Written by: Dr Katherine Kulp

Many of us quietly suffer with headaches, taking a pill in order to get on with our day. For a subset of people, their headache is actually coming from their neck; treating the neck then results in a significant decrease in headache pain, intensity and frequency.

A classic example is the headache that starts at the back of the head, and then radiates to the forehead or eye; these are generally one sided and can present similar to migraines even though the cause is actually in the joints, muscles and nerves of the upper neck.   Headaches that feel like a gripping or pressing tightness through the entire forehead and temple area are also examples of headaches driven by the neck.  When we choose to medicate our way out of a headache, especially if we’re taking medication twice a week or more, we can actually develop rebound headaches, leaving us with even more frequent headaches!

Is Physiotherapy Effective for Rebound Headaches?

If the cause is in the neck, then you must treat the neck! This is where a functional manual therapy approach comes in. A qualified physio will fully assess the root cause of the headache. If the problem is in the joints of the neck, the physiotherapist will restore natural motion and alignment of those joints. Through a combination of releasing tight and painful muscles and specifically retraining the correct postural muscles of the neck, a physio will help you to alleviate the pain generators driving the headache! Current research continues to demonstrate that this approach is effective for a large proportion of patients with a headache.

A quick checklist to help you start troubleshooting the cause of your headaches:

• Do you awaken with headaches? If so, the position that you are sleeping in may be putting too much strain on the neck…. this is especially true for individuals who sleep on the belly. Changing your sleep position and properly supporting the neck will often help immensely. 
• Do you tend to get headaches after you’ve been at work for sometime? In this case, the posture that you’re in may be contributing to overuse of some of the muscles of the neck.  When these muscles become stiff and tight, or even develop knots, the ensuing pain can be felt in the head.  Changing the posture and strengthening the proper muscles will diminish headaches.
• Did your headaches develop after an injury to the head or neck?  Even a simple rear end collision that you thought nothing of at the time can essentially “shut off” the stabilizing muscle of the neck.  More significant car accidents or falls can essentially jam up the joints of the neck and create continued headaches if not addressed.

If you find yourself continually reaching into the medicine cabinet to address your headaches, you are likely just perpetuating the cycle as opposed to heeding the warning signals of your body.  A qualified physiotherapist will help you identify the root cause of your headache, treat the joints and muscles that are creating your pain, and show you how to break the habits that have contributed to your headaches.

Further Readings:

• Advanced Lymphedema Treatment
• Dry Needling in Dubai: The Miracle of How it can Heal Muscle Pain?
• You Probably Didn’t Know this Assisted Stretching Technique

OHC offers Lymphedema Drainage Massage or Lymphatic Drainage Massage in Dubai.

What is Lymphedema?

Lymphedema is a medical condition that occurs when there is a blockage or impairment in the normal flow of lymphatic fluid. This leads to the accumulation of lymph in the affected area, usually in an extremity (arm or leg), but it can occur in other parts of the body as well, when these happens, lymphatic drainage massage might be one of the solutions.

Lymphedema can cause discomfort, swelling, and a range of other symptoms, which can impact your daily life. However, there is a treatment available that can help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

What is Lymphatic Drainage Massage? Is it for You?

Lymphedema or Lymphatic drainage massage is a therapeutic technique that can effectively treat lymphedema. It involves the use of gentle, rhythmic movements to stimulate the lymphatic system and encourage the drainage of excess fluid from the affected area. Recent advances in this technique have led to more effective treatments and improved outcomes for patients.

Advances in the field of lymphedema drainage massage include the development of new techniques and devices, as well as the use of diagnostic tools and techniques. Therapists can now tailor their treatments more effectively to the individual needs of each patient, leading to better outcomes overall. In addition, lymphedema drainage massage can provide a range of benefits, including reducing swelling and discomfort, improving lymphatic flow, boosting immune function, and reducing the risk of infection.

Read related article: How to Manage Lymphedema?

Benefits of Lymphedema/Lymphatic Drainage Massage

Lymphedema/Lymphatic drainage massage can provide a number of benefits for patients with lymphedema.

• reducing swelling and discomfort
• help to improve lymphatic flow
• boost immune function
• reduce the risk of infection
• It can also help to improve range of motion and mobility
• and can have a positive impact on overall quality of life.

However, it is important to note that lymphedema/lymphatic drainage massage should always be performed by a trained therapist with experience in treating lymphedema. Patients should also consult with their healthcare provider before beginning any new treatment, to ensure that it is safe and appropriate for their individual needs.

The Advances in Lymphedema Drainage

In recent years, there have been a number of advances in the field of lymphedema drainage massage, which have led to more effective treatments and improved outcomes for patients.

One of the most significant advances has been the development of new techniques and devices for lymphedema drainage massage. For example, pneumatic compression devices have become increasingly popular in recent years, and can be used to help encourage lymphatic drainage through the application of controlled pressure to the affected area.

In addition to these devices, there have also been advances in the use of manual lymphatic drainage techniques, with many therapists now incorporating a range of different techniques and tools to help improve the effectiveness of the massage. For example, some therapists may use specialized instruments to help target specific areas of the body, while others may incorporate stretching or exercise into the treatment to help improve lymphatic flow.

Another important advance in lymphedema drainage massage has been the development of new diagnostic tools and techniques. For example, lymphoscintigraphy is a technique that uses radioactive isotopes to help visualize the lymphatic system and identify areas of blockage or damage. This can help therapists to tailor their treatments more effectively to the individual needs of each patient, and can lead to better outcomes overall.

Finally, there have also been advances in the development of new medications and surgical techniques for the treatment of lymphedema. For example, there are now a number of medications available that can help reduce the severity of symptoms and improve lymphatic flow, while surgical options such as lymph node transfer or lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA) can be used in more severe cases to help restore lymphatic function.

