Trigger points are often the hidden cause of many headaches. Among the muscle groups commonly associated with fibromyalgia pain are the neck and shoulders. Fatigue and spasm of these muscles are directly related to tension headaches and may worsen other types of headaches such as migraine.
No matter what name they are given, tension headaches, cervicogenic headaches, vascular headaches, cluster headaches or migraines; trigger points are often the unsuspected cause. Trigger points are one of the elements in headaches set off by an allergic reaction, chemical withdrawal, physical trauma and emotional tension. Even the frustrating headaches that come with fibromyalgia can be shown due to the presence of trigger points.
Trigger point therapy uses a combination of stretching and deep manual pressure applied to specific trigger points to relax the knotted muscles. Most headaches come from trigger points in the jaw, neck and upper back muscles.
For neck tension that causes headaches, try the Trapezius Trigger Point Tamer shown in this video:
The video only shows one trigger point. There are actually six different trigger points on each side of the trapezius muscle. The trapezius is so large that it covers the upper back, the back of the neck and both shoulders. Plus there are four layers of muscles that cover the back of the neck, alone. Then, there are the muscles on the side and front of the neck and jaw that can contribute to headache pain.
For a complete guide to headache trigger points, I recommend these books, Trigger Point Therapy for Headaches and Migraines or The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief.
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