Postural headaches- what a pain in the neck!
Suffering from postural headaches?
Cervicogenic headaches (commonly referred to as postural headaches) are caused by sustained poor neck postures, resulting in a unilateral or bilateral pattern of pain referral. True cervicogenic headaches are thought to affect only 1 - 4.5% of the general population (1).
What are the symptoms of cervicogenic headache?
one-sided headache pain, without shift between sides
pain begins in the neck, or the base of the skull (+/- arm pain)
Moderate intensity (not stabbing/electric)
Episodes can range from continuous, to episodic
Mild & intermittent associated symptoms;
nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light, visual disturbance, etc.
The source of pain can be attributed to joints, ligaments and neural tissue in the cervical spine. These tissues lie in close proximity to important nervous system structures (including the trigeminal-cervical nucleus). Therefore, it is thought that the pattern of referral may be caused and exacerbated by nervous system hypersensitivity (1).
How do we treat cervicogenic headaches?
Initially, it is important that we target the source of the headache. Your physiotherapist may ask a number of important screening questions, or even refer for imaging, in order to rule out more sinister sources of headache pain.
Once a diagnosis is made, treatment may involve various forms of manual therapy, exercise prescription and alterations to lifestyle and work postural habits. As each person will experience headaches in a different way, therefore treatment is tailored and often dependent on the individual.
James Cumming, the director of Spine & Sports Physiotherapy, has received expert training in the assessment, diagnosis & management of cervicogenic headaches. Ensuring you receive the correct treatment for YOUR headache, is one of the best ways to optimise recovery in a shorter time frame.
References:
(1) © 2021 International Headache Society
James Cumming
Physiotherapist
