If your headache pain begins at the base of your skull, radiates from your neck, or gets worse after sitting at a desk or turning your head, your neck may be the source of the problem. This type of pain is called a cervicogenic headache, and people often mistake it for a migraine or tension headache.
Our team of interventional pain management specialists at Pain Medicine Group in Oviedo and Sarasota, Florida, can help you identify the true source of your pain and get the relief you need. In this month’s blog, we aim to help you better understand cervicogenic headaches.
This type of headache is caused by a problem in your neck — such as irritated joints, muscles, discs, or nerves. Instead of originating in your brain like a migraine, cervicogenic headache pain is referred from structures in your cervical spine (neck), and you feel them in your head.
You might suspect that you have a cervicogenic headache if your pain starts at the base of your skull and causes pain on one side of your head. Most people with this type of headache say their pain worsens with neck movement or poor posture and radiates into the forehead, temples, or the area behind the eyes.
Many people also experience neck stiffness, shoulder pain, or reduced range of motion.
A cervicogenic headache happens when a problem in the upper neck irritates the C1, C2, or C3 spinal nerves, which help carry sensation from your neck to your head. Because these nerves share pain pathways with the head, your brain may interpret the pain as a headache, even though the true source is in your neck.
Several issues in the neck can trigger these headaches, including:
Spending long hours looking down at your phone or computer can also contribute to chronic neck strain. For instance, looking down at your device adds 60 pounds of pressure on your neck. Dubbed “tech neck,” this issue can lead to muscle strain, which may also cause headaches.
Because these headaches can mimic other headache disorders, our providers first conduct a comprehensive exam. During your exam, we assess your neck mobility and ask you about your symptoms and whether certain movements trigger symptoms.
We may also use imaging or diagnostic injections to help identify the source of your pain.
If your Pain Medicine Group provider confirms that you have a cervicogenic headache, you may wonder how you can treat a headache that starts in your neck. The answer is relatively simple: treating the neck often relieves the headache.
Physical therapy is usually the first line of defense. Research has shown that about 72% of patients who underwent physical therapy for cervicogenic headaches reduced their headache frequency by at least half, and 42% experienced an 80% reduction.
Depending on the root cause of your headache, we may also recommend:
The goal of your treatment is to reduce irritation of the neck structures that cause your pain. In some cases, you may benefit from multiple pain management approaches. For example, you may correct your posture, complete physical therapy, and take anti-inflammatory medication.
If you think your headaches may be starting in your neck, let’s talk. Schedule an appointment with the doctors at Pain Medicine Group today to learn whether cervicogenic headaches could be behind your pain.
