Headshaking Syndrome and the Benefits of ECS

There are various attributions to this condition such as dental problems, physiological and neurological issues, reactions to environmental factors such as sunlight and allergens, and reactions to stress or pain. One obvious contributor that is greatly overlooked is cranial trauma or compression! Most craniosacral therapists who treat head shaking horses, find some kind of compression from an old trauma around their sinus bones, or the TMJ. Compressions on either the TMJ or one of the sinus bones, will put pressure on either the trigeminal nerve or the ethmoid nerve, causing pain and burning sensations. When allergy season is at its peak, sinus tissues expand to protect airways. If the bones surrounding the sinus cavity are injured or compressed, there is no room inside the sinus cavity to allow for expansion. Therefore the tissues and nerves become pinched, or compressed, resulting in the horse feeling a burning sensation in their nose. Unfortunately, most head traumas in horses go unnoticed unless the skin was broken open. Even then, most horses just get stitched back up with no X-rays and no further exploration.

The horse industry does not recognize the importance of head injuries, nor do they relate to the pressure that we put on their heads and the problems that this causes.

This is not to say that every horse who has a head trauma will become a head shaker, but in my experience, every head shaker has had a head trauma to one of the areas mentioned.

Why some horses react and others don’t is unknown. It is most likely a variety of factors involved.

Most horses find relief with just craniosacral therapy alone. However, it is also important to find a dentist who understands how to balance the mouth to the TMJ.

Also magnesium therapy may help and balancing minerals to their forage. Taking them off of anything that could cause inflammation such as sugar and processed feeds is a must.

Vaccines have also been known to trigger head shaking due to the inflammation response that they can cause, so spacing them out might also be helpful to your horse who is suffering.