Headache Treatment in Union Square, New York City

Headache Treatment with Myofascial Release Therapy

“Myofascial release and stretching techniques were effective in improving symptoms in patients with migraine headache”-The impact of myofascial release and stretching techniques on the clinical outcomes of migraine headache (research).

Myofascial release therapy is a holistic soft tissue manual therapy that works deep down in the connective tissues of the body to remove restrictions, relax and rehydrate all the tissues in the areas most commonly associated with headaches, the back, neck, shoulders, and jaw.  Headaches treated with Myofascial Release, including migraine and tension headaches, subside by having the underlying muscle tension and tightness that exacerbates the pain reduced.

Headaches most commonly emerge from tension and restrictions in the thin layer of connective tissue called ‘fascia’ that encases every structure in the body including all muscles.  Fascia provides structural support, enables smooth movement, conveys sensory information, and helps in fluid regulation.

When healthy fascia tissue is flexible, supple and well hydrated it allows for optimal blood flow and oxygen delivery to the head and neck muscles. Healthy fascia supports posture and prevents head and neck muscle strain and the imbalances and tension that often trigger headaches.   Also, healthy balanced fascia can improve the body’s ability to cope with stress, another common trigger for tension headaches and migraines.  This is because healthy fascia is rich in sensory nerve endings, providing the brain with constant feedback about the body’s position and movement. This increased body awareness helps recognize and respond to tension patterns thwarting them before they escalate into stress-related symptoms, since stress often manifests as physical tension, particularly in the muscles.  

While muscle issues in the back, neck, shoulders, and head are the most common culprits of headaches, our body’s fascia is a continuous sheathed network that surrounds and interconnects every muscle, bone, organ, nerve, and blood vessel head to toe.  This is important to be mindful of as some research and clinical observations suggest that tension and tightness in other areas of the body, including the lower legs and feet, can potentially contribute to headaches.

Thus, fascial tightness or imbalances in the lower body can affect overall posture and alignment, producing muscle tension in the neck and shoulders and ultimately a tension headache. The reality is muscle tension in any part of the body can trigger the nervous system’s stress response, leading to increased muscle tension throughout the body, including the head and neck developing into a headache.  This phenomenon is known as ‘referred pain’ and happens when trigger points, or knots, in the fascia send pain signals to the spinal cord, causing the brain to misinterpret the location of the pain. This is due to the convergence of nerve fibers at the spinal cord and the continuous nature of fascia throughout the body.  Hence treating fascial restrictions and muscle imbalances throughout the body, can potentially alleviate headache symptoms.

During a Myofascial Release Therapy session, I use a unique combination of targeted manual movements to release tension and stress from tight and inflamed fascia wherever it exists in your body. These complex hands-on movements rehydrate and improve blood and oxygen circulation while boosting lymphatic system function – all to relieve you of headache pain.

The gentle touch and deep pressure used in myofascial release can also trigger the relaxation response and this is important because stress is a common trigger for tension headaches and can also exacerbate migraines. The relaxation response counteracts the stress response, lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension in the head, neck, and shoulders, all of which can contribute to headache pain.  The relaxation response can improve blood flow to the brain and muscles, delivering more oxygen and nutrients, which can also help reduce headache pain.  Everyone’s circumstances are unique so if you’re experiencing headaches take advantage of my free discovery call where I can be more insightful to what you’re going through and outline paths to wellness worth considering.

Headache Treatment with Active Release Techniques (ART)

When comparing the data of this follow up study to the original study it is evident that Active Release Technique® is an appropriate alternative for tension-type headaches. – The Effect of Active Release Technique On Tension Headaches: A continuation study  (research)

Active Release Techniques (ART) is effective in treating primarily tension headaches and migraines by addressing the underlying musculoskeletal issues that contribute to the pain. Active Release Techniques (ART) is a non-invasive soft tissue treatment system designed to locate and treat imbalances and problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia (connective tissue), and nerves.  Do know problems in your muscles, joints, nerves and ligaments can be felt, by me the practitioner, or tested – to diagnose the root cause of your pain. Thus using Active Release Techniques I can explore suspected areas that may be involved in triggering your headache pain, and develop a custom tailored corrective treatment.   

