TRAPEZIUS AND HEADACHES

Have you a headache and you don´t know the reason?

The trapezius is the muscle more treated in consultant and it can be responsible for neck pain and headaches and I will explain the reason.

Image 1: Trapezius

First of all, it is very important to know where is that muscle, so it extends longitudinally from the occipital bone to the lower thoracic vertebrae of the spine and laterally to the spine of the scapula. It can do movements of rotation, inclination, flexion and extension of our head, furthermore it can do elevation of our shoulders and helps to hold the weight of the upper limbs.

Due to the increment of sedentary, the stress and computer jobs that muscle develops trigger points, that is a small knot in your muscle. These muscle knots can cause pain where it originates or further away, in a spot that seems complete unconnected. It is for that reason trapezius can be responsible for neck pain and headaches. 

Image 2: Different referred pains of trapezius triggers points

So, if you touch that point and the pain is like the image, it can be you have a trapezius trigger point. These are the solutions:

•         The ischemic compression: it consists of applying a pressure on a number of sensitive points previously identified by palpation, until reaching the pain threshold, maintaining the pressure, as the patient's pain decreases, the pressure will increase on the point until reaching a maximum one minute The purpose of ischemic compression is to deliberately increase the blocking of blood to an area so that the affected tissue heals more quickly, improving local blood flow, "washing" the waste products by supplying oxygen to the muscle ^1,2.

•         Ergonomics: you should see if your posture is correctly most of the time. According to my experience as physiotherapist, the forward head posture and protacted shoulders sitting in front of the computer is the reason for having a headache o neck. (You can see my post of FORWARD HEAD POSTURE: EXERCICES AND STRETCHES)

•      Stretching: you should to do a flexion of head, inclination same side and rotation opposite side a minimum of 30 seconds.

•        Of course, consult a health professional

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. F. Javier Montañez-Aguilera, Noemí Valtueña-Gimenoa, Daniel Pecos-Martín, Rosana Arnau-Masanetc, Carlos Barrios-Pitarqued and Francisco Bosch-Morelle. Changes in a patient with neck pain after application of ischemic compression as a trigger point therapy. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation 23 (2010) 101–104. 2010; 23 (2010): 101–104

2. Montañez-Aguilera FJ, Valtueña-Gimeno N, Pecos-Martín D, Arnau-Masanet R, Barrios-Pitarque C, Bosch-Morell F. Changes in a patient with neck pain after application of ischemic compression as a trigger point therapy. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2010;23(2):101-4. doi: 10.3233/BMR-2010-0255. PubMed PMID: 20555123.

headache location chart and meaning