How Can We Help?

If you or a loved one suffer from lymphedema, it is important to consult with your healthcare provider and consider lymphedema drainage massage as a treatment option. This therapy should always be performed by a trained therapist with experience in treating lymphedema.

We offer manual lymphatic drainage massage in Dubai (MLD) and it’s one of our clinic’s specialities. MLD is designed to stimulate the lymphatic system by using highly specialized techniques to restore drainage and find new pathways to drain lymph.

With the right treatment approach, you can experience significant improvements in your symptoms and quality of life. Don’t let lymphedema hold you back any longer, take action and explore the benefits of lymphedema drainage massage today.

Related article: Lymphedema Management

Manual orthopaedic physical therapy is a clinical approach to addressing joint, muscle and nerve tissues that restrict movement, perpetuate pain, and/or limit the functional potential of a person. It is the skilled, reasoned application of specific hands-on techniques to address dysfunctional tissues to modulate pain, restore movement, and improve function.

Manual physical therapists (PTs) are direct access providers, meaning they have the knowledge to rule in and out various orthopaedic conditions and reach a clinical diagnosis for a condition. Beyond just diagnosing the problem, a manual PT will systematically observe and test your alignment, movement, muscle balance and joint mobility, to understand why the problem developed. Based on these findings, the therapist will then create a treatment plan to target the identified dysfunctions. They will educate you on how to manage your issue, and plan with you for a progressive return to the activities that you love.

How Physical Therapy is it different?

Orthopaedic manual physical therapists have a strong foundational knowledge of biomechanics (how joints and muscles move the body in space) and how limitation in one area can compound dysfunction in another. They use hands-on techniques to address these dysfunctions, and to facilitate specific muscle coordination and control to restore normal movement to dysfunctional areas. Exercises are prescribed based on the individual, instead of a one-size fits all approach. Insofar as possible, the treatments applied are informed by current research.

What does the research show about Physical Therapy?

There is a growing body of research demonstrating orthopaedic manual physical therapy is as effective as surgery in the management of many conditions. These include:

1. Sciatica: A study published in the British Medical Journal reports that patients undergoing spinal surgery for sciatica had short term benefit, but by 6 months following surgery, they had no significant difference in pain relative to patients with sciatica receiving physical therapy. (Peul WC et al. BMJ 2008; 336(7657):1355-8)
2. Neck pain with arm pain: when cervical fusion surgery was compared to physical therapy, researchers concluded that there were no significant differences between the two treatments, prompting the researchers to suggest that “a structured physiotherapy programme should proceed a decision for ACDF (surgery).” (Peolssona et al, Spine 2013 15:38(4):300-7)
3. Shoulder pain: In patients with rotator cuff tears, patients who underwent physical therapy had the same clinical improvements in pain and function as those who underwent surgery. (Ryosa et al, Disabil Rehabil 2017 39(14) 1357-1363)
4. Knee pain: Dr. Reed Siemieniuk, heading an expert panel on management of knee pain, concluded that “physical therapy and other management strategies should be utilised for knee pain due to osteoarthritis, NOT arthroscopic surgery.”

Try physiotherapy first! The sooner the better, as this changes outcomes. It is a quicker, cheaper and less painful alternative to surgery for many conditions, including back pain, neck pain, knee pain and rotator cuff tear.

Many of us quietly suffer with headaches, taking a pill in order to get on with our day.  For a subset of people, their headache is actually coming from their neck; treating the neck then results in a significant decrease in headache pain, intensity and frequency.

A classic example is the headache that starts at the back of the head, and then radiates to the forehead or eye; these are generally one sided and can present similar to migraines even though the cause is actually in the joints, muscles and nerves of the upper neck.   Headaches that feel like a gripping or pressing tightness through the entire forehead and temple area are also examples of headaches driven by the neck. When we choose to medicate our way out of a headache, especially if we’re taking medication twice a week or more, we can actually develop rebound headaches, leaving us with even more frequent headaches!

Is physiotherapy effective for rebound headaches?

If the cause is in the neck, then you must treat the neck! This is where a functional manual therapy approach comes in. A qualified physio will fully assess the root cause of the headache. If the problem is in the joints of the neck, the physiotherapist will restore natural motion and alignment of those joints. Through a combination of releasing tight and painful muscles and specifically retraining the correct postural muscles of the neck, a physio will help you to alleviate the pain generators driving the headache! Current research continues to demonstrate that this approach is effective for a large proportion of patients with a headache.

A quick checklist to help you start troubleshooting the cause of your headaches:

1. Do you awaken with headaches? If so, the position that you are sleeping in may be putting too much strain on the neck…. this is especially true for individuals who sleep on the belly. Changing your sleep position and properly supporting the neck will often help immensely.
2. Do you tend to get headaches after you’ve been at work for sometime? In this case, the posture that you’re in may be contributing to overuse of some of the muscles of the neck.  When these muscles become stiff and tight or even develop knots, the ensuing pain can be felt in the head. Changing the posture and strengthening the proper muscles will diminish headaches.
3. Did your headaches develop after an injury to the head or neck?  Even a simple rear-end collision that you thought nothing of at the time can essentially “shut off” the stabilizing muscle of the neck.  More significant car accidents or falls can essentially jam up the joints of the neck and create continued headaches if not addressed.

If you find yourself continually reaching into the medicine cabinet to address your headaches, you are likely just perpetuating the cycle as opposed to heeding the warning signals of your body.  A qualified physiotherapist will help you identify the root cause of your headache, treat the joints and muscles that are creating your pain, and show you how to break the habits that have contributed to your headaches.

By Dr Katherine Kulp