Misalignments of the neck and spine

Misalignments of the neck and spine as well as poor posture can cause muscle tension, which results in headaches. Food sensitivities can be another trigger for headaches. Dental problems can also contribute to headaches especially when the teeth of the upper and lower jaw do not meet smoothly, tension can result. Vision problems can also contribute to headaches as well as infections of the nose, throat and ear.

Cervical soft tissue massage, occipital decompression, as well as myofascial unwinding can all be used during osteopathic treatment. Cervical soft tissue massage is used to relieve the spasms of a tension headache and occipital decompression stretches the paraspinal tissues at the base of the occiput. It is possible to do occipital decompression at home, by using a rolled up hand towel placed behind the neck. Myofascial unwinding technique is used to unwind the tissues that encase muscles that are spasming which cause the headache. Spinal manipulative therapy can reduce the pain of a headache.

It is important to remember that your headaches may have more than one contributing factor; your osteopath can investigate to discover all the triggers that influence the presence of your headaches so that the proper treatment can be initiated.
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