Headaches & Migraine Treatment in Hayes, West London

Different headache types can share similar symptoms, so the location of the pain alone doesn't always tell you what's causing it.

The quality of the pain, how long headaches last, how frequently they occur, associated symptoms, neck or jaw symptoms and what seems to trigger or relieve them can all help identify the pattern.

If your headache presentation doesn't appear appropriate for musculoskeletal treatment, further medical assessment may be recommended.

Yes. Cervicogenic headaches originate from structures within the neck and refer pain into the head. They're often associated with neck pain, stiffness or reduced movement.

However, neck pain can also occur as part of other headache disorders, including migraine, so having a stiff or painful neck doesn't automatically mean that the neck is causing your headache.

Muscular tenderness and tension around the neck, shoulders and head can occur alongside tension-type headaches and other headache presentations.

However, headaches aren't always best understood as simply having one “tight muscle”. Looking at the wider picture — including movement, activity, work, sleep, stress and other symptoms — can often be more useful.

Clenching and grinding can increase the load placed on the jaw joints and muscles around the jaw and temples and may contribute to headaches or facial pain in some people.

If headaches occur alongside jaw pain, clicking, tenderness, tooth grinding or difficulty opening your mouth, the jaw may be worth assessing as part of the overall picture.

High blood pressure usually doesn't cause headaches, particularly when blood pressure is only mildly or moderately raised. Headaches therefore aren't a reliable way of knowing whether your blood pressure is high.

However, very severely elevated blood pressure can sometimes be associated with headache and other symptoms, particularly during a hypertensive emergency. If a severe or unusual headache occurs alongside symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, confusion, significant visual changes or neurological symptoms, urgent medical assessment is important.

If you're concerned about your blood pressure, the best way to know whether it's elevated is to have it measured rather than relying on symptoms alone.

Yes, osteopathy and physiotherapy can form part of migraine management, particularly where neck pain, stiffness, muscular symptoms or other musculoskeletal factors occur alongside migraine.

Depending on your individual presentation, management may include hands-on treatment, exercise and rehabilitation, as well as looking at factors relevant to your migraine pattern. Acupuncture may also be incorporated where appropriate and with your consent.

This can sit alongside medication and medical management where these are needed.

Acupuncture can form part of the management of tension-type headaches and migraine for some people.

Where appropriate, it may be incorporated alongside other approaches such as hands-on treatment, exercise, rehabilitation and advice around factors that may influence your headaches.

Acupuncture isn't something you have to have. It will always be discussed with you beforehand and only used with your consent.

Most people with a typical, stable headache pattern don't automatically need a scan. Whether further investigation is appropriate depends on your symptoms, medical history, examination and whether there are features that suggest another cause needs to be excluded.

If your presentation raises concerns or doesn't appear appropriate for musculoskeletal management, you'll be advised to seek the appropriate medical assessment.

Yes. Stress and changes in sleep can influence several headache disorders, including tension-type headache and migraine, although the effect varies considerably between individuals.

Rather than assuming stress is “the cause”, it can be useful to look at whether changes in sleep, workload, recovery or stress appear to coincide with changes in your headache pattern.

For many people, regular physical activity can remain an important part of overall headache and migraine management. What feels appropriate during an active headache or migraine attack will vary depending on your symptoms.

If exercise seems to trigger your headaches, that doesn't necessarily mean exercise needs to be avoided altogether. Looking at the type, intensity and timing of exercise, alongside your wider headache pattern, may help identify a more appropriate way to stay active.