Frequent Headaches

Holistic headache remedies fall into two categories: Those that provide relief from the headache you’ve already got and those that will help prevent headaches in the future.

For a head that’s aching in the present moment, here are several holistic practices you can try, either singly or in combination:

Boost circulation: Tight neck, shoulder, and upper back muscles can cause a headache or make one worse. To relieve them, locate the sorest spots on the back and sides of your neck and on the tops of your shoulders and rub them or have someone else do so. Rubbing breaks up muscle knots, which constrict blood flow, and boosts circulation that carries away trapped toxins. For best results, apply pressure for a few seconds before beginning to massage these areas. To increase relief, add an herbal liniment, especially one containing capsicum—but wash hands carefully afterward to avoid getting any of these liniments near your eyes the next time you wash your face.

Relieve anxiety: Tension caused by anxiety is a great headache producer, so using herbs that relieve anxiety will also relieve anxiety-induced headaches. Kava-Kava, Valerian, Hops and Passion flower are especially noted for their anxiety-reducing properties, as is the Chinese herbal compound known as Hepataplex, or long dan xie gan tang.

Stretch and breathe: Stretching and deep breathing both help release headache-causing toxins by increasing your brain’s oxygen flow. If you’re sitting or standing in one place and position for a long time, inhale as you lift your shoulders, then exhale as you roll them backward and let them drop.

Go for the right smell: Aromatherapy—the practice of using certain aromas and scents to alleviate physical and emotional problems—can work wonders in relieving headaches. Sniffing a few drops of peppermint, rosemary or eucalyptus oil placed on a cotton ball and held under the nose can bring instant pain relief, as can massaging a drop of rosemary oil into your each of your temples.

An added benefit for these remedies is that you can use them as singles or mix them without concern for side effects.

Long-term holistic remedies may include making lifestyle changes that commit you to a better diet, exercise and work schedule. Here are two long-term steps you should consider:

Breathe better: Making a conscious effort to do a better job of breathing can go a long way toward alleviating headache problems. Perhaps due to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, most of us don’t breathe as deeply as we should or from the right parts of our bodies. Good breathing comes from allowing your belly and lower abdomen to push air into your lungs rather than merely breathing from your chest. Because stress and tension can trigger shallow breathing, making a conscious effort to change breathing patterns is important.

Go for the negative: Ions, that is. Using a negative-ion generator that freshens the air you breathe by removing unhealthy particles has been shown to relieve headaches and reduce the frequency with which they occur. Putting one in the room where you spend most of your time can make a huge difference in how well you feel.

TMJ headaches or disorders are actually a number of conditions that may have a hand in causing the intense pain and tenderness of the temporomandibular joint (hence, TMJ). This is the ball-and-socket type joint on either side of your head where the mandible (lower jaw) connects to the temporal bone of the skull. Most people who experience the pain associated with TMJ headaches think they’re experiencing a bad migraine, when this is actually more of a dental condition. The similarity in symptoms can make it difficult to diagnose and it may end up not being treated properly.

These types of headaches occur more in women than in men, a factor that may help to confuse them with migraines; most women complain that the pain worsens right before menstruation and during emotional and physical stress. The headache pain usually resonates on either side of the head over the temples, something else that links it to migraines.

Since TMJ headaches are dental in nature, most are caused by some sort of trauma to the jaw, like a severe blow. Yet, since the TMJ itself is an actual joint, any types of degeneration, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or any other forms of inflammation may cause problems. In some cases though, the cause is not always clear. Responses to stress are also thought to be, at least, a contributing factor. Some people clench their jaw when feeling anxious, irritable or when concentrating, keeping the muscles of the TMJ in a contracted position. Clenching the jaw and grinding teeth while asleep is not uncommon either. Any habits that overwork the jaw muscle can intensify the pain of a TMJ disorder.

A migraine-like headache is only one symptom of a TMJ disorder. Other symptoms include pain and tenderness of the jaw, locking up of the joint, difficulty chewing and an uncomfortable bite, aching pain of the face and inside or around the ear, an uneven bite with teeth making premature contact, and jaw clicking or teeth grating when you open your mouth or chew. In most cases, you will experience pain and tenderness of jaw even when it is not moving.

In some severe cases, people may experience related pain in the neck, face and back. Nasal allergies can sometimes occur, also confusing this disorder with a sinus infection and headache. The nasal membranes may swell up from excessive mouth breathing (which is dry) and cause sinus toothaches.

