A picture that disturbs me all too frequently in my job is that of somebody who finally decided to find physical therapy treatment for his headache. Either the reason for the headache was misdiagnosed and consequently treated incorrectly or else he believed it would finally go away by itself after implementing some self-help remedies.

Headaches in modern society

At this time, a stage was reached where the headache began to interfere with normal level of work and the degree of the pain is unbearable. Headaches have become among the most common medical complaints of our modern society with its hectic pace and enormous pressures. The requirements of an overly active lifestyle may lead to fatigue of throat muscles, which put them at a greater chance of being strained. Since the cause of headaches caused by neck problems is harder to diagnose, and X-rays for instance, might not reveal anything abnormal, victims are often left frustrated.

Cervicogenic headaches

Headaches that arise in the throat (commonly called cervicogenic headaches) can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be similar to that of migraine headaches. Despite the fact that these signs are more common to migraines, they’ve been reported by patients experiencing cervicogenic headaches also. Major distinguishing factors between migraines and cervicogenic headaches are that cervicogenic headaches are influenced by the position and motion of the neck or head and there’ll be tenderness to touch along the bottom of the skull.

What are Cervicogenic Headaches?

In cervicogenic headaches the pain originates from the cervical spine, neck and upper shoulder area. These headaches have regular pain patterns that are associated with muscular trigger points in the neck, shoulder and upper back area. The pain is frequently behind the eye, in the forehead, along the jaw line, in addition to the head and behind the ear.

Why is it that neck problems result in headaches?

The joints which connect the top levels of the spine to the bottom of the skull accounts for at least 50% of the movement of the whole head and neck area and is thereby placed under continuous stress since they keep the load of the mind. I’ve often heard patients complain that their head feels nearly to thick for the neck to endure. Other structures in the neck region like the discs, ligaments and tendons together with the joints have nerve endings that are sensitive to any kind of injury or strain. When irritated long enough or severe enough the nerves fire off a response and the result is a hassle.

1. Especially when you’ve got a history of chronic cervicogenic headaches and past injuries to your neck region, it’s a good idea to have regular sessions of treatment. The therapies known to alleviate these headaches are physical therapy and chiropractic treatment. These two therapies will employ unique methods that’s been demonstrated to bring appreciable relief. Regular pain management is particularly effective and leads to a substantial reduction in both the frequency of the headache episodes, in addition to the strength of the pain during an episode. Posture correction. This is a really important consideration for long-term management of headaches. Your neck muscles work very tough to balance your mind on top of your spine. A poor posture enables some muscles to become “idle” while others are overloaded, causing an imbalance in the way they work together. It’s however not possible to keep a perfect posture all the time and for that reason the second point is also important.

2. Increasing the strength and endurance of the neck muscle groups, while addressing muscular imbalance during exercises is well worth the investment in time.

3. Ensure that you are sleeping on a pillow which adequately support the standard arch of your neck because you spend significant time sleeping and proper positioning is so important.

Please Note: Consulting your medical professional with respect to exercise and treatment programs is always the safest way to go. Each person reacts differently to various treatment regimes and therefore should find individual consultation.