As the most common reason for calling in sick to work, and one of the most common reasons for going to the doctor, it is no wonder that headaches are tough to treat. Billions of dollars each year on spent on research and the proposed treatment of headaches.
There are many kinds of headaches including: migraines, cluster, tension headaches, and sinus headaches, just to name a few. One lesser recognized form of headache is the cervicogenic headache. This term refers to “a pain localized to the neck and radiating to the forehead . . . precipitated by special neck movements or sustained neck posture.” In short, these account for a lot of the headaches that are made worse by the position of our neck. These headaches often return after medications wear off, because the root of the problem has not been addressed.
The reason that neck problems can lead to headaches is because the first four nerves from the neck help supply the sensation to our head, and it has long been known that irritating these nerves where they exit the spinal cord, can have effects in and around the head, the same way that a herniated disc in the low back can cause leg problems.
Treatment has traditionally consisted of over the counter drugs, and prescription drugs, but recent research has shown that chiropractic, massage, and rehabilitation to the tight muscles in the neck can help not just cover up the pain, but actually prevent these headaches from returning. By balancing the muscles and joints in the neck, and addressing our daily posture which helped caused the headaches, stiff necks and frequent headaches can help become a thing of the past.