Cervicogenic Headaches
Headaches due to issues with the upper cervical spine characterised by pain radiating from the neck or triggered by neck movements.
Cervicogenic headaches are headaches originating from the neck rather than the head itself. Despite feeling the pain in your head, the source can be a structural issue with your neck, most commonly from issues with your upper cervical spine vertebrae and their surrounding joints and muscles. These issues can irritate your nerves and cause pain to radiate to your head.
There are many causes of headaches but generally cervicogenic headaches are more common in people that suffer from regular neck pain. Cervicogenic headaches are different to migraines (a neurological event accompanied by throbbing pain, sensory sensitivities and sometimes nausea).
Spending hours sitting in a poor posture working at a screen is a common aggravating factor. Accidents causing neck trauma such as whiplash can also lead to cervicogenic headaches. Stress causing increased muscle and joint tension can also trigger these headaches.
Fortunately, such headaches respond well to physiotherapy treatment which is a combination of manual therapy (joint mobilisation and soft tissue massage), strengthening exercises and postural retraining.
-
What you’re feeling
Headache pain closely linked with neck movements or sustained positions (like sitting at a desk). You might feel pain on one side only with or without neck pain on the same side. The pain often starts at the base of the skull and radiates forward toward the temple, forehead or behind the eyes. You might also experience stiffness or reduced movement in your neck, occasional dizziness and light-headedness.
-
What can cause it
These headaches originate from structural issues with the neck rather than a neurological issue. A traumatic event (like whiplash), upper cervical spine dysfunction, disc degeneration or increased muscle tension around the neck may cause this type of headache pain. It can be triggered by certain movements or postures or by stress.
-
What you need to know
Good news - cervicogenic headaches are considered highly treatable, and early diagnosis and treatment leads to positive outcomes.
If we assess your headache as a migraine, you may need a referral to a neurologist from your GP. However, if your migraine is associated with neck pain, physiotherapy can still help immensely as part of a multi-disciplinary approach.
-
How we help you
First, we exclude other potential presentations with a thorough clinical history and physical examination. If your headache is cervicogenic, our expert physios will use hands on techniques to restore neck mobility and reduce joint and muscle tension.
We design manageable exercises to strengthen your neck muscles and improve stability. And we’ll guide you through the process of ergonomic desk setup and postural retraining to reduce the strain on your neck.
We build bodies that don’t break.
We understand your body not just your injury. Expert physiotherapy focussed on lasting results. Healthier. Stronger. Happier.