Headaches & Migraines
Physical therapy helps most with headaches that start in the neck and with tension headache, and it works alongside your doctor for migraines. We look at how your neck, upper back and posture contribute and treat what we find. You can see us at our Edgemere and Physicians clinics in El Paso, Texas.
Which headaches physical therapy treats
Cervicogenic headache
A cervicogenic headache starts in the neck. If your headaches seem to begin with a stiff neck or you get a headache at base of skull, especially after long hours at a screen, this is a likely source.
Tension headache
A tension headache feels like a tight band around the head and often comes with tight neck and shoulder muscles. Posture and stress both play a part.
Migraines
Physical therapy for migraines works alongside medical care. We work on neck and upper back tension that can trigger them, with the goal of fewer and less intense attacks. It does not replace your doctor or a neurologist.
Headache from neck, or the jaw?
Neck joints and muscles can refer pain up into the head, which is why daily headaches or a headache behind the eyes sometimes turn out to be a neck problem. Forward head posture, a clenched jaw and a tight upper back all add to the load.
We check all three. If your neck is the main driver, our Neck Pain page explains more. If the jaw is involved, see TMJ / Jaw Pain. If your headaches began after a blow to the head, our Concussion program is the right place to start.
What we do about it
Treatment follows what your exam shows. It may include:
- Manual therapy for the neck and upper back, including trigger point release
- Functional dry needling for tight neck and shoulder muscles that refer pain to the head
- Deep neck muscle strengthening and posture correction
- Neuromuscular re-education to retrain how the neck and shoulder muscles work together, including neuromuscular stimulation when it fits
- Time on our Edgemere multi-cervical unit, which tests and treats neck movement and strength, including for muscle tension headache
- Breathing and relaxation habits you can use between visits
Your first visit for headaches
A headache history
When they start, where you feel them, what you were doing and what makes them better or worse.
A neck and posture exam
We test neck movement and strength and check the jaw, shoulders and upper back, and press on tender spots to see whether they reproduce the headache.
Treatment and a plan
We start treatment and teach you exercises and positions to use at home and at work.
Go to the ER or call 911 if you have
- A sudden, severe headache, the worst of your life
- Headache with weakness, slurred speech, confusion or loss of vision
- Headache after a head injury
See a doctor soon for headaches that are new, getting worse or waking you at night. Texas allows direct access to physical therapy, so in many cases you do not need a referral to start. Call us and we can help verify your insurance requirements before your first visit. Most insurance coverage is accepted.
Headache care in El Paso, Texas
Call or request an appointment at our Edgemere or Physicians clinic and bring a list of when your headaches happen.
We see patients at our Edgemere and Physicians clinics in El Paso, Texas.