Everyone in their life has experienced a headache. The reason for headaches is tough to determine. Headaches can occur due to various factors. Wrong postures, sinus problems, or stress, the reasons are unending. It is not a serious problem but the persistent headache can be irritating and it may signal something more than normal pain. If you are experiencing a headache for a long period, many times a day, and severe pain, it is time to visit a doctor. People generally avoid headaches by taking OTC medicines, pain reliever pills, or home-care methods.

  Different kinds of headaches can be identified by their symptoms. So each headache is important to identify so that medications and precautions should be taken as per the requirement. Ignoring repetitive headaches is not advisable under any circumstances.

We Will Now Discuss Some Common Types Of Headaches 

Stress headache 

This headache is the most common type of headache among teens and adults. Too much stress and tension can cause light or severe headaches. These headaches can be cured with a slight change in lifestyle. Yoga and meditation will do the needful.

Migraine Headache 

These headaches can persist from 2 hours to 4 days. These headaches cause sharp, pricking, and throbbing pain. Symptoms associated with migraines are difficulty vision, light sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting. 

Sinus Headaches 

This type of headache occurs due to a sinus infection. Pain areas are the forehead, cheeks, eyes, and head. Symptoms for sinus headaches are stuffed nose, fatigue, and extreme pain while bending or lying down. 

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are one of the most painful headaches. It can appear suddenly even after a year. The pain in this headache is so extreme that it won’t let the patient sit still. It occurs in a cyclic pattern. The area of pain is one side of the head or around one eye. Symptoms are uncontrolled tearing, watery nose and red eye (affected eye). It can last for 10minutes to hours. It might attack you several times a day or can disappear for months or years.
Usually patients complain, cluster headaches occur at midnight, after slipping into sleep.

Treatments 

There are various remedies for headaches. People usually take pain reliever medications for relief. This can solve the problem instantly but doesn’t yield long-term benefits. So what should you do for permanent headaches? 

First you need to learn what kind of headache you are experiencing. Then acknowledge all the contributory factors and try to avoid them as much as possible. These factors may differ from person to person. Let us talk about some effective remedies that can help you deal with the pain. 

• Hot & cold compress (apply to head & neck). 
• Stay hydrated. Sometimes dehydration can be a reason for your headache, it often goes unnotified.  
• OTC (Over the counter) medicines 
• Ginger tea. Ginger is a proven food item for headaches. It can give you instant relief. 
• Yoga and meditation with few exercises is highly recommended for stress headaches. 
• Specific exercises that target your sinus problem.

Any Other Option? 

Yes, you have other options available. Physical therapy can put an end to several kinds of headaches like musculoskeletal headaches, headaches that started occurring after any vehicle accidents and the ones that are by-product of health issues like nerve damage, stress, etc. Physical therapy is not able to cure all kinds of headaches but some varieties can be treated and others can be managed. 

So How Does A Physical Therapist Work? 

Physical therapist will make you do some physical activities like stretching exercises, exercises that induce blood flow towards the brain and strengthen muscles around the neck. The therapist may want to know your sleeping pattern and postures and if any traumatic incident ever happened to you. Give a factual description of your health and history to the therapist. Following ways can be adopted by the physical therapist  to treat your condition- 

• Manual therapy- this therapy is mainly implemented for patients with cervicogenic headaches. Manual therapy is a hands-on approach. Therapists locate stiff joints with hands and then open the knots by applying different hand-based techniques to promote flexibility and reduce pressure. 
• Educate you- the therapist will give you knowledge about the triggering factors that must be avoided to see a positive outcome. Some triggers like eye straining, bad posture, less physical activity and sleep disorders can be looked after to prevent further episodes of headaches after successful treatment. 
• Correct your posture- if you drive for most of the time, spend time in front of a screen as a part of your job or involve in an activity that requires undivided attention and constant posture can tighten the muscles. Physical therapists will address the problem and give you a personalized solution, be it a set of specific exercises, to aid the tight and weakened muscles. 
• Other therapies like acupuncture, dry needling, biofeedback etc will be implemented as needed.

Headache is a very common health condition which is experienced by every human in the world. Not every headache requires diagnosis nor should it be avoided if it becomes severe and repetitive. Then you must visit a doctor. Though a physical therapist is also able to help you, we suggest you visit a doctor first and follow the instructions. It is a type of condition which is impossible to prevent but can be managed surely.