headache treatments in Norwest

We start with a careful assessment to understand the cause of your headache and determine if it’s treatable through physiotherapy or if a referral to a doctor might be more suitable. For most primary headaches and migraines, including tension headaches and neck-related headaches, the muscles, joints, and nerves around the upper neck and brainstem play a major role.

Our approach goes beyond immediate pain relief to look for other potential causes, like lifestyle factors/triggers, and even past injuries that can increase sensitivity of the neck and brainstem. This comprehensive approach helps us provide personalized advice to prevent future headaches, as factors like stress, posture, and past injuries can all contribute to recurring headaches.

Our Treatment Techniques

Once we understand the cause, we use gentle, effective techniques tailored to each type of headache, often combining several methods:

• Acupuncture (if you’re comfortable with it) to relieve pain and release tension

• Massage and gentle neck pressure to relax and release tight muscles, without cracking the neck

• Postural retraining and breathwork if this is relevant, to take pressure off the neck and head

We treat a wide range of headaches, including:

• Migraines (with and without aura)

• Neck-related headaches

• Tension headaches

• Chronic daily headache and persistent pain

• Cluster headaches

• Menstrual migraines

• Medication overuse headaches

This blend of techniques helps target the source of your headaches, bringing relief and helping prevent future occurrences.

Treatment of dizziness & vertigo

When treating dizziness or vertigo, we start with a thorough assessment to determine if physiotherapy is the best solution or if a referral to a doctor may be needed. If your dizziness is related to the brain, spinal cord, or arteries in the neck, we refer you to a specialist. However, in most cases, we can help!

Understanding Vertigo (BPPV): "Loose Ear Rocks”

One of the most common types of dizziness we treat is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This occurs when tiny crystals in the inner ear become dislodged, creating a sensation of spinning or dizziness. We humorously refer to these as "loose ear rocks" to help explain how it works! Without treatment, some people recover naturally (20% in 4 weeks, 50% in 3 months), but physiotherapy can significantly speed up recovery, often within just 1-3 sessions.

Other Types of Dizziness We Treat
Dizziness can stem from several causes, including:

• Whiplash and neck injuries: A stiff or painful neck can sometimes lead to dizziness.

• Hypermobility: Excessive joint movement can throw off balance.

• Concussions: Head injuries can cause lingering dizziness.

• General neck issues: Even common neck stiffness can trigger dizziness.

Treatment Approach

Our approach is drug-free and designed to address the root causes of dizziness.

Treatments may include a combination of massage, acupuncture, or exercise using traditional physiotherapy and Clinical Pilates approaches. These three modes of treatment all work in some way to release muscle tension, or improve strength, stability and sensory awareness of the neck, which in turn improves symptoms of dizziness and lightheadedness.

We work to relieve your symptoms as quickly and safely as possible, helping you return to feeling steady and secure.