Chiropractic and Cervicogenic Headache

We see a lot of individuals with headaches in our Memphis office, and Dynamic Chiropractic has been able to help many of them. For that matter, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 50% of all adults have difficulty with some sort of headache condition, so this really isn't surprising. One of the most frequent types of headaches that our patients are afflicted with is cervicogenic headache which, thankfully, chiropractic therapy can usually help.

Cervicogenic Headaches Explained

A cervicogenic headache is one that originates from a problem in the cervical spine. It could be caused by an issue with either the spine itself (primarily, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it may be caused by a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This problem in your spine can cause constriction or aggravation of the spinal nerves, which can result in headache pain.

How can you identify if the headache you are enduring is a cervicogenic headache? Besides obtaining a diagnosis from a healthcare specialist, a typical symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or pain in your neck. This is occasionally coupled with pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

How Chiropractic Helps

Because cervicogenic headaches will not subside until whatever issue is generating them is corrected, it is important to get treatment as opposed to just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an excellent solution, and one that can provide a considerable amount of relief.

In one study released in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, specialists followed 80 people who had recurring cervicogenic headaches. Half of them were given chiropractic care and the other 50% underwent light massage therapy. Each participant was examined 12 and 24 weeks after the procedures and it was discovered that chiropractic provided the best effects.

Specifically, this study noted that chiropractic adjustments offered patients better pain relief and lessened the number of headaches that occurred. Moreover, it also mitigated the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dynamic Chiropractic can do for you and your headaches, call our office today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you deserve!

References

• Haas M, Schneider M, Vavrek D. Illustrating risk difference and number needed to treat from a randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulation for cervicogenic headache. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2010 18(9).
• World Health Organization. (2012, October). Headache disorders. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs277/en/