Greetings

Happy New Year from all of us at Bedford-Sackville Physiotherapy Clinic Inc..  We hope that you had a great Holiday season and we wish you all the best for 2015.

You may see a new face at the front desk!  We welcomed Tarina Pittman to our reception team only this fall but it seems that she has been with us for much longer. She brings with her years of experience, a cheerful smile and a "can do" attitude to assist you.  Tina and Tarina make a dynamic duo!

We were sad to announce that after 6 years with us, Kielly Christie (massage therapist) has decided to move on.  The deep tissue work was hurting her hands so she has opted to do some part time teaching at the College and lighter spa work.  We will greatly miss her.

A positive that came out of Keilly's move is that Annette George (massage therapist) who was covering maternity leaves has agreed to stay on permanently! Annette has been a wonderful addition to our team.

Another baby is on the way!  Kathleen O'Reilly (physio) is due this April, expecting her first! So we are back searching for another fantastic physiotherapist, although it will be difficult to fill Kathleen's shoes.

In our January edition of our newsletter we are discussing headaches and how physiotherapy can help.

There are three common types of headaches: tension, migraine and cluster headaches. Among the three types, tension headaches are the most common form and they are often the result of stress or fatigue. Prolonged desk work or manual labor, dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits, and even poor posture also contribute to postural or tension headaches. If the factors that are triggering headaches are not properly identified and addressed, the headaches may become chronic.   

The brain itself does not contain nerves that are responsible for pain sensations - which means the brain tissue itself can’t “hurt”. The actual pain of headaches originates in structures or tissues surrounding the brain and, therefore, a headache typically signals an issue in the body that needs to be addressed. Most headaches can easily be treated with over the counter pain relievers (e.g., aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen), but chronic headaches may require a more therapeutic approach, especially if the headaches may be the result of pain referred from the body (e.g., neck or upper back pain). In such cases, physiotherapy can help individuals address the cause of the headaches, and in doing so, reduce their occurrence.

If an individual is suffering from tension headaches, for example, therapy may involve teaching the person relaxation and coping strategies to use when stressful situations arise that could trigger a headache.  If it is believed that body pain (e.g., shoulder or back pain) is causing the tension headaches, then physiotherapy will focus on relieving muscle tension, teaching an individual stretching and strength-training exercises and correcting postural issues. Once a Physiotherapist feels an individual has learned how to properly perform the exercises, they can then be incorporated into a home exercise program. Individuals who continue to engage in their physiotherapy exercises generally experience relief from headaches and body pain. Furthermore, the therapeutic techniques can become a long-term approach to avoiding the headache triggers, stopping a headache if it does start, or reducing its intensity and frequency.

If you are experiencing chronic headaches or even neck, shoulder, or back pain that you believe may be associated with the occurrence of your headaches, our trained professionals at Bedford-Sackville Physiotherapy Clinic Inc. can show you physical therapy methods that have proven to be useful. Neck and shoulder training, in particular, has been shown to reduce both headaches and body pain.

Our Physiotherapists would be happy to assess your current physical state and create a program tailored specifically to your needs and goals. Call Bedford-Sackville Physiotherapy Clinic Inc. to make an appointment or to ask any questions you may have.

References

• Williams LA. A concise discussion of headache types, Part 1. Int J Pharm Compd. 2012; 16(2):125-32.
• Amiri M, Jull G, Bullock-Saxton J, Darnell R, Lander C. Cervical musculoskeletal impairment in frequent intermittent headache. Part 2: subjects with concurrent headache types. Cephalalgia. 2007; 27(8):891-8.
• Abaspour O, Javanshir K, Amiri M, Karimlou M. Relationship between cross sectional area of Longus Colli muscle and pain laterality in patients with cervicogenic headache. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2014; in press.
• Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C, Ge HY, Alonso-Blanco C, González-Iglesias J, Arendt-Nielsen L. Referred pain areas of active myofascial trigger points in head, neck, and shoulder muscles, in chronic tension type headache. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2010; 14(4):391-6.
• Gram B, Andersen C, Zebis MK, Bredahl T, Pedersen MT, Mortensen OS, Jensen RH, Andersen LL, Sjøgaard G. Effect of training supervision on effectiveness of strength training for reducing neck/shoulder pain and headache in office workers: cluster randomized controlled trial. Biomed Res Int. 2014; 2014:693013.