Cervicogenic Headaches

Did you know that headaches can come from the neck?

Mathew Foreman, Physiotherapist

Headaches can occur from many sources, a common source of headaches is inflammation or dysfunction of the muscles, ligaments or joints of the upper part of the neck known anatomically as the upper cervical spine. Headaches arising from this source are called cervicogenic headaches.

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Cervicogenic headaches typically extend from the upper part of the neck to the back of the head and then to the front of the head around the eye usually on one side. They are a common complaint among office workers and people who have sustained whiplash and other traumatic neck injuries.

If you have a headache, research shows that clinicians can use the type, location and behaviour of the headache pain in conjunction with movements of your neck, painful dysfunction in the upper cervical joints and impairments in neck muscle function to help distinguish cervicogenic headaches from other types of headache.

There are many treatments available for use by clinicians to treat cervicogenic headaches. Research has shown that exercises to improve the control, endurance and strength of the deep muscles supporting the neck as well as muscles that support the upper back and shoulders is effective in treating cervicogenic headaches. There is some evidence to show that exercise may be more beneficial when combined with manual therapy techniques provided by a physiotherapist directed at the joints and surrounding muscles of the upper cervical spine. Performing regular stretching exercises can also be beneficial particularly in patients with cervicogenic headache who work in an occupation requiring prolonged computer work.

Posture can also be important in people suffering cervicogenic headache. Research has shown that cervicogenic headaches can be associated with a forward head posture. Forward head posture occurs when your head is positioned forward of the centre of gravity while you are looking straight ahead. Forward head posture results in increased compression of the joints in the upper cervical spine, increased tension in many muscles in the back and side of the neck and weakness of the muscles deep in the front of the neck, which are important for supporting the spine and holding the spine in a correct posture. All these factors can result in forward head posture causing, aggravating or contributing to cervicogenic headaches. Working with a physiotherapist to improve posture is likely to be helpful in managing and preventing cervicogenic headaches. In the clinic it is not uncommon to see someone suffering from cervicogenic headache obtain immediate improvement with correction of their posture. 

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There are also a number of things that people suffering from headaches can do to improve their symptoms such as taking breaks from prolonged and sustained neck positions such as when completing computer work, housework or painting. Activities involving prolonged sustained neck positions often aggravate cervicogenic headaches. Office workers should ensure their desks are set up so that they don’t have to adopt a forward head posture to see their screen. Using a larger font size and ensuring correct lenses are used if needed can also help.


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Mathew Foreman practices from Advance Healthcare Hoppers Crossing and Geelong. He has several years of experience treating headache pain and has completed post graduate studies in musculoskeletal physiotherapy.