Cervicogenic Headache Treatments You Should Know About

By Kristi Patrice Carter

If you suffer from Cervicogenic headaches, you probably know the frustration of doctors that had no idea how to diagnose your problem and once they did by using diagnostic blockers, have no idea how to provide treatment. There are some treatments that can help to alleviate the pain and reduce the frequency of your Cervicogenic headaches.

Chiropractic Care: Since a chiropractor is a specialist in the spine and has a very intimate understanding of how the spine affects our overall health, they can be instrumental in the treatment of Cervicogenic headaches, which are caused by spine and neck trauma and stress. A chiropractor can assist with proper spine realignment, relieve pinched nerves in the neck and provide relieve from head and neck pain.

Physical Therapist Care: Physical therapy can be very helpful for headaches that originate in the muscles or joints of the neck. Therapy includes a combination of joint mobility, soft tissue massage, muscle strengthening, and improving endurance to reduce headache frequency. Regular visits to a physical therapist should be an integral part of treatment for anyone that suffers from Cervicogenic headaches.

Manual Therapy: Also known as muscle energy techniques or manipulation without thrust, manual therapy can be very beneficial if you suffer from Cervicogenic headaches. When performed correctly, manual therapy is a safe and holistic treatment that uses thrust manipulation to realign and relieve pressure that causes the headaches.

Trigger Point Injections: Helpful when there is pain that is coming from a trigger point in the upper neck and shoulders that is sending pain to the head and causing Cervicogenic headaches. There are 2 techniques used. The first technique involves the use of dry needling, where nothing is actually injected. The needle is inserted to break up abnormal knots of tissue at the trigger point. The second technique is injection therapy which uses local anesthetic or steroids to block the pain at the trigger point sites.

Cervical Traction: This treatment means that traction is applied to stretch out the affected muscles and tissues of the cervical spine. For many people, cervical traction provides great relief by promoting space between the vertebrae and elongating the impaired muscle groups.

For those who have severe and debilitating Cervocigenic headaches, more serious treatment options are available that may include surgery such as surgical fusion of the joints at the juncture of the head and neck. However, this is usually only required in patients with arthritis producing Cervicogenic headache. Other options include chemical therapy such as regular medication that regulates the pain and reduces the inability for the sufferer to cope on a daily basis.

It is important to note that treating Cervicogenic headaches first requires proper diagnosis and a thorough body examination which should include a complete exam, posture assessment and a musculoskeletal evaluation. It is thought that one single treatment will not completely alleviate the pain and tension associated with Cervicogenic headaches and that several complementary treatments are needed for most people.