Headaches, its a pain in the neck

Great article on headaches and conservative care of them:

One of the most common ailments encountered by doctors is headache. More than 40 million people in this country suffer from severe headaches, according to the Center for Disease Control, and the number is increasing steadily. The majority of these people are women between the ages of 18 and 45 years, but many men also are affected. Unfortunately, many headaches are misdiagnosed and people continue to suffer, often becoming reliant on various medications to function in everyday life.

One of the most common of these headaches is called the cervicogenic headache. The term cervicogenic simply means that the headache is caused by the cervical spine (the seven bones that make up the neck). These headaches are typically more severe on one side of the head than the other and can cause pain at the base of the head, the temples and behind the eyes. They can last from hours to weeks and often are accompanied by pain and stiffness of the neck or shoulders.

Common daily activities such as driving, reading, gardening, sports, watching television, sleeping and even everyday stress can all contribute to the wear and tear on the joints of the neck. When these joints stop working properly they can become a source of constant irritation to the nerves and lead to pain.

Research into cervicogenic headaches has been gaining a lot of steam in recent years, which is good news for sufferers. Only 10 years ago, the idea that headaches could be caused by the neck was a foreign concept. The cervical spine (neck) is now thought to be one of the most common causes of headache. The real transition in thinking occurred in 1995 when a group of medical doctors and researchers at Syracuse University established the neck as the cause of a significant number of headaches. According to Peter Rothbart, M.D. and president of the World Cervicogenic Headache Society:
“We couldn’t believe it at first. We’ve been able to put together a scientific
explanation for how neck structure causes headaches — not all headaches, but a significant number of them. It’s true that chiropractors have been saying this for years.”

It’s interesting that many of the patients I see who suffer from these headaches come to my office for other reasons. Neck pain, back pain, numbness or tingling in the arms or fingers, and pain in the shoulders or between the shoulder blades are among the most common. Only through questioning the patient does it come to light that they’re also suffering from chronic headaches; headaches they believe are migraines and thus
totally unrelated to their other symptoms. These headaches can show up years after an auto accident or fall, or may be the result of years of activity such as sports, physical labor, or daily wear and tear. As their headaches continue, people begin to sleep poorly, feel tired and moody, and lack
energy. Overuse of headache medications can further complicate the problem by producing more severe headaches called “rebound headaches.”


Chiropractors have been helping patients successfully with headaches for decades now. Not all headaches are cervicogenic headaches, but many are. In most cases, with reduction of headache comes better sleep, increased energy, a better sense of health and well being, and a return to normal activity. Perhaps most important, people become less reliant on medications and are less likely to be subject to the serious side effects that come with them. A healthy diet, exercise, and good posture can go a long way in preventing their return.

– (Originally published in the Puget Sound Consumer, June 2005)

If this interested you visit our website at http://www.gechiropractic.com