How the FAKTR Approach Can Treat Your Headaches

Any pain around your face, upper neck, and scalp count as a headache. Virtually everyone experiences them at some point, although the type, frequency, and severity vary widely. There are over 150 types of headaches, and while they’re usually not harmful, they can interfere with your day and cause you to miss school or work.

Treating headaches isn’t always easy because the reasons behind the pain can be varied. While tension-type headaches are the most common, it’s not always clear what’s causing the pain. That’s why the team at Herald Square Chiropractic and Sport looks to a treatment concept that addresses a range of soft tissue conditions, many of which may contribute to headaches. It’s called the FAKTR approach — functional and kinetic treatment with rehab.

The FAKTR concept

Pronounced “factor,” FAKTR is a treatment approach that includes aspects of chiropractic, soft tissue manipulation, and rehabilitative techniques. Developed over years of experience in clinical settings, FAKTR includes instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation (IASTM) as well as other techniques, including functional rehabilitation.

FAKTR lays out a hierarchical system for treatment depending on the severity of the soft tissue injury. You may be treated in a position of provocation. That means you’re in a posture that causes the pain or motion restriction of your injury. That helps to identify the optimal point of treatment via tissue manipulation.

As well as headaches, FAKTR protocols treat a wide range of pain and range-of-motion issues resulting from musculoskeletal sources. Many techniques used during the FAKTR approach may be familiar, while others are new. Some techniques include:

Balance cushions
BOSU ball
Elastic resistance bands
Graston IASTM myofascial instruments
Proprioception apparatus
Suction cups
Swiss ball
Kinesiology taping
Free weights and dumbbells

Not all pain conditions benefit from the FAKTR approach. Part of your treatment plan includes an assessment of your headaches to determine if FAKTR is right for you.

Tissue manipulation and headache

The wide range of headache sources means that wide-ranging treatment may be needed, and that’s where FAKTR comes in. Posture-related headaches respond well to the FAKTR approach. When your job or hobbies require long periods in stationary positions, either sitting or standing, soft tissue dysfunction has a chance to take hold. Pinched nerves, stiff muscles, and myofascial trigger points develop. All of these are potential targets for FAKTR protocols, which quickly pinpoint where and how treatment will be most effective.

Cervicogenic headaches stem from neck disorders. Usually, the pain dominates on one side, and the pain may be triggered by specific neck movements. Using a FAKTR approach leads to the quick release of trouble spots in the neck and relief from your headache pain.

Learn more about FAKTR and how it may help your headache condition in consultation with Dr. Chris Cueto, our certified FAKTR provider. You can book an appointment online or by calling our West 34th Street office directly. Headache relief may be closer than you think, so schedule your visit now.