Burleigh Heads 07 5535 5218
Broadbeach 07 5539 8830
Burleigh Heads 07 5535 5218
Broadbeach 07 5539 8830
Headaches are extremely common and can vary considerably in their cause, location, intensity and frequency. While some headaches occur independently of the muscles and joints, others may be associated with tension, posture or problems involving the neck and upper back.
Cervicogenic headaches, for example, originate from structures within the neck and may cause pain that travels into the head. Physiotherapists can assess whether musculoskeletal factors may be contributing to your symptoms and, where appropriate, develop a treatment and management plan tailored to you.
Headache symptoms can differ depending on their underlying cause. Symptoms associated with neck-related headaches may include:
These symptoms can also occur with other types of headache, so an appropriate assessment is important rather than assuming the headache originates from the neck.
Headaches can have many different causes and are not always related to a musculoskeletal problem.
For some people, structures within the neck may contribute to headache symptoms. Factors can include joint or muscle irritation, reduced neck mobility, prolonged or repetitive postures, previous neck injuries, or increased muscular tension.
Other common headache types, including migraine and tension-type headaches, may have different or multiple contributing factors. A physiotherapy assessment can help determine whether there appears to be a musculoskeletal component to your symptoms and whether physiotherapy is appropriate.
Your physiotherapist will begin by discussing your symptoms, including when your headaches occur, where you experience pain, how long symptoms last and whether particular movements, activities or positions affect them.
Where appropriate, your assessment may include examining neck movement, joint mobility, muscle function, posture and other relevant physical factors.
Importantly, your physiotherapist will also consider whether your symptoms are appropriate for physiotherapy management. If your presentation suggests that further medical assessment is required, you may be referred to your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.
Consider seeking professional advice if headaches are persistent, recurring, changing in pattern or interfering with your everyday activities.
Some headaches require urgent medical assessment rather than physiotherapy. Seek urgent medical care for a sudden and extremely severe headache, or a headache accompanied by symptoms such as weakness or numbness, difficulty speaking, confusion, fainting, significant vision changes, fever with neck stiffness, or following a significant head injury.
If you are unsure about the cause of a new or unusual headache, speak with your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.
No. You can book directly with a Physiotherapist, Exercise Physiologist, Massage Therapist or Podiatrist without a referral.
But, if your treatment payment is part of a specific insurance, Dept of Veteran's Affairs, workers' compensation or Medicare program, a referral IS required.
Yes.
Please send it to us, ideally, before your first appointment. Your physio will write to your GP after the first visit to detail how we will work together with you to address your issue. At the end of treatment program, your physio will write again to the GP with a discharge summary.
Chronic Disease Management plans allow you a Medicare rebate for up to 5 visits over a 12 month period. You can choose which health professional you use those visits at. The 5 visit total is across all allied health disciplines though, unfortunately. So if, for example, you need to see a dietician and a physio for your condition, those 5 visits will be shared between the 2 practitioners.
If you use a care plan to subsidise your physio treatment, you cannot also use your private health fund for the same visit. Rehabilitation for complex conditions usually take greater than 5 visits to manage, and so if you have private health cover, you can use this to subsidise the treatments once you have used up your care plan.
No.
We provide at least a 30 minute appointment and up to 60 minutes for pelvic floor condition assessments. There is also associated paperwork which is a compulsory government requirement.
Medicare rebates do not adequately recompense for this time spent.
Yes.
Several of our physiotherapists have completed further training to ensure they have the qualification to safely deliver this treatment modality, should they think it suitable for you. We also have an electrical stimulator which can supplement dry needling.
Please ask our admin team which therapists have this qualification when booking if Dry Needling has worked for you in the past. There are multiple ways to address muscular issues but if you & your physio decide dry needling is the preferred treatment and your physio doesn't do it, they will refer you to one of our therapists that do.
