Headaches/Neck Pain
We all suffer with neck pains and headaches/migraines but rarely do we know for sure what is causing them. It may be that we have suffered whiplash or have had a bang on the head and here the cause may be clear. However, if this is not the case what is causing them?
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Headaches are divided into primary and secondary conditions:
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Primary - where the headache is the condition, such as tension headache (maybe up to 63% of men and 86% of women experience these headaches) or migraine. Factors that may induce these include stress, fatigue and poor posture/decrease in range of motion of the head/neck.
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Secondary - where the headache is a result of an underlying pathology e.g. hypertension or head trauma.
It is for the above reasons that, how we adapt our mind and body at work is paramount as to whether we are likely to suffer from neck pain and/or headaches.
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If we allow ourselves to become stressed through our work then this can clearly lead to us suffering from primary headaches. For most of us the concept of a stress free work environment is non achievable, however regular massage can help to lift the stress from our upper body and help to relieve many of the trigger points leading to headaches/neck pain.
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How we sit at work is another very, but not appreciated, trigger to us suffering from neck pain and headaches. As humans our body is set up in such a way as for the muscles to act against gravity (the pressure pushing down on us all the time), so if our body is in the perfect posture then the muscles have far less work to do than if the body is not. Any extra work the muscles have to do to act against gravity will lead to them being overworked and as such tiring sooner and becoming tight. Imagine an office worker who is constantly looking at a computer screen, there is every likelihood that their head will end up being pushed forward of the norm leading to the neck muscles having to work harder to stabilise the head. Similarly, if a worker is constantly looking to the side at a screen then the head will again not be in the normal position. Phone answering, where the phone is held between the head and the shoulder, can strain muscles and cause headaches.
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The overuse of the neck muscles will not just lead to neck pain but could very easily lead to headaches/migraines. In a study of 144 people is was found that 75% said they experienced neck pain with their migraines (the same percentage as experienced sensitivity to light), furthermore 60% reported that the neck pain came first.
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Massage treatment of the neck, shoulders and head not only relieves stress but can also relieve the tightness in the neck/shoulder muscles helping with controlling neck pains and headaches.
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Massage will treat the occurrence of the headache or neck pain but will not prevent it from returning. The only way to treat the condition long term is for firstly, stress to be taken out of life and secondly for us to adopt a good posture at all times. Both of these may seem hard to achieve but with massage and a good posture assessment and posture programme it is possible to get good results.