When most of us have a sudden headache, we likely reach for the aspirin. However, people who have chronic headaches almost every day may be dealing with a neck or shoulder issue. Treating these underlying causes can help reduce the number of headaches you have. Two options for treating the root causes of chronic headaches can be found right here in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
1. Soft tissue mobilization
For people who have chronic headaches, the source of these painful episodes may not be in your head — they could be coming from tense neck or shoulder muscles. To help relieve this muscle tension, physical therapists can use a technique called soft tissue mobilization.
Soft tissue mobilization uses several types of hands-on movements. This places it in a category of physical therapy called manual therapy. The movements of this particular method are aimed at soft tissue like muscles, fascia, ligaments and tendons. These hand movements may remind some people of those used in massage. They can help target areas of tension that have built up in the muscles from repetitive movements, poor posture or stress.
Also, soft tissue mobilization movements can help break up areas of scar tissue called adhesions. In turn, breaking up adhesions can help restore normal muscle movement and reduce neck stiffness that’s causing chronic headaches.
2. Ergonomic recommendations
Another treatment option physical therapists can offer for chronic headache treatment is ergonomic recommendations. Ergonomics can be defined as the science of fitting a person’s environment to their needs. Keyboards and chairs are typically designed using ergonomics. If your work or home environment isn’t taking ergonomics into account, it could easily be the cause of your chronic headaches.
For instance, having a computer monitor that’s set too low or too high leads to poor neck posture. This poor posture puts extra stress on the neck and shoulder muscles, and over time, this stress can cause trigger points to develop. The tension that trigger points cause can then lead to more frequent headaches. To help with ergonomic issues, physical therapists can make recommendations about various parts of your environment. These recommendations will be designed to target the root cause of chronic headaches and reduce their frequency.
There’s a new Border Therapy Services clinic in Las Cruces, NM, that can help with headache treatment
Border Therapy Services is proud to have a brand new location in Las Cruces. Located on Rinconada Boulevard, our new clinic can help people in this area find effective physical therapy for chronic headaches. Our free screenings can help you learn the root cause of your headaches, and we can then build you a personalized treatment plan designed to meet your needs.
Don’t wait to start treating your chronic headaches. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.