Chiropractic and Cervicogenic Headache

We see a lot of folks with headaches in our Amite City office, and The Culminating Experience Chiropractic Clinic has been able to assist many of them. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 50% of all adults have a problem with some kind of headache problem, so this certainly isn't surprising. One of the most frequent varieties of headaches that our patients experience is cervicogenic headache which, thankfully, chiropractic care can usually help.

Cervicogenic Headaches Explained

A cervicogenic headache is one that stems from a problem in the cervical spine. It can easily be as a result of a condition with either the spine itself (specifically, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it may be brought on by a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This dysfunction in your spine brings about compression or irritation of the spinal nerves, which can bring about headache pain.

How do you identify if the headache you are going through is a cervicogenic headache? Apart from obtaining a diagnosis from a healthcare expert, a frequent symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or discomfort in your neck. This is occasionally followed by pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

Chiropractic to the Rescue

Seeing that cervicogenic headaches will not go away until whatever issue is initiating them is remedied, it is essential to receive treatment rather than just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an effective solution, and one that can provide a considerable amount of relief.

In one study printed in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, specialists evaluated 80 people who had recurring cervicogenic headaches. Half were given chiropractic care and the other fifty percent underwent light massage therapy. Each participant was evaluated 12 and 24 weeks after the procedures and it was discovered that chiropractic offered the best effects.

Specifically, this study noted that chiropractic adjustments provided patients greater pain relief and lowered the frequency of headaches that occurred. In addition, it also lessened the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what The Culminating Experience Chiropractic Clinic can do for you and your headache pain, call our office today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you need!

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/