Headaches are one of the most common and debilitating problems people suffer can from. Cervicogenic headaches (headaches that are a result of neck pain) are amongst the three most often reported types of headaches along with migraine and tension type headaches.
When the nerve at the top of the neck become irritated, such as from poor posture, they refer pain up into the skull, resulting in headaches. This referred pain can even lead to eye, ear and jaw pain. By treating the underlying neck pain, physiotherapy can relieve the headache symptom.
Headache symptoms can also be several types at once, with migraines and tension headaches often accompanied by cervicogenic headaches and neck pain.
Common causes of cervicogenic headaches include:
- Pronged poor posture
- Chronic neck pain
- Trauma such as whiplash
- Straining your neck while lifting heavy or awkward objects
- Mixed aitiology accompanying migraines and tension headaches
Our physiotherapists thoroughly explore the history and possible reasons behind why you have developed headaches. This helps to diagnose your problem correctly and decrease the chance of reoccurrence long term. Treatment often involves improving the mobility of the neck joints as well as stretching and strengthening the muscles that move them.