Headaches
_compressed.webp)
Relieve chronic head and neck pain with targeted, evidence-based physiotherapy. We help you understand your headache type and create a precise plan for lasting relief.
Understanding Different Types of Headaches
Headaches can be debilitating, heavily impacting your ability to work, exercise, and enjoy daily life. Understanding the exact type of headache you are experiencing is the first critical step to finding effective, long-term relief.
Do not settle for relying on daily painkillers to manage your symptoms.
Please note, although rare, the red flags for medical assessment include :
-any headache that has a sudden and severe onset, is accompanied by neurological symptoms like vision loss or weakness
- or follows a recent head trauma
A clinical assessment helps to identify which classification of headache you may be experiencing. Different categories require different approaches. Some respond extremely well to manual therapy and exercises. Others may require relaxation and life style changes, and others require medical management.
These headaches stem directly from joint stiffness and muscle dysfunction in the upper neck. The pain is typically one-sided, starts at the base of the skull, and worsens with specific neck movements or sustained postures.
Migraines present as severe, throbbing pain that is often accompanied by nausea or extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Because migraines are neurological, they require a highly specific blend of medical and physical management.
Often described as a dull, aching band tightening around the entire head. They are frequently linked to high stress levels, fatigue, and sustained poor postures during desk work.
.avif)
Treating a neck-related headache with generic migraine medication, or vice versa, will leave you frustrated and in pain. Accurate diagnosis is the cornerstone of our clinical approach, ensuring your treatment matches your specific condition.
Our thorough physical assessment pinpoints exactly whether your pain is being driven by stiff neck joints, muscular tension, or neurological migraine triggers.
We work closely with General Practitioners for appropriate medication management, and frequently collaborate with Optometrists for prescription glasses reviews to address underlying visual strain.
We evaluate your cervical spine mobility, upper body strength, and postural endurance to uncover the mechanical drivers contributing to your pain.
A successful recovery plan must be highly specific to your headache classification. We tailor our clinical interventions to address the root cause of your discomfort rather than just temporarily masking the symptoms.
For cervicogenic and tension headaches, we use safe, hands-on techniques to restore normal neck joint mobility and release tight, overactive muscles in the upper back and shoulders.
We prescribe structured exercises to build strength in your deep neck flexors and upper back, helping you easily sustain healthy postures during work and sport.
While physiotherapy cannot cure migraines, we assist with identifying mechanical triggers, improving neck function to reduce overall physiological stress, and safely integrating aerobic exercise to lower migraine frequency.
Who treats this?
Our experienced team members are ready to help. See their bios below and book online when ready.
.avif)
.avif)
All major health funds accepted
Private health claiming via Tyro Health EFTPOS terminal
FAQ
If your headaches are cervicogenic (neck-related) or tension-type, physiotherapy can physically resolve the underlying joint stiffness and muscle tension driving the pain. For migraines, we can help manage secondary neck stiffness that often exacerbates the condition.
Migraines typically involve severe throbbing pain, nausea, and light sensitivity. In contrast, cervicogenic headaches usually start at the base of the skull, are one-sided, and physically worsen with specific neck movements or sustained postures.
Yes, visual strain is a very common mechanical trigger for tension headaches. We frequently refer patients to an Optometrist for a prescription glasses review as a crucial adjunct to your physical therapy.
While not mandatory for starting physiotherapy, collaborating with a GP is highly recommended for migraines or severe tension headaches to ensure appropriate medical and medication management alongside your physical rehabilitation.
We use safe, gentle manual therapy techniques and joint mobilisations tailored to your comfort and clinical needs. We do not rely on aggressive, high-velocity neck manipulations unless clinically indicated and specifically consented to by the patient.