Headache physiotherapy in Miranda
Plenty of headaches start in the neck. Tight muscles at the base of the skull and stiff upper neck joints can refer pain over the head and behind the eye. At PACT in Miranda we assess first to see whether your headache fits that picture, then treat the neck that is driving it.
When a headache is really a neck problem
The joints, muscles and nerves of the upper neck share pathways with the head, so trouble in the neck can be felt as a headache. It often starts at the base of the skull and spreads over the head, to the forehead or behind the eye, and it tends to change with neck position, posture, stress or long hours at a screen.
That is the kind of headache physiotherapy can help with. We do not treat every headache, and we will tell you plainly if yours does not look like a neck or muscle problem. The first job is always to work out what is driving it.
Tension type, cervicogenic and suboccipital headaches
Tension type headaches are the most common kind. They often feel like a tight band of pressure around the head, and they are frequently linked to tight muscles through the neck, jaw and upper shoulders, along with posture, stress and screen time.
Cervicogenic headaches are driven by the joints, muscles and nerves of the upper neck. The pain usually sits on one side, starts at the base of the skull and spreads forward, and it can be mistaken for migraine.
The suboccipital muscles are a small group at the very top of the neck, where the skull meets the spine. When they stay tight they ache at the base of the skull and can refer pain up over the head and behind the eye. They are a common driver of both of the headache types above.
Assess first, then treat what is driving it
Your first appointment is a full 60 minutes. We look at your neck movement, posture and trigger points, how the headache behaves, what sets it off and what settles it. Then you get a clear explanation and a plan built around it.
Treatment usually blends hands on muscle and joint release with gentle mobilisation of the upper neck, trigger point dry needling where it helps, and exercises to restore control so the relief holds. Simple changes to your desk set up and your day often matter as much as what happens on the table.
- Assessment of the upper neck, jaw and posture
- Hands on muscle and joint release
- Trigger point dry needling where it helps
- Neck control exercises and workstation advice
When a headache needs a doctor, not a physio
Some headaches need medical attention rather than physiotherapy. A sudden, severe headache unlike any you have had before, a headache after a head injury, or a headache that comes with fever and a stiff neck, confusion, weakness, numbness, or changes in your vision or speech should be checked urgently. Call triple zero (000) or go to an emergency department.
See your GP if your headaches are new, changing, getting steadily worse, or waking you at night. Migraine is a different condition with its own features, and it is managed with your doctor. Where the neck is part of a migraine picture we can treat that component, and we will refer you on if your headache does not fit a neck or muscle pattern.
Led by Andrew Ellis
PACT was founded by Andrew Ellis, our principal physiotherapist. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a Master of Physiotherapy, has practised since 2010, and has had a long focus on trigger point dry needling as the physiotherapist behind @thedryneedlingphysio.
The muscles at the base of the skull are a classic trigger point area, which is why that dry needling background matters for headaches. It is still one tool inside a wider plan, never the whole treatment.
In Miranda, close to the whole Shire
Our clinic is at Unit 1, 196 Sylvania Road, Miranda, an easy run from across the Sutherland Shire, including Cronulla, Caringbah, Sutherland, Gymea and Sylvania. We are open Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 9pm and weekends from 8:30am to 6pm. Book online or call (02) 8105 6506.
What you will actually pay
The full fee is $165 for an initial visit and $142 for a follow up, and every appointment is a full, unhurried session with the time to work through complex, persistent problems. Once your cover is applied, here is what you actually pay.
Before any rebate. Private paying is welcome, and your fee buys the whole session, never a rushed 20 minutes.
A GP Chronic Disease Management referral rebates $61.80 on every visit, up to 5 a year.
The usual out of pocket once you claim on the spot, depending on your level of cover.
Nothing for you to pay at any visit. Accepted workers compensation and CTP motor accident claims are billed straight to your insurer, and we handle the paperwork.
The bars compare what an initial and a follow up visit cost you on each pathway.
See full fees and rebates. Telehealth with PACT Virtual Care is charged at the same rates, Australia wide.
Good to know
Can physiotherapy really help headaches?
How do I know if my headache is coming from my neck?
How is a cervicogenic headache different from a migraine?
Does dry needling help headaches?
When should I see a doctor instead?
Do I need a referral, and what does it cost?
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Same day appointments often available at our Miranda clinic, or by telehealth across Australia.