When it comes to headaches, not all people are the same. While they can all interfere with daily activities, and they can certainly be uncomfortable, to find out which type of headache you’re experiencing and what options you have, take the following quiz:
1. Before the onset of the headache, did you experience…
A) head injury
B) Neck sprain or neck injury
C) nothing important
D) Times of high stress
2. Your headaches get worse as…
A) Activities and sports
B) neck exercise
C) eye movement or reading
D) cognitive load
3. Your headache symptoms decrease as…
A) improve sleep or limit activity
B) Massaging muscles and stretching the body
C) calm environment
D) thinking less
4. In addition to your headache, you feel…
A) dizziness, nausea, difficulty concentrating
B) Neck stiffness
C) Blurred vision or double vision
D) Decreased energy or motivation
5. Would you describe your headache as…
A) Unilateral and pulsatile
B) Twitching of the front of the head
C) behind your eyes
D) dullness and pain
6. Which environment gives you more headaches?
A) Loud, bright environment
B) Turn your head often
C) Busy environment with high turnover of people
D) work or classroom environment
If you answer…
mostly A’s
This could be a post-traumatic headache or a concussion. Post-traumatic headaches can occur after a head injury. They often include nausea, insomnia, dizziness, trouble concentrating, memory problems, sensory sensitivities, and personality changes. A combination of education, exercise, physical therapy, and rest can treat this type of headache and give you back a sense of yourself.
mostly B’s
You may have cervicogenic headaches or tension headaches. Cervicogenic headaches can occur after a strained or sprained neck and usually result in a stiff or painful neck along with the headache. Dizziness may accompany this type of headache, and you may feel heavy in your head. A physical therapist can help you combine exercise and manual therapy to get you back in top shape.
mostly C
It could be an oculomotor headache. Oculomotor headaches may have no apparent cause. They may include blurred vision, difficulty moving your eyes, slow reading, and challenges with school or work. Physiotherapists are trained to help treat these symptoms with a variety of eye exercises that challenge eye movement, tracking, and convergence speed.
mostly D
You may be experiencing cognitive fatigue headaches. Cognitive fatigue headaches are more common in men and manifest as deficits in memory, processing speed, and reaction time on cognitive tests. These headaches can get worse throughout the day or when you need to concentrate for long periods of time. It is often associated with difficulty concentrating and decreased energy levels. A physical therapist can help with activity modification, sleep advice, and graded exposure to cognitive and physical tasks.
While this short quiz may give you some insight into what you’re going through, a licensed physical therapist can help address your specific situation and help you get back feeling your best. Whether it’s one of these types of headaches, a combination headache, or another type of headache not mentioned above, a physical therapist can be part of your team and create a plan of care to help manage symptoms and disorders. To learn more, or to connect with an expert who can help, contact your local Athletico for a free evaluation! Free assessments are available in-clinic or virtually through our telehealth platform.
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*Beneficiaries of programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA, and other federally funded programs are not eligible for free evaluations per federal guidelines.
The Athletico Blog is an educational resource written by Athletico staff. Sports bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics set by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represent the opinions of the individual authors based on their expertise and experience. The content on this blog is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor should it be relied upon in making personal health decisions.
