Cervicogenic headaches are headaches which occurs when the pain is referred from a specific source in your neck up to your head.
The pain with cervicogenic headaches is commonly a steady ache or full feeling although sometimes the pain intensity can get worse.
The symptoms of Cervicogenic headaches are usually side locked which means the symptoms usually occur on one side of the neck, face or head..
The most common cause of cervicogenic headaches is trauma to the facet joints is whiplash injury, which has been estimated to account for 53% of CGH cases.
“Red flags” of cervicogenic headaches include (1) sudden onset of a new severe headache; (2) a worsening pattern of a pre-existing headache in the absence of obvious predisposing factors; (3) headache associated with fever, neck stiffness, skin rash, and with a history of cancer, HIV, or other systemic illness; (4) headache associated with .
Other conditions that can mimic a cervicogenic headache include : tension headaches and migraine. internal carotid or vertebral artery dissection. Chiari malformation.
A cervicogenic headache is thought to be referred pain arising from irritation caused by cervical structures innervated by spinal nerves C1, C2, and C3; therefore, any structure innervated by the C1–C3 spinal nerves could be the source for a cervicogenic headache.
Diagnostic imagery such as x-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may only be used to support a diagnosis of cervicogenic headaches, but do not generally confirm the diagnosis in CGH.
Cervical disc bulging as seen in these images may not always indicate the cause of CGH.
The best exercise for a cervicogenic headache is a Forward and back head tilt exercise.
This exercise targets the muscles in the front and back of your neck.
Start by slowly tilting your chin toward your chest; then tilt your head as far back as you can.
Hold for about four seconds in each position, and repeat the tilt about eight times in each direction.
Because cervicogenic headaches arise from problems in the neck, different conditions can trigger this type of pain.
These include degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis, a prolapsed disc in the neck, or a whiplash injury.
Falling down or playing sports can also cause injury to the neck and trigger these headaches.