Specialist Treatment for Headaches and Migraine
With Physiotherapist and Healer Sharon Levett
Note: The case illustrations below are actual examples of how Sharon’s work can help. Personal information has been removed to protect client confidentiality.
Before and after treatment
Headaches and migraines can be very distressing and debilitating, preventing the ability to carry out normal daily activities.This can have an impact not only on you, but on your family and friends.
Recent and ongoing research has shown that problems and disorders stemming from the upper part of the neck can have the potential to cause migraines and headaches.
Some headaches are triggered by stress, food or light sensitivity, or hormonal fluctuations for example. Sharon uses special techniques to desensitise the response to these triggers and reduce the frequency and severity of the headache.
If you are experiencing headaches for the first time ‘out of the blue’ then you are advised to consult your GP. If however, you have experienced headaches for many years, then an in depth assessment of your neck will enable Sharon to evaluate the effectiveness of her treatment techniques. A course of treatment will be essential to gain results and desensitise the trgger areas.
Case illustrations
Six years of constant headache
A middle aged gentleman came to see me with a history of 6 years of constant headaches, and full blown migraine type headaches 5-6 times a week. Having seen a Consultant specialist he was taking very strong medication, which enabled him to function on a daily basis but made him feel washed out and at times unwell, but controlled the worst of the pain.
His upper shoulders and neck in general were quite tight, though he also has a very stressful job and does shift work, which has not helped his sleep patterns.
We embarked on a course of treatment which included:-
- Loosening his neck and upper shoulders.
- Using specialised techniques on his upper neck to desensitise the trigger points that caused his headaches.
- Advice on posture at work, at home, and a good sleep ritual.
- Exercises and some self-treatment ‘tricks’ aimed at preventing the headaches returning or escalating.
He now has 1-2 headaches a week, for which he doesn’t always need to take medication. In between he has no headache. Occasionally his head feels muzzy but, as he says, he can put up with that and can get on with his life. He also tells me his wife says he is less grumpy!
Headaches following whiplash injury
A lady in her 30’s came to see me with headaches following a whiplash a year before. They didn’t start immediately but had gradually increased over the year. She had seen her GP who confirmed that nothing else seemed to be the cause and that they were most likely as a result of the old injury in the car accident.
I did a detailed assessment, especially as she had been in a road traffic accident, and found that as well as the upper part of her neck being extremely tight there was some chronic stiffness and pain in her upper shoulder and general neck muscles.
My treatment included:-
- Freeing up her neck and shoulder muscles.
- Using specialised techniques to relax and desensitise the trigger points that were causing the headaches.
- Using physiotherapy techniques to loosen the joints in her neck and upper back.
- Advice on posture in the office and at home.
- Exercises to keep her neck and shoulders loose, relaxed and pain free.
After treatment she no longer had any headaches and her neck and shoulders felt great.
For more information or advice on these treatments, contact Sharon at Stillpoint on 0114 258 6133.
