Pain in the Back of The Head — A Common Culprit
“I have a headache coming from the back of my head.” Patients enter the office often times complaining of pain in the back of their head, or bottom of their neck causing a headache. This is a very common complaint at our integrative healthcare practice in Flatiron, NY. The culprit is pain caused by tight sub-occipital musculature.
The following may be the cause of this type of pain:
- Poor ergonomic computer setup
- Long hours on a hand held devise such as a phone or tablet
- Poor sleeping positions such as on your stomach with your head turned to one side
- Excessive weight lifting with the inability to keep good form
The structures that cause these symptoms are a collection of muscles, tendons, arteries, and nerves that collect close to the base of your spine. The skull has a series of ridges that muscles and tendons attach to. These anchor points can become stiff and tight if they are overused, or not stretched properly. Secondarily there are a series of both vascular as well as nerve tissue that intertwine through the soft tissue. If the muscle becomes tight, it can squeeze both the nerve and artery which produces a pain response.
If left untreated these pain generators can become severe. We have seen patients that cannot perform simple tasks due to the headaches and neck pain.
Here at The Center For Spine Care and Mobility we have created an integrative approach to heal such pain.
Chiropractic Headache Treatments
Active Release Technique (ART) is an excellent tool in alleviating tight and stiff tissue. The muscles of the base of your skull that perform small micro movements such as the rectus capitis posterior major and minor are the first to be addressed. Specific ART movements are used to release the tight, stuck musculature and free up movement patterns. After working the deep musculature, structures such as upper trapezium, sternocleidomastoid, cervical rotators, and cervical paraspinals are addressed. Cervical manipulation is an excellent tool in conjunction to the soft tissue work employed.
Learn more about our Chiropractors and Chiropractic Treatments here.
Massage Therapy for Headaches
Even though your pain is high in your neck near your skull you have to think functionally and work on the structures below this region. Here at CSC+M we work collectively to ensure our patients are receiving the best care possible. Massage therapy of the middle trapezium, rhomboids, posterior shoulders, as well as the pectoral muscles ensures we are addressing all posture issues. Learn more about our Massage Therapy services here.
Physical Therapy Headache Treatments
When we speak about the root cause of musculoskeletal issues you must address the muscular weakness of posture muscles. When a muscle is tight the opposing muscle is usually weak. Here at CSC+M we prefer to treat all aspects of misalignment and make sure the patient gets the best treatment possible. Learn more about our Physical Therapy treatments here.
Acupuncture to Address Headaches
The ability to address certain pressure points and pain generators with acupuncture is imperative with our patient population. Acupuncture lends itself perfectly to an integrative model rounding out a comprehensive treatment plan.
If you or someone you know is suffering from neck pain and headaches feel free to contact The Center For Spine Care and Mobility to schedule a consultation.
