Four common traits of tension headaches in Jenison, MI

The Cleveland Clinic estimates that up to 80% of Americans suffer from occasional tension headaches. This means that Jenison, Michigan, residents shouldn’t be surprised to feel a tension headache starting in the back of their head. In many cases, these headaches are caused by some type of stress, but they can also be the result of issues like poor posture, jaw issues like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction or lack of sleep. Here are four traits that you are likely to notice when you have a tension headache: 

1.   They start at the back of the head

Tension headaches tend to start at the back of the head. This is because they’re often related to tightness in the suboccipital muscles, and these muscles are located where the head meets the top of the neck. Typically, the tension in the suboccipital muscles will slowly move from the back of the head to the front of the head as the headache progresses.

2.   The headband of pressure

As a tension headache moves from the back of the head to the front, it can feel like a band of pressure is settling around your head. This often feels similar to having a headband around your skull that’s too tight. 

3.   Equal pressure and pain in both sides of head

Some types of headaches are characterized by pressure or pain in specific areas of the head. An example would be that many migraine headaches tend to feel like they’re concentrated on one side of the head. However, tension headaches are likely to cause pain and pressure that’s felt equally on both sides of the head. 

4.   Muscle tightness 

Another trait of tension headaches is that they can lead to tightness in muscles in other parts of the body. One example is that the neck muscles may feel tight and sore when you have a tension headache. The muscles of the shoulders are commonly affected by this type of headache, and some people also experience tightness and soreness in their jaw muscles during and after a tension headache. 

Treat the source of your tension headaches at Advent Physical Therapy in Jenison, MI

Tension headaches that start at the back of the head are often linked to other issues with your head or neck. At Advent Physical Therapy in Jenison, we offer free screenings that can help identify the issue behind your tension headaches. Our team can also build you an individualized therapy program to treat the root cause of your headaches, and this plan could use therapy techniques like: 

• Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)
• Ergonomic recommendations
• Therapeutic exercises
• Manual therapy
• Cupping

Take the next step to start treating the source of your tension headaches. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.