Helping you understand your headaches and get back to living with fewer interruptions.
If headaches are affecting your work, sleep, exercise or daily life, we'll help determine whether your neck, jaw, posture, lifestyle factors or other contributors may be playing a role and develop a personalised treatment plan.
Headache Treatment in Ballina
✔ Health Fund Rebates Available
✔ Medicare Plans Accepted
Are Headaches Affecting Your Life?
Do you find yourself:
Reaching for pain relief regularly?
Struggling to focus at work?
Waking up with headaches?
Experiencing headaches after long periods at a desk?
Avoiding exercise because it aggravates symptoms?
Living with recurring headaches that keep coming back?
Headaches can be frustrating, exhausting and difficult to understand. Many people live with them for years without knowing why they keep occurring.
There isn't always a single cause.
Headaches are often influenced by multiple factors, including:
Neck stiffness or irritation
Jaw tension and TMJ dysfunction
Stress
Poor sleep
Prolonged desk work
Reduced physical activity
Previous injuries
Muscle tension
Sensitivity of the nervous system
Understanding which factors may be contributing to your headaches is often the first step towards improving them.
Why Do I Keep Getting Headaches?
Common Types of Headaches
Cervicogenic Headaches (Neck-Related Headaches)
These headaches are associated with the neck and often present with:
Neck stiffness
Pain at the base of the skull
Headaches triggered by neck movement
Symptoms that start in the neck and travel towards the head
Many people are surprised to learn their headaches may be influenced by neck function.
Tension-Type Headaches
Often described as:
A tight band around the head
Pressure or heaviness
Symptoms associated with stress or prolonged sitting
Migraine
Migraines can involve:
Moderate to severe headache pain
Sensitivity to light or sound
Nausea
Visual disturbances
While migraines are a neurological condition, musculoskeletal factors such as neck pain may sometimes contribute to symptom severity or frequency.
Jaw-Related Headaches
The jaw and neck often work closely together.
Jaw tension, clenching and TMJ dysfunction can contribute to headache symptoms in some individuals.
Headaches and Neck Pain
One of the most common patterns we see is headaches occurring alongside neck pain or stiffness.
Common signs include:
Pain at the base of the skull
Stiffness when turning your head
Headaches after desk work
Symptoms aggravated by prolonged sitting
Neck tension accompanying headaches
Addressing neck function may help reduce headache frequency or severity in some people.
Headaches and Jaw Pain (TMJ)
Jaw problems can sometimes contribute to headaches.
You may also experience:
Jaw clicking
Jaw stiffness
Pain while chewing
Teeth grinding
Facial tension
Assessment of both the neck and jaw can help identify contributing factors.
How Can Osteopathy Help With Headaches?
Treatment is tailored to your symptoms and presentation.
Comprehensive Assessment
We'll explore:
Headache patterns
Aggravating factors
Neck and jaw function
Lifestyle and activity factors
Hands-On Treatment
May include:
Neck mobilisation
Soft tissue treatment
Jaw-related treatment where appropriate
Exercise Rehabilitation
May involve:
Neck strengthening
Mobility exercises
Postural strategies
Movement-based rehabilitation
Education
Helping you better understand:
Potential headache triggers
Management strategies
Recovery expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Neck Problems Cause Headaches?
Yes. Cervicogenic headaches are a recognised type of headache that can be associated with neck dysfunction.
Can Jaw Problems Cause Headaches?
In some individuals, TMJ dysfunction, jaw tension and clenching may contribute to headache symptoms.
Will I Need A Scan?
Most headaches do not require imaging. If there are signs that further investigation may be appropriate, we'll discuss this with you.
Can Exercise Help Headaches?
In many cases, improving neck strength, mobility and overall physical activity can be beneficial.
Ready To Understand Your Headaches?
Whether you're dealing with neck-related headaches, tension headaches or recurring symptoms that keep coming back, we're here to help.