PHYSICAL THERAPY
How We Treat Neck Pain & Headaches in The Flathead Valley
Your treatment plan is built around your symptoms, your goals, and what you need to get back to doing. All decisions are made in a team approach. At Physio Forge, treatment may include:
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Hands-on treatment — Dry needling, spinal manipulation, joint mobilization, cupping and soft tissue work to help reduce pain, improve mobility, and make movement more comfortable.
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Mobility work — Targeted exercises to restore motion where limitations may be contributing to your neck pain or headache symptoms.
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Corrective exercise — Exercise with focus on the skill of movement, addressing postural dysfunction and the timing of spinal neuromuscular recruitment.
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Progressive strengthening — Building strength and capacity through the neck, upper back and upper body muscles so you can confidently return to the activities that matter to you.
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Return to activity — Progressively rebuilding tolerance for lifting, work, recreation, or whatever your normal life demands.
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Education with a Clear plan — Helping you understand the cause of your pain, what you can safely do, and how to manage flare-ups without unnecessarily avoiding movement. Informed patients have better outcomes.
The goal isn't just to make your neck feel better in the clinic or your headache to go away temporarily. It's to help you move better, get stronger, and return to the things you want to do with confidence.
Common Neck & Headache Conditions We Treat
Muscle Strains & Ligament Sprains
Including whiplash from sport, fall or MVA, tweaks, pulls, spasms, and tears from repetitive movement, work and play
Facet Issues
Irritation of the small hinges in the back of your spine that guide neck motion, causing stiffness and pain, especially in the morning or after prolonged positioning
Cervicogenic Headache
Headaches that originate in the joints, muscles, or nerves of the upper cervical spine that cause head pain that starts at the base of the skull and radiates toward the forehead or behind one eye
Cervical Radiculopathy or Disc Issues
Compression or irritation of nerves exiting the cervical spine, causing radiating pain, numbness, or weakness in the shoulder, arm, or hand
Fractures/Trauma/Surgery
Post surgical, fracture and trauma rehabilitation
Tension-Type Headache
Headaches that can be triggered by stress, poor posture, muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, or jaw clenching causing a "band like" sensation around the head, often goes hand in hand with postural dysfunction
Postural Dysfunction
Neck pain caused by strain on the muscles and ligaments of the neck and upper quarter by staying long duration in one position, "forward head" position and computer work
Preventative Strengthening
Stronger necks have less pain and reduced future injury risk, even reduced concussion risk. The neck requires both global and specific training, a one-on-one visit can help get you set up with a training plan. Check out our whole body Move Better and Live Better Fitness Programs
Migraine
Migraines are complex headaches originating from the neurological system, often with musculoskeletal dysfunction in the cervical spine, addressing stiffness, trigger points, and muscle weakness can assist in reducing migraine frequency and intensity
Get Back to the Things You Want to Do
Every visit is one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. We’ll identify what’s limiting you and build a plan to get you back to what you enjoy.