Headache Treatment
Targeted manual therapy for tension headaches, cervicogenic headaches and musculoskeletal head pain.
Headaches Can Take Over Your Whole Day
If you’re someone who regularly suffers with headaches, you know how draining they can be. The dull ache that won’t lift, the tightness across your forehead, the pressure that makes it hard to think straight — it affects your work, your mood, and your ability to enjoy life.
Many people reach for painkillers and hope for the best. But if your headaches keep coming back, there’s usually an underlying reason — and treating that reason is the key to lasting relief.
Book an AppointmentThe Musculoskeletal Connection
While headaches can have many causes, the role of the musculoskeletal system is often underestimated. Dysfunction in the muscles, joints, and connective tissues of the head, neck, and shoulders can directly trigger headache symptoms. Here are the most common types we treat:
Tension-Type Headaches
These are the most common type of headache, often described as a dull, aching pressure across the head. They’re frequently caused by muscular tension and trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles, particularly the trapezius and sub-occipital muscles. Prolonged poor posture, stress, and repetitive strain all contribute.
Cervicogenic Headaches
These originate from dysfunction in the cervical spine — particularly the upper vertebrae and the joints between C1 and C2. Problems in these areas can refer pain into the head, often mimicking migraine or tension headache symptoms. Tightness or weakness in the neck muscles such as the sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles can also contribute.
Myofascial Trigger Points
Hyper-irritable spots within taut bands of muscle fibre can cause both local and referred pain. Trigger points in the temporalis, masseter, and upper trapezius muscles are common culprits for headache pain.
Postural Headaches
Forward head posture, rounded shoulders, and excessive cervical curvature all place strain on the neck and shoulder muscles. Over time, this leads to chronic muscular tension and recurring headaches. If you spend long hours at a desk, this is a particularly common factor.
Your Headache Treatment Plan
Effective management of musculoskeletal headaches requires a tailored, multi-faceted approach. At the Canonbury Clinic, we combine several treatment methods to address the root cause of your headaches:
- Manual Therapy — hands-on osteopathic manipulation and soft tissue mobilisation to relieve muscular tension, restore joint mobility, and improve overall function
- Exercise Rehabilitation — targeted exercises to strengthen weak muscles, stretch tight ones, and correct postural alignment
- Deep Tissue Massage — focused work on the neck, shoulder, and jaw muscles to release chronic tension
- Laser Therapy — deep tissue healing to reduce inflammation and promote recovery
- Ultrasound Treatment — therapeutic sound waves to aid tissue repair
- Kinesio Taping — postural support between treatment sessions
We also advise on ergonomic modifications to your workstation and daily habits, and stress management techniques to help prevent headache recurrence.
If your headaches are linked to neck pain or stress-related tension, we treat the whole picture — not just the headache itself.