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A cervicogenic headache is a secondary headache, which means it results from another problem like a neck injury or infection in the neck. This type of headache is also unique because it usually presents on only one side of the head.
Cervicogenic headaches can have a number of causes including:
Any one of these problems can cause an enormous amount of pain, but add a headache to the mix and you will want to find some relief. If you have any type of recurring chronic headache contact Dr. Mark Cohen and Dr. Dmitriy Dvoskin at Neuro Injury Specialists. If you think you may have a cervicogenic headache, contact the clinic immediately. Depending on the cause, it could be dangerous to wait.
It’s rare, but cervicogenic headaches can be dangerous. Most often they’re recognized by the dull — not throbbing — pain on one side of the head, starting in the neck.
More severe headache symptoms include:
If you have any of these symptoms, seek medical attention right away. It can be debilitating if you forego medical treatment for a cervicogenic headache.
The sudden, severe onset of a cervicogenic headache could indicate a range of conditions, such as:
Cervicogenic headaches are fairly common and recurring until the underlying condition is treated.
Cervicogenic headaches are occasionally confused with other primary headaches such as:
The main difference is that cervicogenic headaches generally start in the neck and radiate up one side of the head. Usually, it’s seen in tangent with neck pain or stiffness. Neck movement can even increase the pain in some instances. It’s been documented that these types of headaches can last from a few hours to a few weeks.
Cervicogenic headaches can also have other maladies related to them such as:
Differing triggers preclude the onset of cervicogenic headaches. A sprain or strain of the neck can happen after a car accident, a fall or sports injury.
Cervicogenic headaches can also be triggered by:
A cervicogenic headache is caused by referred pain — pain that starts in another part of the body. In this case, the pain starts in the cervical spine or neck. The cervical spine has joints, discs, cartilage and nerves. It takes very little disruption of this area to cause pain.
To put these parts back where they’re supposed to be, physical therapy tackles these triggers by teaching you techniques such as:
It’s amazing how a bit more muscle strength or stretching in a certain way can alleviate pain. This doesn’t mean that if you have a cervicogenic headache you should start doing these things on your own. A physical therapist is extremely knowledgeable about the inner working of the muscles, ligaments and bones in your body. It’s crucial that you get a referral from your doctor so you don’t make your problem worse.
There are a variety of ways to treat a cervicogenic headache because there are different causes that could be at play. The “cervic” in cervicogenic headache refers to the cervical spine. Or rather, the first three cervical vertebra — C-1, C-2 and C-3.
Usually, the least invasive treatment is given a try first, and may include:
Sometimes the answer is as easy as changing your pillow or your office chair, but in other instances you may require other pharmacological treatments or minimally invasive options such as:
The bottom line is that you need professional help from a doctor trained and experienced with all types of headache treatments to be certain of what you’re dealing with. Following extensive diagnostic testing, neurologist Dr. Cohen at Neuro Injury Specialists determines the cause of your headache and the best ways to treat it. Contact Dr. Cohen’s and Dr. Dvoskin’s office in New York or New Jersey to get a definitive diagnosis and exceptional treatment as soon as possible.