HEADACHES!

ABOUT OUR GUEST WRITER:

Ryan Schulz, DPT graduated from Regis University in Colorado in 2008. He then went on to take specialization courses for Headaches in Curtin University in Perth, Australia. He currently works at Tuality Health Place in Hillsboro, OR and has a wonderful new family. He may be reached at Ryan.Schulz@tuality.org

As a Physical Therapist, I treat the physical aspect of my clients and yet there is another aspect about them that I learn as I gradually get to know them with each treatment session.  When I was asked by my good friend Mark Jamantoc to write about the topic of headaches, I felt that there is more than meets the eye when a person is seeking a cure from these debilitating events.   

            

Let me explain: There are over 300 types of headache diagnoses that are used in the medical field and a couple of examples are:  chewing gum and blow drying headache.  Also, the big discussion when it comes to these headaches is mainly on those pesky “migraines” that can be debilitating and really hinder life’s activities at a moment’s notice.  Migraines and depression are closely linked and psychologists/psychotherapists work with clients who have both of these in their lives.  So, when I encounter a client that has been dealing with headaches for a long period of time, I have to take in the whole picture.  I have to address this individual as a whole and seek ways to give them control over these headaches.

As humans we want to know why we have to deal with these headaches.  Did I do something? Eat something?  Did I sleep wrong? Are my hormones causing them?  Etc.  Dean Watson, a physical therapist and a big name in the treatment of headaches, is focusing his research on a mechanical driver/cause.  The term, Sensitive New Age Migraine is what he uses and it points toward the upper cervical (C0-C3) dysfunction and its influence on the brainstem.  The brainstem becomes sensitized, causing a hypersensitivity to stimuli that is not accurate and the treatment works to desensitize the brainstem.  It is a similar concept to that of chronic pain. 

 

• There are so many different variations of headaches, that the headaches are named after the event/reason the headache are present.  The chewing gum headache is what we know as TMD and people tilt their heads when blow drying their hair, thus increasing tension on the sub occipital and skull musculature (blow drying headache).    These examples point to the fact headaches are a phenomenon and the treatments vary as much as the symptoms. Many deal with headaches for such a long time that they can predict when and how they will be present.  Check out www.watsonheadache.com for more detail into this.  

So, the mechanical driver (as stated above) is fixed and the headache symptoms are at bay, now what?  How do we transition into a long term fix? 

• I have found that when this part in the process is attained, the headaches may still return.  When we work with our clients we see them for 2 or 3 hours of their week and we need to determine what factors are possible irritants in their daily life and how may they be decreased and replaced with positive factors? It all comes down to changing one’s habits.  It is said that it takes 21 days to break a habit and create a new one.  It is a process.  There is an opportunity to help our clients in so many aspects and to empower them with knowledge and tools to enhance their lives.  The key areas that I address as a physical therapist are work activities, hobbies, general environment or anything else I may find out as I get to know them.  This can be a lengthy list, depending on the client, but you get the idea.  There is one prescription that is known to help the human body mentally, physically and emotionally and anyone can do it.    

 

It's called EXERCISE.    

It is widely known that one of the positive effects of exercise is a reduction in headaches (if they implement this regularly into their lives).  Watch this video:

23 and ½ hours 

This short video will give awareness as to what just 30 minutes of exercise a day can do for an individual.  I have found it to be a very useful tool for educating clients.

• In my practice as a physical therapist, I have corrected the mechanical faults, eliminated the symptoms, improved postural strength and flexibility, given an exercise prescription but the one thing that I have found to most effective for a long term effect is when the client makes exercise a regular habit.  It has to be something that they believe in.       

I believe that there is a hands-on approach to eliminating the main driver of headaches and preventing them from hindering the lives of our clients.  I have also found that purely changing habits of daily life can be enough to decrease and eliminate headaches.  This is a great opportunity for a physical therapist and a personal trainer to develop a great working relationship so that the client has that support and eventually be empowered to take control instead of being controlled by the pain in their head.

Looking for a HEADACHE SPECIALIST in ROSEBURG, OREGON? Click HERE!