Chronic Headaches May Start In Your Neck

If you suffer from frequent headaches, especially when concentrating on projects at work or home, your problem may be in your neck and shoulders. A visit with an orthopedic doctor for an examination may show that treating the nerves and muscles in your upper neck may get rid of your pain. Here is what may be going on to cause your headaches and what your doctor can do to relieve your pain.

Nerves in Your Neck May Cause the Pain in Your Head

In your upper back, where your shoulders meet your spine, there are a number of muscles and nerves responsible for moving your neck head, shoulders, and arms. When concentrating intently on a project, you may hold your neck in one position for a long time. This puts stress on the muscles, exhausting them. In response, the muscles contract and become tight. This reduces the circulation in your upper back and neck and causes swelling. The inflammation irritates the nerves in that area.

Because the nerves that run through that area extend up to your head and out to your shoulders, pain from the irritated nerves can be felt in your neck, shoulders, arms and head. As long as the muscles in your neck are tense and inflamed, you'll have the headaches.

Treatment of Tension Headaches

Your doctor will offer a number of non-invasive approaches to try to reduce the muscle tension and nerve irritation. This will relieve neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches. The pain management doctors in the clinic will set up a program that includes these treatment options along with some lifestyle changes to prevent a recurrence of the pain.

Physical therapy - The physical therapist may use hot and cold to loosen up the muscles in your neck and reduce the inflammation. They will then slowly stretch the muscles out to their normal length, relieving pressure on the nerves.

Anti-inflammatory and pain medication - You may take a medication, such as ibuprofen, to reduce the swelling in your neck muscles.

Steroid injections - The injection of a corticosteroid into the muscles in your neck will immediately reduce swelling and give you some relief. The injections aren't used as a cure, but as a way to make you comfortable while at work or while doing physical therapy.

Lifestyle changes- You will learn how to exercise your neck muscles when concentrating on your work so you'll keep the muscles from becoming tense. Taking breaks from work for a few minutes to stretch out the neck muscles will prevent the headaches from starting. You may also be shown how to use hot and cold packs at home to reduce the amount of swelling that does occur.

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