Woburn Chiropractic and Cervicogenic Headache

We see a lot of men and women with headaches in our Woburn office, and Dr. Ellis has been able to support many of them. Of course, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that half of all adults have a problem with some kind of headache condition, so this actually isn’t shocking. One of the most prevalent sorts of headaches which our patients are afflicted with is cervicogenic headache which, luckily, chiropractic can often help.

What is a Cervicogenic Headache?

A cervicogenic headache is one that arises from problems in the cervical spine. It might be generated by a condition with either the spine itself (particularly, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it can be brought on by a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This problem in your spine brings about compaction or aggravation of the spinal nerves, which can bring about headache pain.

How can you recognize if the headache you are suffering from is a cervicogenic headache? Besides getting 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.

Chiropractic to the Rescue

Since cervicogenic headaches will not go away until whatever problem is triggering them is remedied, it is essential to receive treatment as opposed to just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an excellent approach, and one that provides a great deal of pain relief.

In one study published in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, researchers studied 80 people who had regular cervicogenic headaches. One-half were given chiropractic care and the other 50% engaged in light massage therapy. Each participant was examined 12 and 24 weeks after the procedures and it was discovered that chiropractic provided the best outcomes.

Specifically, this study found that chiropractic adjustments offered patients more pain relief and lessened the frequency of headaches that occurred. In addition to that, it also minimized the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dr. Ellis can do for you and your headaches, call our office today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you deserve!

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/