Migraine is a disabling pain and mainly affects one side of the head. It is normally associated with an aura which is described as sensitivity to light, sound, nausea, visual changes and feeling of uneasiness. Migraines usually run in the family and have genetic history. they can affect people of any age.
The migraine headache attack is normally triggered by variety of factors including stress, lack of sleep, hunger, travelling, excessive noise or bright light, sunlight , heat and hormonal changes.
Cervicogenic headaches are caused by tension in cervical muscles which leads to narrowing of blood vessels supplying to head and neck muscles. It further causes irraitation of nerve endings and leads to headache.
Management and treatment of migraine involves avoiding the triggers and suppressing the episode of pain in its early or pre-aura stage.
In today’s blog we will discuss five exercises for pain relief of cervicogenic headaches and migraines.
- Deep breathing exercise: Breathe in from one of your nostrils and hold the breath for 3 seconds now breathe out from the other nostril. Then breathe in from the same nostril from which you breathed out and then breathe out form the other nostril. do repeat slowly for 3-5 minutes.
- Neck rotations: rotate your neck to left side, gently touch the right cheek push it slightly. Now rotate the neck to right side and push it slightly from left cheek.
- Cervical massage: Keep your fingers at the base of the skull and move both hands one inch sideways and gently massage that area in small circular motion. It relieves tension in cervical muscles, which are mostly very tight in headaches. The blood circulation improves and you will feel pain relief immediately. DO it for 3-5 minutes.
- Chin tucks: Keep on e finger on the chin and try to tuck it back by pulling neck backwards. hold it in for 3 seconds and gently come back to normal position. Do 10 repetitions.
- Neck stretching: Move your neck forward, try to touch chin to chest push it slightly down by keeping hand behind the head, now move neck upwards and look at the ceiling hold for 5 seconds. Now look sideways , try to touch your right ear to right shoulder , give a push from right hand to stretch a little more. Now repeat the same on left side. Do 5 repetitions.
- These exercises will significantly help in reducing tension around neck and head muscles and will decrease pain intensity of headaches. We also advise to add walking in daily routine to increase overall fitness. For further consultation and hands on chiropractic techniques , visit us at our clinic at A& H physiotherapy clinic, Sco 89, sector 40 c chandigarh.
