Can a Chiropractor Cure Cervicogenic Headaches?
If you've been having a lot of headaches, you may have gone to your doctor to see if they can help. They tell you that you are suffering from cervicogenic headaches that are actually caused by problems in other areas of your body.
Your doctor may think that treating the underlying problems will stop your headaches, and they may have recommended that you see a different type of medical practitioner like a chiropractor. How can a chiropractor help?
Where Cervicogenic Headaches Come From
Like any headache, a cervicogenic headache makes your head hurt. This kind of headache usually starts at the back of the head but may move to the front. You may also have some pain in your neck, shoulder or upper arm.
However, your head isn't usually the issue here. Your headache is referred pain. This means that the headache is brought on by another problem rather than being the problem itself. Typically, this kind of headache comes from problems in your neck or upper spine.
This can happen if you've had an accident or injury that has affected your neck or upper back. Sometimes, cervicogenic headaches come on because of posture problems. If your posture isn't great, then you put added stress on to areas of your body. This stress can lead to problems in other areas.
How Chiropractors Treat Cervicogenic Headaches
A chiropractor won't treat your headaches. They try to fix the underlying problem that gives you the headaches in the first place.
Typically, this involves working on the problems you have in your neck. This often targets the vertebra at the top end of your neck. Problems with these vertebrae can affect the nerves, muscles or ligaments in this part of the body which may, in turn, affect your head.
The treatment you get depends on the problems you have. For example, your chiropractor may recommend one or more of the following:
- Spinal manipulation to try to align any parts of your neck that are out of sync.
- Joint manipulation to boost movement or release pressure in painful areas.
- Exercises to help restore neck mobility or function.
If your chiropractor can cure your neck problems or reduce their severity, then you may find that your cervicogenic headaches disappear. This may happen straightaway, or you may notice that your headaches happen less often and are less painful as you have continued treatment.
To find out more, contact local chiropractors and ask how they treat headache problems.