Partners
Effective Treatment of Headaches & Migraines
The Headache & Migraine Specialist network is an affiliated group of clinical physiotherapists who are committed to improving the quality of life of headache & migraine sufferers in the UK. Through sharing best practice and using the latest clinical research we have created a common set of guiding principles and therapeutic interventions to ensure consistent standards of care throughout the network.
As sufferers of headaches and migraine know all too well, most treatment of head pain is aimed at identifying triggers and easing symptoms.
Through experience, research and clinical results, the Headache & Migraine Specialist network believes there is often a better way of understanding and effectively treating headaches and migraines. Our 'hands-on' therapeutic approach has proved to significantly reduce pain for over 80% of our patients.
Research has identified many contributing factors to headaches and migraines. There is growing reason to believe that in many cases it is the combination of these factors in hitting a critical threshold that causes the debilitating pain felt by sufferers.
Genetic factors make some people more prone to migraine than others. A hormonal link is indicated by the fact that pre-menopausal women are three times more likely to be affected by migraine than either post-menopausal women or indeed men of any age. Certain food stuffs – including caffeinated coffee, red wine and chocolate - are known to trigger migraine headaches in some people. There is a widely known link between headaches and stress although interestingly most sufferers report the onset of migraine as following a long period of stress rather than in its midst.
On their own, individual causes may not be enough to induce a headache or migraine which is why on some days sufferers may drink coffee or eat chocolate without experiencing headaches.
There is another contributing cause of headache and migraine that is often unrecognised or poorly understood.
Headaches are often cause by cervicogenic pain emanating from the top of the shoulders and the neck. Pain in the shoulders and neck can be brought about through poor posture, prolonged periods sitting in one position, repetitive movements and tension.
In a severe form, cervicogenic pain may lead directly to headaches migraines. Even in a milder form it may still contribute to the accumulation of the trigger factors that induce head pain.
Skilled physiotherapists can reduce pain in the neck and shoulders; pain that is often experienced as headache or migraine. The majority of patients who suffer from headaches and migraines report significant benefits from physio-therapeutical treatment.
Most headaches and migraines are not life-threatening but there are occasions when they can be symptomatic of more serious problems. For this reason members of the Headache & Migraine Specialists network provide a comprehensive assessment framework before embarking on a course of treatment. In some cases, patients may be referred back to their own GPs or referred on to consultant neurologists, especially if they develop sudden or severe symptoms or there is a marked change in the pattern of headaches.
As part of the assessment, a specially trained headache and migraine physiotherapist will look at all aspects of a patient's clinical history and lifestyle. Cervicogenic causes of headache can be determined by temporarily reproducing the symptoms through stressing muscles and connective tissue. This may be uncomfortable but it is short-lived and allows for more specific diagnosis and more effective treatment.
For patients with cervicogenic headaches, careful manipulation of neck and shoulder muscles is used to ease the symptoms. In most instances we are able to begin treatment during the initial consultation.
Further Information / Contact Us
The Headache & Migraine Specialist group works with GP commissioning groups, clinics, health centres and hospitals to provide an effective care pathway for sufferers of head pain. We are always happy to hear from medical practitioners and physiotherapists who may be interested in working with us.
The Headache & Migraine Specialist network is expanding throughout the UK. At the moment, membership is strongest in London and the South East of England.
For further information visit us at www.headacheandmigrainespecialists.com or
call us on 0844 264 0305.
Headache & Migraine Diagnosis & Treatment, Musculoskeletal Assessment, Trained Physiotherapists Specialising in Headache & Migraine Treatment, Medication, Upper Neck Pain, Alternative Headache Treatment & Cure By Physiotherapy, Cervicogenic Headaches, Physiotherapy, Ergonomic Realignment, Managed Headache Care Pathways, London, Essex
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