One-sided head pain
Pain that starts at the base of the skull and spreads behind the eye or over the temple, usually staying on the same side.
Headache & migraine physiotherapy in Dublin
Recurring headache is rarely a problem with the head alone. The upper neck, jaw and trigeminal nerve system share the same brainstem relay — so we examine that system directly, rather than treating the pain where you happen to feel it.
- Cervicogenic headache
- Migraine with and without aura
- Tension-type headache
- Post-concussion headache
- Medication-overuse headache patterns
- Occipital neuralgia
Symptoms
Common symptoms
Neck stiffness before an attack
Tightness or aching in the neck and shoulders in the hours or days before headache builds.
Position and posture triggers
Pain provoked by sustained desk work, driving, phone use or sleeping awkwardly.
Light, sound and nausea sensitivity
Migraine features that can coexist with a treatable cervical component.
Treatment
How physiotherapy may help
Targeted manual therapy
Gentle, progressive joint mobilisation of the segments that reproduce your headache.
Motor control retraining
Progressive deep neck flexor and scapular work that raises your tolerance to sustained postures, when appropriate.
Trigger and load management
Practical changes to desk setup, screen time, sleep position and caffeine that reduce attack frequency.
Co-management with your GP or neurologist
We work alongside medical management rather than replacing it, with a written summary of our findings if onward referral is required.
Your assessment
What the 60-90 minutes covers
- 01Detailed headache history: pattern, duration, triggers, medication use and red-flag screening
- 02Manual examination of each upper cervical segment to see whether your headache can be reproduced and eased
- 03Deep neck flexor endurance and cervical range-of-motion testing
- 04If appropriate, Jaw and bite screening, since TMJ overload frequently coexists
- 05Explanation of which findings are relevant to your headache — and which are not
What contributes to it
- Restricted movement in the C0–C3 segments of the upper neck
- Poor endurance in the deep neck flexors and scapular stabilisers
- Sensitisation of the trigeminocervical nucleus, lowering your attack threshold
- Jaw clenching and bruxism loading the same muscle chain
- Sleep, stress and workload patterns that keep the system on high alert
Questions
Headache & migraine, answered
Related conditions
Get a clear diagnosis for your headache & migraine.
60-90 minute assessment in 232 Harold's Cross Rd, Harold's Cross, Dublin, D6WN923.