Is Your Headache Really a Pain in the Neck?

Is Your Headache “Cervicogenic”? A Cervicogenic headache can be a result of stiff upper neck joints, injury to muscle or other soft tissues in the neck, or from a problem in the discs of the neck. These structures in the neck can send or “refer” pain to different parts of the head, and into the eye or ear at times. The Cervical Spine or “neck” region has many potentially painful structures, and those are prone to injury. Injuries like “whiplash” from a car accident can irritate tissues in the neck and create headache symptoms.

Symptoms may be:
– Pain that starts in the neck and then radiates to the head
– Pain that refers to the eye or forehead
– Loss of motion in the neck
– Pain that increases with movements of the neck
– Pain that also refers to the shoulder or arm

These type of Headaches may respond well to Physical Therapy. In coordination with your healthcare provider, Physical Therapists may use techniques like Manual Therapy (hands-on treatment), exercise and stretching, Posture education and other treatments to alleviate pain.

Too many people suffer from pain conditions that are treatable. For more information about Physical Therapy and what Physical Therapists can do for you visit www.BodycentralPT.net or call (520)325-4002 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Jennifer Allen is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in the areas of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, and is a Certified Hand Therapist. She is a co-founder of Bodycentral Physical Therapy and the Ultimate Sports Asylum in Tucson, Arizona.