Managing Cervicogenic Headaches With Chiropractic Care

If you have been experiencing unexplained headaches on one side of your head or near the base of your head, you may be suffering from cervicogenic headaches. These often arise from an injury or condition of the upper spine. Addressing the root of the problem could be the first step in managing your pain.

Whether or not you’ve received a diagnosis to this effect, an experienced cervicogenic headache chiropractor may be able to help. Learn how chiropractic care can relieve headaches caused by cervical spine dysfunction or neck injuries.

How a Chiropractor Supports Long-Term Spinal Health

Spinal injuries and degeneration can lead to pain throughout the body, radiating up into the neck and head and down into the hips and legs. Finding relief from pain starts with understanding the cause of your injury, then taking steps to address the underlying problem. A chiropractor can provide holistic care and treatment that starts with a comprehensive assessment.

After understanding the root issue, these professionals can use non-invasive treatments to improve mobility and alleviate pain. You don’t need to continue living with unexplained discomfort. Finding a chiropractor in Pompano Beach, FL, could be the first step toward finally experiencing relief.

What Are Cervicogenic Headaches?

Understanding cervicogenic headaches is important to effectively treating this condition. A physician can diagnose cervicogenic headaches by assessing your symptoms and ruling out other conditions through X-rays or CT scans.

Cervicogenic headaches are considered a type of secondary headache, which means they are a symptom of an underlying issue with the neck or cervical spine. Patients often initially experience pain in the neck that radiates to the head or other areas near the upper spine.

These headaches are unique in that:

• They often only affect one side of the head
• The pain often stems from the neck, spreading to the base of the head
• The pain may also be accompanied by stiffness or reduced range of motion in the neck

If you have begun experiencing new headaches accompanied by neck pain, talk to your doctor about whether you may be suffering from cervicogenic headaches. With any new types of head pain, it is also important to rule out other, potentially serious causes before proceeding with treatment.

Cervicogenic headaches can arise due to a few different concerns involving the neck. You might start experiencing this type of headache if:

• You have poor posture or spend extended amounts of time looking down at a phone, book, or laptop. Unhealthy posture places excess pressure and strain on the cervical spine, leading to injuries over time.
• You experienced trauma or injury to the neck, such as whiplash in a car accident.
• You have degenerative disc disease or other conditions that compress the nerves in the cervical spine.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help With Cervicogenic Headaches?

Cervicogenic headaches make everyday movements painful, from turning your neck while driving to sitting at a computer for extended periods while working. Cervicogenic headache chiropractors offer several types of therapies to address the underlying cause of these headaches, alleviate pain, and promote long-term relief, including:

• Upper cervical adjustments: Chiropractors often perform spinal manipulation therapy to improve alignment throughout the spine. Misalignment of the cervical spine could be causing tension that is radiating into the head.
• Postural corrections: Poor posture could also be contributing to your cervicogenic headaches. A chiropractor can assess your posture while sitting and standing and recommend improvements. They can also guide you through targeted exercises to strengthen the core and other areas of the body that are engaged in healthy posture.
• Manual therapy for neck muscle tension: Manual therapy involves massaging the soft tissue around the neck and manipulating the joints to relieve tension and stiffness. Alleviating neck pain at the source can prevent that pain from radiating outward and causing headaches. It can also improve range of motion to make everyday neck movements easier.
• Rehabilitation exercises: Your chiropractor can teach you exercises to strengthen the neck muscles and reduce the risk of injuries from everyday movements. For example, deep neck flexing is a type of exercise that you can perform several times a day to help stabilize the cervical spine.

Try Chiropractic Care for Cervicogenic Headaches Today

If your doctor has diagnosed you with cervicogenic headaches, chiropractic care may be an effective option for finding relief. At ChiroCare of Florida, our cervicogenic headache chiropractors provide targeted treatments for many types of neck pain and other sources of discomfort throughout the body.

If you are looking for a non-invasive treatment to alleviate pain, schedule an initial consultation at our Pompano Beach location today by calling 754-227-2218.