Tension and pain in the back of the neck. The spreading of this pain into your head. This progression of symptoms is common when you have an issue called cervicogenic headaches.
Cervicogenic headaches are those that result from some sort of issue with your cervical spine, or neck. It’s estimated that up to 20% of people who seek clinical care for chronic headaches have this type of headache. A physical therapist can help you learn some neck issues that commonly cause back of the neck pain and headaches. In addition, these specialists can help you find effective ways to treat many of these root causes.
Back of neck pain and headaches can be caused by these issues
The neck is a complex structure of bones, joints and soft tissue. Unfortunately, this means there are many ways you could develop back of neck pain and headaches. Some of the most common causes of these symptoms include:
- Whiplash
- Herniated discs
- Pinched nerves
- Poor head posture
- Overly tense suboccipital muscles
- Cervical osteoarthritis
How can a physical therapist treat issues causing neck pain and headaches?
The musculoskeletal system is the body system that physical therapists are trained to treat. This includes the structures found in the neck. The first step in your physical therapy will be a physical therapist evaluating your neck, and this is intended to reveal which issue is causing your back of neck pain and headaches.
Once your physical therapist has an idea of the cause of your symptoms, they can take steps to treat them. The biggest of these steps will be developing an individualized therapy plan for you. This plan could include therapy techniques such as:
- Therapeutic exercises
- Dry needling
- Anodyne® therapy
- Myofascial release
- Joint mobilization
- Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)
- Ergonomics training
Find help for your neck pain and headaches at Peak Performance
Tired of living with back of neck pain and headaches? Our Peak Performance therapy specialists are ready to help you find the effective therapeutic care you need. We offer comprehensive screenings that can pinpoint the root cause of your symptoms. Our physical therapists are also adept at constructing personalized therapy plans designed to reduce pain and headache frequency.
Are your pain and headaches keeping you stuck at home? No worries! Our team offers virtual therapy sessions that can help you begin reducing your symptoms from home.
Contact us today for more information about all the therapy services we offer or to schedule an initial appointment.
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