Since Active Release Techniques is hands-on movement-based therapy, I apply targeted deep tension or pressure to the affected area while the patient actively moves the body part.  Active Release Techniques resolves restrictions stemming from tightness and scar tissue in the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia surrounding the neck, shoulders, and head.  This scar tissue, composed of dense adhesions (bands of fibrous tissue) can be the real culprit in triggering headaches in how it shortens and weakens your muscles, causing tendons to become tense, nerves pinched, and you experience a loss of range of motion. By breaking down adhesions and scar tissue, Active Release Techniques promotes better blood circulation and oxygen flow to the affected areas reducing inflammation, promoting healing, and improving nerve function, all contributors to headache relief. 

Particularly relevant for hard working New Yorkers, prolonged sitting at a computer desk can lead to postural imbalances, muscle misalignment, and strain on the head and neck.  Specifically, the muscles in the front of your body (chest, hip flexors) tend to shorten and tighten, while the muscles in the back (upper back, neck extensors) become weak and overstretched.  Reduced movement impedes blood flow, causing muscle fatigue and stiffness. When you hunch over a computer screen, your head moves forward, placing significant strain on the neck muscles and joints leading to tension in the neck and scalp muscles triggering headaches.  Even staring at a computer screen for long periods can strain the eye muscles causing continued adhesion formation often trigger headaches.   

Over time this strain develops into what is known as micro-trauma, which is small scale damage in the muscles, tendons, joint capsules, and ligaments. Predictably the body’s response to micro-trauma is to repair the area by forming scar tissue. Unfortunately, over time, this scar tissue will build-up and accumulate into what we call adhesions that affect the normal health and function of the muscles and related joints.   Typically pain, tightness, restriction in joint motion and blood flow follow and place additional strain on neck muscles, resulting in more micro-trauma and a vicious cycle is underway. 

Active Release Techniques helps identify and correct any postural imbalances produced from sitting at a computer desk all day, improving muscle alignment and reducing strain on the head and neck.  Releasing soft tissue restrictions in the joints of the neck and spine along with the shoulders and back, improves blood flow, and promotes proper muscle and joint function, diminishing the occurrence and intensity of headaches.

While Active Release Techniques (ART) and Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) are both manual therapies capable of treating headaches, there are a few key distinctions.   MFR Focuses on a broader range of soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves aiming to identify and treat specific adhesions or restrictions within these tissues.   ART primarily focuses on the fascia aiming to release tension and improve mobility within the fascial network.   

As a technique ART involves a combination of practitioner-applied pressure and active patient movement to release adhesions and restore tissue health  and utilizes over 500 specific protocols to address various soft tissue injuries and conditions, targeting specific muscles, tendons, or nerves.  MFR Typically involves sustained pressure and stretching applied by the practitioner to release fascial restrictions and improve mobility and employs a more generalized approach to releasing fascial tension, often focusing on broader areas of the body rather than individual structures.  Everyone’s circumstances are unique so if you’re experiencing headaches take advantage of my free discovery call where I can be more insightful to what you’re going through and outline paths to wellness worth considering.

Headache Treatment with Chiropractic Adjustments

“Study results suggest that the atlas realignment intervention [Chiropractic Adjustment aimed at the  topmost vertebra in the neck] may be associated with a reduction in migraine frequency and marked improvement in quality of life yielding significant reduction in headache-related disability” – Effect of Atlas Vertebra Realignment in Subjects with Migraine: An Observational Pilot Study

Chiropractic adjustments can resolve headache pain, particularly headaches rooted in muscle tension or misalignment in the neck and spine.  Clinically referred to as “vertebral subluxations”,  these spinal misalignments are dislocated vertebrae (bones) that can move ever so slightly out of position that it may not be visible on X-rays, can create: 