Sometimes you can relieve the pain of TMJ without any medical treatment. If they continue, your doctor or dentist may still recommend treatments that are conservative and non-surgical. There are also some behavioral interventions that may help alleviate pain and correct dental problems. Breaking bad habits can make the biggest difference in TMJ related pain. Refrain from clenching of the jaw, grinding the teeth, and any unnecessary chewing, like on your lip or objects such as pen caps or toothpicks. Keep your jaw muscles as relaxed as possible with the teeth slightly apart. Eating softer foods and cutting food into smaller pieces can help to avoid overworking the jaw muscles. Also avoid chewy and sticky foods, like gum and try not to open your mouth too wide when you yawn.

If non-surgical treatments do not help to relieve the pain of TMJ headaches, your doctor may have to perform a certain procedure. A corrective dental treatment will help to improve your bite and to balance your biting surface. Anything from braces, to crowns and bridges, or even replacing missing teeth can be done and are often helpful.

Corticosteroid drugs may be prescribed for intense pain and joint inflammation. The medicine is injected right into the joint space to provide immediate relief. Arthrocentesis may be performed by inserting a needle into the joint and irrigating the space of fluid and other debris containing inflammatory by-product. Surgery is usually the last and most drastic approach, used if the other approaches don’t work. You may get referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Surgery may be performed to repair or even remove the disk between your mandible and temporal bone. If advanced osteoarthritis or other severe inflammation is present, a partial or total joint removal and replacement may be necessary to achieve proper bone-on-bone contact. If you suspect that you are suffering from TMJ headaches, consult a dentist for an initial consultation first before visiting your family doctor.

A sinus headache usually occurs as a result of sinusitis, an infection causing the swelling and inflammation of the membranes that line the sinuses. These types of headaches though, are often confused with migraines or tension headaches. Changes in pressure are what ultimately initiates the sinus aggravation and if untreated the headache is what follows.

The sinus headache could have one or several triggers, including colds; allergies to mold, dust or pollen; bacterial or fungal infections; problems with the immune system; or structural problems of the nasal cavity. People who suffer with asthma, have nasal growths or polyps, or have a disorder that affects the way mucus moves within the respiratory system, such as cystic fibrosis, may be at higher risk to experience sinus headaches.

There are two types of sinusitis, chronic and acute. Chronic sinusitis affects nearly 30 to 40 million Americans every year. It starts with the swelling of the mucous membranes in your sinuses and causes fluid to build up. This eventually plugs the cavity and stops normal mucus drainage. Acute sinusitis is the most common case and is usually cleared up in less than four weeks. If the condition recurs or lasts at least 12 consecutive weeks, the case is then chronic.

Headaches associated with sinusitis usually have very distinctive signs and symptoms. The most common is pain and pressure across the forehead and cheeks and around the eyes. Nasal stuffiness and sometimes an achy feeling in the upper teeth also accompany this. Other symptoms include sore throat (which can be the result of a tonsil infection brought on by the dripping of infected mucus down the throat), fever and chills, facial swelling, yellow or green discharge, and fatigue. In most cases, the symptoms often appear as soon as you awaken and the pain may worsen if you lean forward or lie flat. This is a factor that often confuses the sinus headache with a migraine. Migraines may also be accompanied by some nasal symptoms like congestion, facial pressure and a watery, nasal discharge. Migraines though, will have throbbing pain and you will also experience sensitivity to light or sound.

The key to treating sinus headaches is to reduce the swelling and inflammation of the sinuses.  You also want to facilitate backed-up mucous drainage.  For acute cases, there are steps that could be executed at home to provide relief:

    •  Breathing moist air, whether through a humidifier, steam vaporizer or just a hot shower.  This begins loosening the backed-up mucous for nasal drainage.

    •  Alternating between a hot and cold compress.  The hot compress should be applied for three minutes at a time and the cold compress for thirty seconds.  This should be done 2-6 times a day.

    •  Nasal irrigation through rinses and spray which help to shrink sinus membranes and increase drainage.

    •  Over-the-counter medications with a primary ingredient of aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen or a combination of any decongestants and antihistamines may also provide relief.  In difficult cases, nasal steroid sprays can be used.

    •  Alternative medicine in the form of herbal treatments, such as the magnolia flower, angelica, mint, and chrysanthemum.  These treatments though, have not been scientifically confirmed.  

In more severe, chronic cases of sinus headache, medically treatment may be needed.  A CT scan may be administered to determine the extent of blockage, as well as an allergy test and desensitization.  Antibiotics may be prescribed, but if they fail to provide any relief, an endoscopic or image-guided surgery may be necessary.

