A new study found a link between muscle weakness in the neck and shoulder and tension headaches. The researchers suggest to people suffering from this condition to start strength training for relief and prevention.
Researchers at the Danish Headache Center in Glostrup, U.K. looked at the data of 60 adults with tension headaches who experience a headache at least eight days a month, as well as some migraine episodes. The team also involved 30 healthy individuals to serve as the control group.
Both groups underwent neck and should strength tests. The participants were asked to lean their heads back to test the flexibility and strength of the neck and raise each arm to the side for the shoulder test.
The exercises showed that those with tension headaches have up to 26 percent weaker neck and shoulder muscles compared to the healthy participants.
"In order to be able to treat tension-type headache patients non-pharmacologically . . . It is very important to work towards a further understanding of muscle-skeletal impact on tension-type headaches," Bjarne H. Madsen, study lead author and physiotherapist at the Danish Headache Center in Glostrup, said in an email to Reuters Health.
The researchers believe that it could be the activities of the patients and their lack of strength training that contribute to their tension headaches, although further study is needed to establish a link between muscle weakness and tension headaches. The patients often have a forward learning posture and weaker next extension when using their computers, laptops and tablets.
While there are analgesics available to help relieve neck pain and tenderness, a doctor said that most patients prefer natural treatments. As a result, they recommend patients to see a physical therapist or a trainer for strength training.
"If you work on these different pieces, you can probably limit the amount of exposure you need to get from analgesics," Dr. Merle Diamond, head of the Diamond Headache Inpatient Unit at Presence Saint Joseph Hospital in Chicago, and was not involved in the study, told Reuters Health. "It's great that we have them but having a good physical response doing some of your own work on this can be helpful."
The study was published in the April 1 issue of Cephalalgia.