• Pressure and irritation to spinal nerves that leads to pain signals being sent to the head, causing headaches.
• Reduced oxygen delivery to the brain and surrounding tissues which can trigger headaches since the brain relies on a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients for optimal function. 
• Joint inflammation and pain in the back of the head and base of the skull triggering tension headaches. 
• Muscle imbalances, tension and spasms in the neck and shoulders (as the body tries to compensate for the misalignment), restricting blood flow to the head and creating trigger points, or hypersensitive knots in the muscle tissue that can refer the pain to the head, further contributing to headaches. 
• Poor posture, placing additional strain on the muscles and joints of the neck and shoulders. This chronic muscle tension can contribute to headaches.   

Subluxations can arise from trauma or injury, repetitive stress from poor posture or repetitive movements, muscle imbalances, stress, degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis and more. It’s important to note that the link between subluxations and headaches is supported by research and many people report experiencing relief from headaches after receiving chiropractic adjustments to address spinal misalignments. Chiropractic adjustments may also promote relaxation and reduce stress levels, which are common triggers for headaches. 

Chiropractic adjustments involve gentle manipulations that can trigger a relaxation response in the central nervous system through restoring proper alignment of the spine and joints. Resolving misalignments relieves pressure on nerves and reduces muscle tension, leading to a decrease in pain signals being sent to the brain.   This, in turn, promotes activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation response) which is responsible for decreasing heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. 

Misalignments can also contribute to the release of stress hormones like cortisol, proven to trigger headaches, particularly in people who are prone to migraines.   Cortisol can affect the sensitivity of the nervous system, potentially lowering the threshold for pain and making individuals more susceptible to headaches. Cortisol can also influence blood vessel constriction and dilation, which can play a role in migraines. In sum, chiropractic adjustments can reduce cortisol levels by correcting any spinal misalignments, relieving pain, promoting relaxation, and improving nervous system function.  Everyone’s circumstances are unique so if you’re experiencing headaches take advantage of my free discovery call where I can be more insightful to what you’re going through and outline paths to wellness worth considering.

Headache Treatment with Cupping Therapy

“Cupping therapy has demonstrated notable advantages in addressing various forms of pain, particularly musculoskeletal pain, migraines, and tension headaches” –  Cupping Therapy (Research)

Migraines are sometimes considered vascular headaches because they commonly involve stress and muscle tension at the base of the skull which restricts blood flow to the brain.  This causes blood vessels in and around the brain to dilate or its walls widen to allow more blood to flow through the vessel to compensate for the reduced oxygen. The pressure of this dilation on cranial nerves causes the severe throbbing pain associated with migraine headaches.

Cupping therapy can be effective in treating tension headaches and migraines as the suction created by the cups increases blood circulation, reducing inflammation and muscle tension, both common contributors to headaches.   The suction and release action of the cups can help relax tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, and back, further alleviating headache pain.

Cupping can also help release trigger points, which are knots of muscle tension that can refer pain to other areas, including the head.  The overall relaxation and increased blood flow associated with cupping can help reduce stress levels, which are known to trigger or worsen headaches.  The suction from the cups draws blood to the surface of the skin, increasing circulation and improving oxygen and nutrient delivery to the affected tissues. This can help reduce inflammation, promote healing, and improve muscle function. 

Other benefits of cupping therapy: 

• It improves circulation: The suction from the cups improves circulation of the blood towards the brain.
• It helps tissues expel toxins: The increased blood flow from the procedure helps the body expel built-up toxins using the lymphatic system.
• It helps in keeping the skin healthy: Cupping therapy tends to improve the blood flow of the skin by helping the increase of oxygen and other nutrients which is required for a healthy skin.
• It helps in relieving digestive problems: It helps in improving digestive problems caused by malnutrition, chronic stress, etc. 

Everyone’s circumstances are unique so if you’re experiencing headaches take advantage of my free discovery call where I can be more insightful to what you’re going through and outline paths to wellness worth considering.