Osteopathy Headaches & Pains

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Tension Headaches

One of the most frequent type of headaches, the tension headache, is due to a tightening of the muscles of the shoulders, neck and scalp causing a ‘tight band' sensation. Often there is a sense of pressure behind the eyes and throbbing or bursting sensations over the head. Causes of tension headaches include worry, noise, depression, fumes and concentrating for long periods (especially on close visual work, computer screens etc.) Minor head injuries, whiplash injury and neck problems, including arthritis can also induce headaches as muscles contract restricting blood and nerve supplies. Patients often describe a deep ache in the upper neck and back of the head where the neck and shoulder muscles attach then radiating over the head to the eye or temple area where the scalp muscles join.

Face Pain

Because the face is such a complex structure with such a range of functions, each requiring delicate and highly sensitive nerve supplies, problems in this area can cause intense pain. Sinus infection or ‘sinusitis' occurs when the lining membranes become infected, congested and swollen, causing acute pain, throbbing and pressure over the affected area. Facial bones can be restricted in adults by accidents, falls, fighting and injuries from sports, such as rugby and boxing. Babies can have their faces and sinuses squashed by being born ‘back to back‘, also a common cause for sticky eyes. Gentle work to the delicate structures can help the body to restore normal function.

Jaw Joint Dysfunction & Teeth

The jaw, or temporo-mandibular joint, not only has very strong muscles to allow for chewing and talking, but it can become arthritic, inflamed or dislocated, so it has plenty of scope for joint and muscle pain to arise. People who grind their teeth through the night (Bruxism) may awake with their head and face clamped and aching. Ironically, they are often unconsciously trying to decompress jammed areas in the bones forming the roof of the mouth and skull.

From jaws we inevitably move on to teeth, particularly teeth abscesses, which not only cause pain but also allow septic matter into the blood stream, making patients feel thoroughly unwell too. Tooth roots can be very long and upper tooth roots can even find their way into the sinus spaces behind the cheek bones. An abscess here, or an impacted wisdom tooth, is very painful and brings us rapidly to the care of a dentist. Dental treatment, by its very nature, involves having ones head tilted back and mouth wide open. This combination can affect not only the jaw joint but the upper neck joints too. A long session of dentistry sometimes exacerbates pre-existing headaches (if you already had a bad neck for example) or can induce them, especially if one is nervous and gripped into the chair. Brace work in adolescents can increase headaches, especially after appliances are adjusted, so we often work in conjunction with the dentist to help children through their brace work and support adults who are having a series of dental procedures. Even babies can be helped using very gentle osteopathic techniques to ease them through the discomfort of teething.

Earache

Ears can also cause children and their exhausted parents much distress. Because the ear and throat are connected by the eustacian tube a child may get repeated earaches, sore throats and coughs as an infection moves back and forth along the tube. Infections are usually treated with courses of antibiotics but if this is unsuccessful, the child may go on to develop Glue Ear, which can lead to hearing loss, slowed speech development, as well as pain. Cranial osteopathy aims to regain movement in the temporal bones and to help the throat, chest, and airways. Any child can develop ear problems but we often find that those delivered by forceps are particularly susceptible.

Eye Strain

Eye strain is especially prevalent now that so many people spend hours looking at screens so that the eye muscles do not have to refocus between long and short distances. Also the neck and shoulders are usually set in one particular posture too and this leads to muscle fatigue, stiffness and aching as blood and nerve pathways to the eyes get congested. Exercise, massage, swimming, yoga, etc. will all help, but get your eyes checked and make sure your sitting posture at the computer is correct. Glaucoma is a more serious eye condition occurring when there is increased pressure of fluid behind the cornea. This may radiate pain to the forehead ears and teeth as well as behind the eye. Usually this builds up slowly and can be controlled, but if there is ever any sudden onset of eye pain, redness and changes to your vision, you must go straight to your doctor or optician since there are a few emergency situations where, without rapid medical attention, sight can be lost.

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If you require any further information or wish to discuss any problems you may have, please contact the Church Street Practice on 01225 868282, or book in for a free 15 minute consultation.