round the upper back and this makes the head jut forward. This puts tremendous strain on the muscles at the back of the neck and as they tighten they compress the nerves which pass through them on the way to the scalp. Compression of the nerves causes pain which is experienced as a headache.
Unfortunately not all headaches are benign. Headaches may be the first sign of high blood pressure. A severe headache of sudden onset can presage a brain haemorrhage, while a headache which has developed over weeks or months and is also worst in the morning before rising may indicate a tumour. Headaches due to disease such as this are usually accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting and visual problems. However if you develop headaches which are new or different from what you have been accustomed to, it is wise to get them seen to by a professional. For most people this will be their GP.
If you suffer from frequent headaches, resorting to pain-killers is not the answer. Once anything sinister has been ruled out, an osteopath will address the cause of the headaches, and give you advice on posture and any lifestyle changes which may be necessary to prevent the headaches recurring.
Osteopathic treatment for headaches addresses the cause of the pain, whether it be tension in the muscles of the neck, poor posture, stress, an inability to relax or occupational habits. While the osteopath cannot take away the stresses you face in daily life, it may be possible to ease the headaches by enabling the body to cope better with those stresses. By helping you to relax and at the same time to improve your posture, osteopathic treatment may help you to get rid of those headaches.