Pressure at my temples or forehead
It builds through a long day at a laptop or behind the wheel. Heat or pressure at the base of the skull eases it a little.
Head pain can feel like pressure at the temples, a hot spot at the base of the skull, or an ache behind one eye. It tends to build over a long day at a laptop, in the car, or after hours of focused work. Scans usually come back clear.
Head pain is a symptom, and it can come from more than one place. The usual sources are the upper neck and jaw muscles, stiff joints high in the neck, and irritated scalp and face nerves. The suboccipitals, sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius can develop trigger points, small tight knots that send pain into the head. The jaw muscles can do the same to the temples and brow.
I use dry needling, a form of acupuncture, on the neck and jaw muscles that reproduce your pain. On the side of the neck, a tight sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius can squeeze the lesser occipital nerve. That nerve supplies the scalp behind the ear. Needling those muscles gives that nerve more room. The supraorbital nerve, which supplies the brow and forehead, can also stay irritable on its own. For that I use electroacupuncture: fine needles placed near the nerve with a gentle current, to help change how it signals. Sometimes the nervous system as a whole is amplifying the pain. Then I also work at the upper cervical spine, where neck and head pain pathways meet, to help settle it.
Most people have had a scan, a few rounds of pain relievers, and maybe massage or chiropractic care. A scan is the right first step to rule out serious causes. It shows structure, though, and can’t show a tender muscle sending pain into the head. Pain relievers can take the edge off a bad day without changing what keeps setting it off. Massage and adjustments often help for a while. Chiropractors and physical therapists can work on the neck, but New York does not permit either profession to dry needle.
I ask where the pain sits, what time of day it shows up, and what you’ve noticed sets it off. Then the exam:
I work alongside primary care doctors, neurologists and dentists. If something in the exam suggests checking back in with one of them, I’ll tell you and send along what I found.
Head pain overlaps across many categories, and my exam looks at the neck, jaw and nerve sources. Some signs need a doctor right away. Get urgent or emergency care for a sudden, severe headache that feels like the worst of your life. The same goes for head pain with weakness, numbness, slurred speech, fainting or a seizure, and for fever with a stiff neck. New head pain after a head injury, new pain with vision loss, or a pattern that is changing quickly also needs prompt medical care.
A scan is very good at ruling out dangerous causes. It doesn’t show a tender neck muscle that refers pain into the temple, or a nerve that has become sensitive. Those are the things I look for on exam.
I press on the muscles and test movement until something brings on your familiar pain. Sometimes that’s the upper neck, sometimes the jaw, and often both. Posture plays a part, but it rarely explains the whole picture.
It’s usually a combination, since more than one source is often involved. Releasing the muscles on the side of the neck eases pressure on the nerve that runs past them. Electroacupuncture is added when the nerve above the eye stays sensitive. I treat the top of the neck as well when the whole system seems on alert.
In trained hands, with screening for your health history, it’s commonly used for the neck, jaw and shoulder muscles. You may feel a brief twitch, a deep ache, or some soreness for a day. I adjust or skip any technique that doesn’t suit you.
Hours at a screen keep the neck and jaw muscles working with little rest. By late afternoon those muscles are tired and more likely to refer pain. Part of treatment is finding which ones give out first.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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