In my previous article, I had discussed about neckpain and gadgets. Out of 100% cases of headaches, 20% cases are of migraine and 80% are mechanical origin {muscle fatigue, joint disturbance, posture, and also stress (muscle tension)}. As these headaches are sequel of neck pain, it’s named as cervicogenic headaches and is mostly related to bad posture.

Most of the computer professionals and youngsters who spend more than 10 hrs either on computers or mobile phone are likely to have neck pain associated with headaches. Its symptoms gradually start as heaviness in between both the shoulder blades and travels up till lower portion of the neck and both the shoulders. Mostly it affects the dominant side of a person but may be on both sides also depending on the duration of the illness. Then it reaches the neck and till the area of depression on both sides (area where if you massage, you feel relaxed). There is minimal difference between symptoms of migraine and cervicogenic headaches; therefore it has to be ruled out precisely.

Individuals with Cervicogenic headache will feel heaviness in the neck and then in head, mostly in the morning before going to work or when he/she gets up from bed. If the work load is not much throughout the day then the individual may just feel heaviness and not the headache. As he takes rest, the muscles get relaxed and heaviness also subsides. If the posture has become bad (forward head posture) then the person may not get relief through rest also.

In my practice of 5 years, many youngsters complain of migraine/headaches. Reason is the gadgets and lifestyle. I am not suggesting giving up on gadgets, but it should be used in a proper way as your body allows you to, not in a way that you have to compromise your body’s vital structures.

Over use of gadgets leads to abnormal body posture and finally muscular weakness and tightness around the shoulder and neck region. Hence it causes increased tension in musculature of the back of the head and muscles of forehead. Due to this reason, individual graudually feels heaviness in the shoulder, then neck and pain in neck and finally heaviness in head which leads to headache.

TREATMENT

1. Earlier the care, better the cure is important for better results.

2. Maintain an erect posture while working on computers and mobile phones.

3. Don’t be static; do not sit in front of computer or use mobile for more than 20 mins at times. If you work on computer for 3 hrs, take a break of 30 sec. to 1 min every 20 mins.

4. Do not use mobile in forward head down position.

5. Do not use computer, mobile or watch Tv in lying position.

6. Do not read (books or novel) in lying position.

6. Visit physical therapist for correction of spinal alignments and to balance the muscular imbalance around the neck region.

7. Rest of the treatment part for cervicogenic headaches is as similar as for neck pain due to gadgets.

*MUSCLE TWITCH IN THE NECK AND LOWER BACK (CHADAK) AND QUICK FIX WITH MANUAL THERAPY WILL BE PUBLISHED NEXT

DR. MURTAZA EZZY

MPT (ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS INJURY) BANGALORE

SUPER SPECIALISED IN MANUAL THERAPY (HANDS ON THERAPY)

SMB PHYSIOCARE CLINIC