Springfield, MA Chiropractic and Cervicogenic Headache

We see a lot of folks with headaches in our Springfield, MA office, and Dr. Michael Delson has been able to help many of them. Actually, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 50 percent of all adults have a problem with some sort of headache problems, so this really isn’t surprising. One of the most frequent kinds of headaches which our patients suffer from is cervicogenic headache which, happily, chiropractic can usually help.

Cervicogenic Headaches Defined

A cervicogenic headache is one that comes from a problem in the cervical spine. It can be because of an issue with either the spine itself (in particular, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it may be attributed to a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This dysfunction in your spine produces compaction or aggravation of the spinal nerves, which can bring on headache pain.

How can you know if the headache you are going through is a cervicogenic headache? Other than getting a diagnosis from a healthcare expert, a typical symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or discomfort in your neck. This is sometimes accompanied by pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

How Chiropractic Helps with Cervicogenic Headaches

Seeing that cervicogenic headaches will not subside until whatever problem is generating them is remedied, it is vital to get treatment instead of just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an excellent solution, and one that offers a great deal of pain relief.

In one study reported in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, specialists studied 80 people who had repeated cervicogenic headaches. Half of them received chiropractic care and the other 50% underwent light massage therapy. Each participant was examined 12 and 24 weeks after the treatment and it was discovered that chiropractic offered the best results.

Specifically, this study revealed that chiropractic adjustments gave patients enhanced pain relief and lowered the number of headaches that occurred. Moreover, it also diminished the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dr. Michael Delson can do for you and your headaches, call us today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you need!

References

• Haas M, Schneider M, Vavrek D. Illustrating risk difference and number needed to treat from a randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulation for cervicogenic headache. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2010 18(9).
• World Health Organization. (2012, October). Headache disorders. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs277/en/