Headaches and dizziness are both very common problems affecting most of us, at some time in our lives. For many of us, the symptoms arise in the muscles, fascia and joints of the neck and/or the jaw. Poor posture, weak muscle tone or incorrect workstation ergonomics are also contributory factors, particularly if symptoms worsen as the day progresses.
At Arnhem Physiotherapy, our aim is to identify the exact cause of headaches and dizziness, by conducting a thorough history and physical exam.
If headaches and dizziness are a problem for you, do not allow either, to stop you from living life to the full, call us today on (08) 8919 4727 so that we can begin helping you right away.
Our physiotherapists provide treatment that involves soft tissue techniques, retraining and strengthening the muscles that support the head and neck and releasing and mobilising joints. Once headache and dizziness symptoms have been resolved, we can teach you how to avoid a recurrence through correct management of your condition and an appropriate program of exercises.
Headaches
Headache pain is caused by a variety of problems including, a disorder of the neck or soft tissues or physical and/or emotional stress and tension, both of which, are common culprits.
Do any of the following apply to you?
- Do you have neck pain?
- Are you experiencing dizziness or light-headedness?
- Does the pain begin or get worse when you move your neck?
- Does the pain radiate from the back to the front of your head?
- Is the pain worse on one side of your head?
- Does pressing at the base of your skull ease the pain?
If so, a problem with your neck may be the cause of your headache
Painful headaches, migraines and neck pain are all conditions that you should have assessed by your Physiotherapist.
Dizziness and Vertigo
Dizziness is a symptom, not a condition and it can be caused by many different factors.
Physiotherapists can help with general dizziness where patients feel ‘off balance’ or ‘wobbly’ (the medical term for this is Disequilibrium) as well as with vertigo problems where patients feel the world is spinning or have sensations of motion sickness that may be associated with vomiting. They can also help to determine whether you need to see another healthcare practitioner for a medical review once they have conducted a thorough medical history and physical assessment.
A dysfunction in the upper cervical spine can produce Cervicogenic dizziness. This falls into the disequilibrium category and is made worse, by movements of the neck and by neck positioning. Your Physiotherapist will assess your condition and if appropriate, treat your neck in order to relieve the symptoms.
In many cases, Vertigo arises from BPPV, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, in which brief episodes of vertigo of thirty seconds or so, are provoked by a change in head position. This could be rolling over in bed, looking up at the sky, bending over to pick something up, etc.
The problem is caused, by tiny crystals of calcium carbonate that become dislodged and which ‘bump into’ the tiny hair-like filaments in the ear canal that detect movement, sending messages of movement to the brain. These erroneous messages create a sensation of motion and dizziness, even when the head is still. This problem is more common as we age, but can happen after a trauma of some kind.
Patients suffering from vertigo often experience neck stiffness as well. After a thorough assessment, we can treat you for the neck stiffness as well as the symptoms of BPPV.
Physiotherapy Can Help You
Headache and dizziness can be debilitating. However, in most cases, both conditions resolve quite quickly with specialist physiotherapy techniques and exercises including clinical Pilates. The important thing is, not to delay seeking treatment so that we can get you feeling back to your old self, and enjoying life once more.
Move Better, Feel Better – BOOK ONLINE or call us now on 08 8919 4727 – No referral needed.
