Crushing, debilitating headaches. Like your head is in a vice. Affecting everything from your mood, your out look, how you move and your ability to focus. Awful 🤯
A client came in this weekend, with these exact symptoms. With no apparent cause, sudden on set and dehydration not indicated, there was cause for concern. After we cleared any red flags which would have meant a referral to a medical practitioner we got to work.
When the headache started it began across the forehead, and quickly spread up and over to be come all consuming with the pain slowly working down their neck.
A forehead presentation can mean there are issues with the sternocleidomastoid SCM muscles (referred pain) and sure enough, the left SCM (clavicular Head) was overactive. The big question was why?
We could have just released the SCM, but the trigger, it’s reason for being overactive, wouldn’t have been addressed, so whilst we may have achieved a few hours or even days of relief, the headache would have returned.
We discovered a compensatory relationship with the left masseter, cervical extensors, suboccipitals and the right SCM, all of which were under active. No wonder the left SCM was unhappy!
Careful manipulation and activations were performed and the headache melted away.
There’s homework to be done to make sure the movement pattern is reset, but the thing I like most about this work is the client now has a strategy, with a video recording, of how to recognise, including the early warning signs, and manage this issue should it happen again. Self care is healthcare – it’s what it’s all about 😊👍🏻
As an aside, when they came to clinic they reported their teeth didn’t match up, and hadn’t for a while.
Their bite issue resolved naturally, so their teeth met properly after the work was done.
💡 When your bite doesn’t match up, it’s normally an indication something is going on either with your jaw, or there’s a systemic movement issue which needs resolving. The body is great at giving us these early warning signs, if we know what to look for 👨🏻🎓🧠💪🏻
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Experience the difference – A refreshingly different approach to pain and dysfunction, so you can breathe better, move better, to live better.