In my practice, headaches compose over 1/3 of office visits per yer. Not surprisingly, the demands on our bodies are more than even a generation ago. We are all guilty of sitting for long hours staring at a computer screen or our phones. Netflix neck anyone? It is no surprise that headaches and neck pain are a common reason people seek out Chiropractic Care. Let’s examine these types of headaches further.
There are many types of headaches you may have heard of including migraine, tension, and cluster headaches to name a few. The focus of this post will be (Cervico-neck, Genic-source). many the neck can actually be the source of a headache!
Patients often describe the pain as starting in the neck and can be felt radiating into the forehead, above the eyes, ears, or into the shoulder. This is often brought on by a sustained posture for a long period of time.
Let me say this again, a sustained posture for a long period of time. Could that mean the hours we sit at a desk all day? Certainly!
Some risk factors for developing such headaches are altered posture, especially of the neck. There can sometimes be a history of neck trauma associated such as previous MVA’s. The pain sources in this case which create are from the upper cervical spine (neck) anatomy. These pain sources include muscles, ligaments, joint capsules, joints, and discs. Often times, patients do not correlate the pain to the neck but rather say “Doc, I always have them at the end of the day.” In one case, I even had a patient go to the eye doctor for her “eye pain” As it turns out, the pain above the right eye was radiating from a very angry sub-occipital muscle and C1-2 facet joint of the neck.
Chiropractors are trained to diagnose the type source, and treatment options available to you to take a thorough history and examination. Alexa is happy to answer any questions and welcomes you to come for an initial visit to discuss your headaches.
Remember headaches are common but they do not have to diminish your quality of life!
