Migraine headaches can be debilitating, but many treatment options are available. If you get migraines, you probably know some things that help you feel better: which medicine works best, if you need caffeine, or the closest dark room you can sleep in until it goes away. For some, dry needling could help symptoms associated with a certain kind of migraine. But how do you know what type you have? And what if you can’t get to a dry needling session in time to diffuse the migraine?
It is essential to consult your doctor or a neurologist to confirm you are having migraine headaches, especially if they are persistent and severe. If they think physical therapy and possibly dry needling would help your symptoms, it might be worth a try. We have many physical therapists at EW Motion Therapy who are dry needling-certified and skilled at incorporating needles into treatment where they deem necessary. Even if you book a dry needling session elsewhere, we still want to present it as a potential solution for some types of migraines.
This article discusses some causes of migraine headaches, how dry needling can help, and how it can be used in conjunction with physical therapy. With this information, you can make the best decision for your migraines and have more pain-free days.
Not sure whether your headaches are actually migraines? Read more about the distinguishing factors of each here.
What can cause migraines?
Among the medical community, migraine headaches are still somewhat of an enigma, but science has developed some preventative and reactive responses, including monthly injections and prescription medications. We can generally classify migraines into three categories based on their probable cause:
- Vascular migraine: These are caused by changes in blood flow.
- Nerve irritation migraine: An irritated nerve can cause pain in the shoulder to radiate up through your neck and jaw muscles, causing a migraine.
- Muscle tension/spasm migraine: A tense muscle in your jaw, shoulder, or neck can cause pain that can intensify into a migraine.
Discussing your symptoms with your doctor to help determine what type of migraine headache you are experiencing is essential, even though they can be challenging to categorize. Each type usually requires a different treatment progression, and while dry needling can help some varieties, it may not be the best solution for your specific migraines.
How can dry needling help migraines?
If you and your doctor determine that your migraines are of the muscle tension/spasm type, then dry needling could be a good solution. A migraine can often intensify during muscle spasms, and dry needling is intended to release dysfunctional muscles stuck in a spasm. If you go into a dry needling session with a muscle tension migraine, the needles in those tense trigger points could help take your pain down a level or two. Whether the tense muscle is in your neck, shoulder, or even the temporalis muscle in your head connected to your jaw, sticking a dry needle into that trigger point could significantly reduce your pain.
How can dry needling be used with physical therapy to help migraines?
One of the strategies physical therapy uses to help manage migraine headaches is posture correction. This involves teaching you to strengthen the muscles that help stabilize your head position and stretching any appropriate tight muscles. If you are hunched over for long periods, that position can sometimes tense your shoulders and neck, eventually leading to a migraine. With dry needling, this could be an excellent strategy to manage headaches.
For muscle tension, your physical therapist may do some manual soft tissue and joint mobilization on tight areas and give you exercises you can do at home. Dry needling can be used as another tool in a physical therapist’s toolbox, and they will only use it on you if they feel it can help you.
When should I get further medical advice?
Now you know more about how dry needling can relieve certain migraines. Migraines, in general, can be challenging to treat since they present so differently between individuals. Discussing symptoms with your doctor to ensure you are having migraines is essential. Then your doctor can refer you to the specialist they deem appropriate for your situation, whether a neurologist, vascular specialist or physical therapist.
Migraines are universally disliked, but it is vital not to let them control your daily life and routine. With the proper interventions, you can manage your migraines when they do occur and try your best to prevent them in the first place. If you have muscle tension and pain, physical therapy with dry needling can be a conservative treatment that makes a difference in your pain, which is what we strive to do at EW Motion Therapy every day. If you have more questions about dry needling, click the button below to download our answers to 20 frequently-asked questions.
