Chiropractic and Cervicogenic Headache

Cervicogenic headache is a type of headache involving one side of the head, though it may be felt in one or more areas of the head and/or face. This ranks among the most common of non-migraine headaches (1,2). Do you or a loved one experience headaches? This is an important article that can make the world of difference to you.
 
“The prevalence of cervicogenic headache has been estimated to be as high a 4.1% in the general population, with as high as 17.5% among patients who suffer from severe headaches.” (3,4)
 
Neck pain, shoulder pain and lower back pain are the most frequently reported musculoskeletal complaints among office workers. There is a noticeable co-occurrence of cervicogenic headache with neck pain among this group, as it is often exacerbated by long hours of stationary sitting and computer use common in desk jobs (5). The International Headache Society defines cervicogenic headache as a headache caused by a disorder or lesion in the cervical spine, its bones, discs, and/or soft tissue elements (6). Being an underlying cause of misdiagnosed chronic headaches (5), is there anything that can be done to help? With chiropractic treatment being seen with widespread application in the management of head and neck pain (7,8), can chiropractic assist with the management of cervicogenic headache that is common among people who perform sedentary tasks?
 
In a recent literature review, where the aim was to scrutinize the current available research and literature on the effectiveness of chiropractic interventions on pain management and life quality improvement for office workers who are affected by cervicogenic headaches. It was found that the current literature showed that chiropractic intervention holds promise in reducing pain and improving the quality of life for office workers who are suffering from cervicogenic headaches, although it shows that chiropractic has a positive effect with patients who have cervicogenic headaches, currently there are a limited number of studies available and small sample sizes so the indication is for more research to further confirm these positive findings (5).
 
So if you want to find out if chiropractic care may help manage cervicogenic headaches for you or your loved ones, have a chat with one of our chiropractors to see how they can assist.
 
“It is important to minimise the stress that is placed on our body from sedentary tasks, especially when it is over a long period of time with minimal movement”
 
 
 
 
1. Chaibi A, Russell MB. Manual therapies for cervicogenic headache: a systematic review. J Headache Pain 2012;13:351-9.
2. Feleppa M, Fucci S, Bigal ME. Primary headaches in an elderly population seeking medical care for cognitive decline. Headache 2017;57:209-16.
3. Sjaastad, O., 2008. Cervicogenic headache: comparison with migraine without aura; Vågå study. Cephalalgia, 28(1_suppl), pp.18-20.
4. Evers, S., 2008. Introduction: Comparison of cervicogenic headache with migraine. Cephalalgia, 28(1_suppl), pp.16-17.
5. İlter, S.E. and Gökçe, A., 2023. Assessment of chiropractic intervention influence on pain and life quality in cervicogenic headache afflicted office workers: a review. The European Research Journal, pp.1-9.
6. Olesen J. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Cephalalgia 2018;38:1-211.
7. Bryans R, Decina P, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, Marcoux H, Potter B, et al. Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with neck pain. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2014;37:42-63.
8. Côté P, Yu H, Shearer HM, Randhawa K, Wong JJ, Mior S, et al. Non-pharmacological management of persistent headaches associated with neck pain: A clinical practice guideline from the Ontario protocol for traffic injury management (OPTIMa) collaboration. Eur J Pain 2019;23:1051-70.