Osteopathy isn’t just for backache: it can also be useful for relieving the pain associated with headaches and migraines, according to one practitioner.
Most people associate osteopathy with back problems, but it can be used effectively to relieve headaches and migraines, according to an osteopath who runs a daily headache clinic.
Migraines are recurring one-sided headaches that can be accompanied by vomiting, nausea, visual disturbances and sensitivity to light and sound in severe cases. Symptoms can last hours or even days and can be relatively mild or totally debilitating. Though young adult women are the most common sufferers, migraines can strike people of any age.
Hector Wells, an osteopath and member of the British Osteopathic Association, runs a daily headache clinic in Banbury, Oxfordshire. He believes headaches and migraines are most commonly caused by tension that originates in three main areas of the body, the head and neck, the diaphragm and the pelvis.
"I’ve found that a migraine begins as a person starts trying to relax. A lot of headaches are associated with the start of relaxation. Some people never quite relax and perhaps don’t even realise this. If someone suffers from headaches it’s because tension has built up in a particular area of the body causing an imbalance." Hector Wells, Osteopath
Tension in the Diaphragm
Head and neck-led migraines can be caused by left or right imbalance, neck tension, postural problems or following an injury such as whiplash. Diaphragm-led head pain can often be stress-related and is commonly accompanied by a tight shoulder, most often the left. Left or right shoulder tension is often symptomatic of diaphragm tension, as is heartburn and indigestion. Pelvic-led problems can be caused by periods or following childbirth.
Although massage can help relieve tension, an osteopath seeks the cause and will align the body to balance the left and right sides, helping it return to its natural state. Osteopaths work in conjunction with other forms of healthcare and medication. Wells says many of his patients are often able to move away from medication altogether after receiving osteopathic treatment.
If tension is found to be the cause of your problems, Wells says that when suffering from a headache, something as simple as a cold face flannel or using a cool water spray on the face can make a difference. “Cold items on the face encourage the body’s parasympathetic system to release tension,” he says. “If you suffer from sinus headaches, stand in the shower, pinch your nose at the bridge and apply pressure to one side, breathing at the same time and allowing the water to run down your face, then switch sides. This should help clear the sinuses.”
If your headaches or migraines often come with heartburn, indigestion or shoulder pain, they could be caused by diaphragmatic tension lower in your body. Placing a heat pack on the front and back of the diaphragm and drinking a warm drink at the same time should help relieve the tension and get your body to a relaxed state.
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