Although some people are naturally at risk for experiencing a form of sinusitis, there are some preventive measures to keep cases from becoming chronic, good hygiene being one of the most effective.  Other actions include carefully managing allergies and preventing asthma attacks, treating cold symptoms immediately, using a humidifier to keep nasal passages clear, and avoiding cigarette smoke.

If you experience at least a dozen headaches each month, they may be rebound headaches. These headaches are the result of a cycle that occurs from the over-use of medications. You’ll get a headache and may take more than the recommended dosage of medication or you may even take medicine to prevent an anticipated headache that hasn’t even arrived yet. Then your body negatively reacts to the pain reliever or preventer in the medicine, causing another headache. Simple pain relievers or combination pain relievers, medicines that have a combination of caffeine and acetaminophen working together, are the main causes of rebound headaches. Specified pain relievers like migraine medicine, which may also use a combination of caffeine with its main pain-relieving ingredient, are another cause. The use of opiates for pain relief and your normal daily doses of caffeine, like sodas or coffee, also contribute. Anyone with a history of migraines or tension headaches are potentially at risk although this is not typically an issue for those who use pain medication on a daily basis to treat arthritis pain.

Rebound headaches are often referred to as “medication overuse headaches”. Lots of the symptoms are those that occur with other types of headaches so the condition can be hard to diagnose at first. Some people experience nausea (with or without vomiting), anxiety, irritability or depression. These are also some symptoms that can trigger a migraine. Other symptoms may include restlessness, difficulty concentrating, memory problems and trouble sleeping. All these things may lead to a headache of dull, achiness or one of throbbing pain. The pain is usually at its worse as the medicine is beginning to wear off. These headaches usually occur everyday, sometimes as soon as you awaken.

The main purpose of treatment for rebound headaches is to wean you from your dependency of pain relievers. This is first initiated by a strict medical restriction. Since you are essentially overcoming a form of addiction, withdrawal does usually occur. As stated earlier, the headaches may actually become worse at this point because you are now dealing with the effects of the medicine wearing off. For some patients, this could result in a short hospital stay. Sometimes, depending of the severity of the withdrawal, doctors may administer small doses of preventive medications like tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and beta-blockers.

There are other ways to treat the frequent pain of rebound headaches other than traditionally. Acupuncture is the most ancient technique. It is the use of thin needles pressed into the skin to help release natural painkillers and other chemicals into the central nervous system. Biofeedback is a relaxation technique that teaches you to control your headaches by producing changes in bodily responses like muscle tension, heart rate, and skin temperature. Hypnosis may be used to help you change your perception of pain and increase your ability of tolerance. Meditation will let you focus on a simple activity, like breathing, to help you manage pain and reduce stress. Herbs, vitamins, minerals, and chiropractic care may also be used, but there is not much scientific support for these claims.

Besides withdrawal, other complications can slow down the process of recover. Drug dependency is the main problem actually treated with rebound headaches, but some people also experience other complications. Over-use of some pain relieving medication can lead to stomach ulcers, liver damage, and kidney problems.

There are several ways to help prevent going through the cycle of rebound headaches. The main thing to do is to avoid the normal headache triggers. Get enough sleep. Changes in sleep patterns are usually one of the most blatant, yet overlooked causes of a headache. Don’t skip meals, but avoid foods that trigger headaches. Exercise regularly. The physical activity associated with exercise can cause your body to release chemicals that may help block pain signals to your brain. Reduce stress and most importantly, quit smoking. Smoking can trigger headaches and make them worse.

Migraine headaches are probably the most painful in nature of all types of headaches. Every year, more than 28 million Americans suffer from migraines and 3 times more women than men suffer. The pain of a migraine can be disabling, depending on its severity. Historically, they were diagnosed as a vascular headache, but more recently a connection has been drawn between migraines and TMJ dysfunction. Over 90% of patients with migraine symptoms also suffer with the latter disorder.

Migraines have two main types, classic migraines and common migraines. The classic type is usually accompanied by some form of an aura, like sparkling flashes of light, zigzag lines, slowly spreading blind spots (all within your line of eyesight), tingling sensations in the arms and legs, and sometimes, weakness or language and speech problems. Someone suffering from a common migraine will not experience any aura but they may have one or more prodromes (sensations of premonition) several hours or a day before the headache actually occurs. These may include feelings of elation or intense energy, cravings for sweets, thirst, drowsiness, and irritability or depression.

