What causes headaches that can’t be rid by painkillers?

Hi, this is Ble from the J-CLINIC Phromphong branch in Bangkok.

Headaches have many different possible causes, but today I’ll talk about headaches that come from stiff shoulders and tension in the muscles around the back and scapula.

[A patient case]

Ms. E (45) has been suffering from headaches for about 15 years. Since moving to Bangkok about a year ago, however, changes in her lifestyle—especially an increase in air travel and desk-work made the headaches more frequent.

In the worst cases, she would feel throbbing and pain deep inside her eye sockets. She also couldn’t sleep well at night.

To control the headaches, Ms. E was taking over-the-counter painkillers.

[Patient’s symptoms]

・ Tight shoulders and stiff neck muscles
・ Limited range of motion of the neck/head, difficulty looking up or turning around
・ Tension around the shoulder blades and back muscles
・ Send of heaviness and throbbing pain towards the back of her head, her temples, and behind her eyes

[Treatment]

Given these symptoms, J-CLINIC ’s treatment for Ms. E comprised:
1. Deep-tissue massage to relax muscle tension and adjust her body balance
2. High-voltage electric therapy for pain relief
3. Motion & manipulation therapy to improve movement of her neck and shoulder blades
4. Stretching and strength-building exercises and advice on maintaining good posture

▼ Deep-tissue massage

▼ High-voltage electric therapy

▼ Exercises and advice

Ms. E came to J-CLINIC twice a week for the first month while her symptoms were severe. After her condition improved, Ms. E continued to come once a week, for a total of three months.

She no longer takes headache medicine, and she comes for maintenance treatment whenever she feels her fatigue building up.

“I couldn’t live before without my headache medicine, but thanks to the treatment, I no longer need the pills. And I’m so happy I’m able to sleep at night,” says Ms. E.

Headaches can be caused by different things, but many cases are caused by muscle tension and body distortions, as in the case of Ms. E. Taking painkillers won’t solve the problem; you need to address the root causes.

If you are suffering from headaches, do contact us.

[What about your headaches?]
Self-test : Is your headache caused by muscle tension & body distortion?
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