September 22nd – 24th is Migraine and Headache Awareness week.
Headaches are unfortunately a part of life, with 9 out of 10 people experiencing them. Migraines, however, are a little less common affecting an estimated 5 million Australians.
Although there are many different kinds of headaches, today we will focus on the cervicogenic headache.
What is a cervicogenic headache?
Cervicogenic headaches are the result of neck related disorders. Known as a secondary headache, cervicogenic headaches result from a disorder in one or more of the top three to four joints in your neck.
What are the symptoms of a cervicogenic headache?
Cervicogenic headaches are always accompanied by neck pain. Usually, the pain starts in the neck and then develops in to a headache. The pain is usually felt on one side of the head and unlike a migraine, typically stays the same side. Your neck pain and headache are usually increased when moving your head/neck. Typically, reduced range of movement or stiffness are present in the neck. Cervicogenic headaches are generally said to be mild to moderate in intensity.
What causes a cervicogenic headache?
Prolonged (usually poor) sitting postures, trauma (from sport or traffic incidents) and or wear and tear within your joints, can all result in a cervicogenic headache.
How can I help the pain?
Here at Ormond Physiotherapy we can successfully treat headaches originating from the neck and its surrounding soft tissues. We can also show you effective ways of preventing headaches from returning.
During an initial assessment we will ask you a number of questions to safely screen and determine which type of neck pain/headache you have.
We will then assess your spine as a whole, looking to treat the root cause of your pain rather than just the symptoms.
Our physio team are here to attend to your urgent care during lockdown. If you need an appointment, call our friendly team on 9578 6588 or click the button below to book today!
