CERVICOGENIC HEADACHES
Cervicogenic headaches are a debilitating type of head pain that originates from the muscles, joints, and deep structures of the upper cervical spine (the neck). While you feel the pain in your head, the root cause is actually located in your neck.
At Northwest Functional Neurology, we help you uncover the hidden neurological and structural dysfunctions causing your headaches, allowing us to treat the source of your cervicogenic headaches rather than just masking the symptoms.
WHAT IS A CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE?
The cervical spinal area is loaded with potential pain-generating tissues. When these tissues are inflamed or injured, they send pain signals into the spinal trigeminal nucleus—the same system that maps pain for your head and face. If there is enough pain input from your upper neck, the pain "cross-talks" and refers throughout the trigeminal system. You may experience intense pain at the base of your skull, behind your eyes, in your forehead, or in your jaw. Over time, your pain threshold drops, meaning even normal neck movements can trigger a severe headache.
CAUSES & SYMPTOMS
Common Causes: Whiplash trauma, sports injuries, joint inflammation, nerve irritation, or poor adaptation of eye and inner-ear movements.
Common Symptoms: Head and face pain, neck tension, limited range of motion, sudden pain when coughing or sneezing, light/sound sensitivity, dizziness, and arm or shoulder pain.
OUR TREATMENTS
Most traditional therapies for cervicogenic headaches have limited success because they focus solely on the head or rely heavily on pain medications. We design your unique NeuroRescue program to address every structural, metabolic, and neurological factor involved in your headaches.
We evaluate the function of the muscles and ligaments in your cervical spine alongside the central brainstem systems that normally function to shut off pain. Because neck function is tightly integrated with the visual and vestibular systems, we heavily prioritize the rehabilitation of eye movements and inner-ear reflexes. By repairing gaze stability and vestibular function, we can rebuild the functional integration necessary for your headaches to finally be resolved.
CLINICAL RESEARCH
Our therapies are dictated by your unique presentation and supported by cutting-edge neuroscience. Clinical research shows that individuals with cervicogenic headaches—especially following whiplash—frequently suffer from impaired balance, disrupted eye-movement coordination, and bilateral vestibular hypofunction. We utilize this research to customize therapies that may include vestibular rehabilitation, specific eye movement exercises, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, and joint manipulation to reduce your symptoms safely and effectively.
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Our Unique Approach To Treatment Of Cervicogenic Headaches
