Kettering Chiropractic and Cervicogenic Headache

We see a large number of folks with headaches in our Kettering office, and Dr. Poelking has been able to aid many of them. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that one half of all adults deal with some type of headache problem, so this certainly isn’t unexpected. One of the most frequent kinds of headaches which our patients struggle with is cervicogenic headache which, luckily for us, chiropractic can usually help.

Cervicogenic Headaches Explained

A cervicogenic headache is one that comes from an issue in the cervical spine. It can easily be caused by a condition with either the spine itself (in particular, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it may be caused by a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This problem in your spine contributes to constriction or irritation of the spinal nerves, which can generate headache pain.

How do you determine if the headache you are being affected by is a cervicogenic headache? Apart from obtaining a diagnosis from a healthcare specialist, a common symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or discomfort in your neck. This is sometimes associated with pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

How Chiropractic Helps

Considering cervicogenic headaches will not go away until whatever problem is initiating them is corrected, it is critical to receive treatment rather than just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an excellent solution, and one that can provide a considerable amount of headache pain relief.

In one study reported in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, researchers looked at 80 people who had recurrent cervicogenic headaches. Half got chiropractic care and the other fifty percent engaged in light massage therapy. Each participant was assessed 12 and 24 weeks after the treatment and it was found that chiropractic delivered the best effects.

In particular, this study uncovered that chiropractic adjustments gave patients more significant pain relief and reduced the number of headaches that occurred. In addition, it also mitigated the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dr. Poelking can do for you and your headache pain, call us 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/