May 2007

Recently, I have been getting headaches after working on the computer.  Can physical therapy help me?

Chances are that at some time during your life you have developed a headache while using a computer, reading, driving or during a stressful situation.  There are many different causes of headaches, but a large majority of the headaches we suffer from are caused by the neck.  Muscles, ligaments, discs and joints within the neck are all capable of causing a headache.  The good news is that headaches caused by these structures in the neck can be managed and eliminated with the right treatment. 

Physical therapy approaches headache treatment by specifically treating the part of the neck that is responsible for the symptoms and then addressing the underlying causes of the headache.  This can range from educating the patient on improving their workstation set-up to working on strengthening and stretching exercises that will decrease the stress being placed on the neck.

David Echelmeyer