What is a cervicogenic headache?
A cervicogenic headache is pain that originates from dysfunction in the neck's joints, muscles, or nerves rather than from the brain itself. It typically results from poor posture, trauma, or degenerative changes in the cervical spine.
Pain that begins in the neck and radiates upward into the head defines a cervicogenic headache. The source lies in the cervical spine (your neck), not in the brain itself. Dysfunction in the neck's joints, muscles, ligaments, or nerves sends pain signals that the brain interprets as a headache. Common causes include poor desk posture, whiplash injury, arthritis of the upper spine, or muscle tension in the neck and upper back.
Cervicogenic headaches differ from migraines and tension headaches in several ways. Migraines involve changes in blood vessel diameter and neurochemical activity in the brain itself. Cervicogenic headaches, by contrast, stem from a mechanical or structural problem in the cervical spine. You may notice that head pain starts on one side and remains there, worsens when you hold your neck in certain positions, or improves when you move or manipulate your neck. Stiffness or limited neck movement often accompanies the headache.
Chiropractors treat cervicogenic headaches by addressing the underlying neck dysfunction. They assess joint alignment, muscle tension, and postural habits that contribute to symptoms. Spinal manipulation, mobilization, and muscle work aim to restore normal joint motion and relieve the nerve irritation causing the headache. Because the pain source is the neck itself, treatment targets that area rather than the head.