Chiropractic Beats Massage for Cervicogenic Headaches

We see a lot of people with headaches in our Jacksonville and Fleming Island office, and Dr. Fritz has been able to assist many of them. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that half of all adults struggle with some sort of headache condition, so this really isn't shocking. One of the most prevalent types of headaches which our patients suffer from is cervicogenic headache which, fortunately, chiropractic therapy can generally help.

What is a Cervicogenic Headache?

A cervicogenic headache is one that originates from an issue in the cervical spine. It can easily be a result of a problem with either the spine itself (specifically, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it can be attributed to a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This dysfunction in your spine can cause constriction or irritation of the spinal nerves, which can contribute to headache problems.

How do you distinguish if the headache you are suffering from is a cervicogenic headache? Aside from being given a diagnosis from a healthcare specialist, a common symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or pain in your neck. This is occasionally associated with pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

Headache Relief with Chiropractic

Because cervicogenic headaches will not go away until whatever issue is causing them is remedied, it is crucial to receive treatment as opposed to just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an effective approach, and one that offers a great deal of pain relief.

In one study published in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, researchers studied 80 people who had regular cervicogenic headaches. One-half received chiropractic care and the other half underwent light massage therapy. Each participant was evaluated 12 and 24 weeks after the treatment and it was discovered that chiropractic delivered the optimum results.

In particular, this study found that chiropractic adjustments offered patients greater pain relief and decreased the number of headaches that occurred. On top of that, it also minimized the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dr. Fritz can do for you and your headaches, call our office today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you deserve!

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/