HEADACHES
Many headaches are caused by trigger points in the neck and head.
We have had many clients tell us what causes their headaches: sinuses, food, coffee, odors, hunger, lack of sleep -- the list goes on. But, how do these irritants cause headaches. That is, what actually mediates the pain, or makes a link between the causal factor and the pain itself. Obviously there is still much information missing. But very often, the pain itself comes from trigger points in the neck and head. And pain from trigger points in the neck and head can often be relieved.
There are three categories of headache people (oversimplifying): severe headache people, ordinary headache people, and no headache people:
No headache people may have very tight, even painful, muscles in their necks, but they seldom if ever get headaches.
Ordinary headache people are people who get a headache now and then -- which is seldom severe enough to interfere significantly with work or activities, and which usually responds to over-the-counter pain relievers.
Severe headache people suffer tremendously. Not only do they suffer from the pain of the headaches, which is often disabling, but they suffer from loss of work, loss of the pleasure of leisure activities, and sometimes difficulty dealing with the impatience of others who don't understand what they're going through.
Medical authorities have studied and categorized severe headaches, from Cluster headaches to Migraine headaches. Massage therapy can often elevate or relieve a wide variety of headaches -- even migraines, We suggest that, in addition to whatever regimen a patient's physician may prescribe, massage therapy (particularly along the lines of neuromuscular or trigger point work, ) is well worth a try. And it is risk-free!
Soft-tissue pain can mimic the symptoms of many disorders, and can also contribute to pain from other causes. We recommend that people NOT ENGAGE IN SELF-DIAGNOSIS!
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