Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
ARE YOUR HEADACHES CAUSED BY NECK PAIN?
Headacheshaveabadhabitofmaking theirappearanceat themost inconvenient times.The middle of the workday, early in the evening when you have hours of responsibilities ahead of you, or even first thing in the morning when you are trying to pay attention to your morning meeting — headaches don’t care how important the work ahead of you is. When they start, they are hard to stop. Thereareallsortsof reasonswhyheadachesmaydevelop.Fromenvironmental factors likeweatherchangesandexposure tocertainperfumesorotherscents, to stress and allergies, headaches happen to the best of us. However, there are some headaches that may be a bit more predictable than others. Factors like your posture, the type of mattress you sleep on, the pillow you use, or even the desk chair you sit in at work can all impact your risk for experiencing regular headachesbecauseof the intricatenetworkofnervesandmuscles inyourneck. When Neck Pain Leads to Headaches The majority of the time, neck pain starts out as a seemingly small concern. A crick inyourneckhereor theremaystart todevelopmore frequently,andbefore you know it, your experience of neck pain is something you are dealing with daily. It isn’t always the result of something large. While being in a car accident or experiencing another sort of injury can definitely lead to chronic neck pain, the cause of the issue isn’t always as simple to identify. Sometimes it is a bad habit that you don’t really think twice about, like your habit of watching TV as you fallasleep,keepingyourneckatanoddangleasyou rest for theevening,or maybe as a result of your posture as you type at your desk every day, hunched over at the shoulders with your neck catching the brunt of your slouch. These poor habits are common, and most of us consider them to be harmless. Sure, you know it isn’t great for you, but what is actually going to happen? It’s a lot easier to slouch as you type, and who doesn’t want to catch a few late-night
laughsas they fallasleep?But the reality is that theseseemingly irrelevanthabits could be putting undue stress on your neck, and if you aren’t careful, this could translate to regularanduncomfortableheadaches thataredifficult toget ridof. The Problem With Posture Working with a physical therapist can help you to identify whether or not your headaches may be the result of neck pain or strain. One of the most common causes of headaches due to neck pain is forward head position. Forward head position means that when you are resting your head, you are continuing to hold your head slightly forward, which is a type of slouching position. You can identify whether or not you have a forward head position by standing straightagainst thewallanddeterminingwhetherornotyourhead restsagainst the wall as your back does. If your head does not touch the wall when you are standing straight, then you aren’t fully standing up straight! As years go by and day after day you continue to hold your head in this forward position, you can start to experience pain as a result of strain in the muscles of the neck. When this is an issue, working with a physical therapist may be able to help. Stretching the muscles in your neck to alleviate neck strain can reduce the severity and regularity of your headaches. Stretching the muscles that have grown tight along the back of your neck as well as those along the shoulders can help you find relief from the tension that is causing your pain. When dealing with neck pain, it is important to remember that safety has to come first. While there are many simple activities you can try at home to begin stretching your neck muscles, working with a physical therapist is the only way to ensure that you are stretching in a way that won’t potentially lead to greater injury. For more information, contact us.
Schedule Your Appointment Today! Kewanee: 309.852-2200 Galva: 309.932.8100 Stark County: 309.695.4010.
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