Headaches are one of the most common forms of pain. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that about 50% of adults worldwide experience at least one headache a year. If you’re living in or around El Paso, Texas, you may not know where to turn for help with chronic headaches. However, our team at Border Therapy Services has seven El Paso clinics that can help treat your headaches, and there are two therapy methods our team commonly uses in headache treatment plans.
1. Muscle energy techniques
Tense neck muscles are one of the most common reasons people get headaches. Muscle tension in the neck can build up in a variety of ways. For instance, the way you sit at your desk can increase this tension. The height of your computer screen or looking down at your phone may also be increasing your neck muscle tension.
Muscle energy techniques are one physical therapy method that can help relieve neck muscle tension. These techniques are designed to lengthen muscles in the neck that have been shortened by tension. First, our therapist will have you do an action that naturally contracts the neck muscles. Then, the physical therapist will apply a controlled counterforce using their hands, and this helps stretch the neck muscles and reduce tension.
2. Dry needling
Although many patients are uneasy with needles, they can actually help treat headache-causing muscle tension. Over time, neck tension can become focused in a specific area of the muscle. These focus points are known as trigger points.
Using thin needles, our therapists can release the tension in these trigger points, and this process is called functional dry needling. Though it seems similar to acupuncture, dry needling is based on Western medical research rather than ancient Chinese practices. Also, most patients feel no discomfort during this type of therapy. By helping reduce your neck muscle tension, dry needling may help reduce your headache pain. It may even help decrease the frequency of your headaches and increase neck mobility.
Find out more about headache treatment at Border Therapy Services in El Paso, TX
If you’re experiencing chronic headaches in El Paso, Border Therapy Services is here to help you. Our team can develop a personalized treatment plan that targets the source of your headache pain. In addition to therapy methods like muscle energy techniques and functional dry needling, our treatment plans may include:
- Electrical stimulation
- Therapeutic stretches
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Targeted strengthening exercises
- Ergonomic recommendations
- Posture tips
Are you ready to take the neck step to treat chronic headaches? Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.