The main cause of migraine headaches is a functional change in the trigeminal nerve system and imbalances in brain chemicals and drops in levels of magnesium. Several other factors can help to trigger the start. Hormonal changes, mainly in women, from fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone and medicines like birth control and hormone replacement therapy may worsen the intensity of a headache. Different foods, like alcohol, chocolate or foods high in MSG, or skipping meals or fasting can also trigger a migraine. Other causes can be stress, sensory stimuli (bright lights, unusual smells), intense physical exertion, changes in environment (season changes, altitude level, time zone), and medications.

Migraines typically begin in either childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood and then become less frequent and intense as you grow older. No matter what stage in life you encounter them, the symptoms are the same. There is moderate to severe pain either on one or both sides of the head and the pain is usually pulsating or throbbing. The pain tends to worsen with physical activity and can sometimes even hinder normal, daily activities. Nausea with or without vomiting often occurs, as well as sensitivity to light and sound. A child suffering from a migraine may experience all the related signs and symptoms, but not the actual headache. These are known as abdominal migraines. If left untreated the pain can last from 4 to 72 hours.

Although anyone with a family history of migraines is susceptible to getting one, young females are at higher risk. Young women are 3 times more like to suffer than males and their risk increases after puberty. Women also complain of the intensity of their headaches worsening before, during, or after menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.

Available treatment for migraine headaches on help to relieve or prevent the pain. No treatment actually stops a migraine from recurring for good. Pain-relieving medicines are mainly the first line of defense used. NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are most commonly used, often in the form of your basic over-the-counter pain medicines. Other pain relievers for the headache pain are triptan and ergots. Medicine for nausea relief can also be used. Preventive medicines are more likely to be prescribed by your physician. They can include cardiovascular drugs like beta-blockers, used to treat hypertension and coronary artery disease, antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, or other types of NSAIDs. For children, Cyproheptadine, an antihistamine, is ofter administered. Some women have claimed that they saw a dramatic lessening in the amount of migraines suffered and their intensity and having Botox injection, although the effects are still scientifically unclear.

Other actions, besides preventive medicine can help prevent migraines, such as avoiding the triggers, exercising regularly, reducing the effects of estrogen and not smoking.

Cervicogenic headaches are often the result of a neck injury. Unlike many common forms of headaches, such as migraine, and cluster headaches, they often do not respond well to over the counter medications such as analgesics, and common pain medications such as Panadol.

Although the Cervicogenic headache sufferer will note some relief from the symptoms of pain experienced when taking a pain relieving medication, once the preparation has worn off, the symptoms, and pain will return. In order to gain relief from Cervicogenic headaches, treating the symptoms simply isn’t enough, a more holistic approach must be taken for long-term relief.

One of the most effective ways of relieving Cervicogenic pain is with Chiropractic treatment. A chiropractor manipulates the bones, and muscles in the neck areas that have moved out of alignment to assist the body to bring fresh blood into the area to create a healing environment. This type of treatment has been around for hundreds of years, although up until recently, it has never been widely accepted by medical professionals.

Chiropractic manipulation, often known as Subluxation, has been documented as early as the ancient Egyptians, and is the concept of applying a precise adjustment through pressure on the afflicted area, as opposed to the generalized maneuvers that were used earlier by osteopaths.

Chiropractors emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and therefore do not prescribe medication to their patients, nor do they operate, or perform surgery on their subjects. It is suggested that this may be among many of the reasons why health conscious people seek chiropractic treatments to cure their ailments.

Evidence To Suggest The Effectiveness Of Chiropractic Treatments

According to recent studies published in the Journal of Manipulative, And Physiological Therapeutics, the results indicated that spinal manipulation had a significant positive effect in cases of Cervicogenic headache. During the course of the study, 53 participants who were sufferers of Cervicogenic headaches were studied closely. Half of the subjects were given chiropractic manipulation as treatment, while the other half of the subjects received deep friction, and low laser massage.

The study lasted over the course of a three-week period. While the two groups of sufferers did notice improvement with the care given to them, the group that were involved in the soft tissue treatments noted only a significant decrease in the hours per day that they were experiencing headache. The manipulation group showed improvement in all three of the measurement criterion being studied.

Those who received chiropractic treatment in the study noticed a 36% decrease in their pain medication usage, their headache hours were decreased by 69%, and their headache intensity had also decreased by 36%

Criteria For Cervicogenic Headache

Cervicogenic headaches are often categorized by pain in the neck area, which may increase to include the forehead, temples, and the ears. The condition is often aggravated by certain neck movements, or sustained neck posture. The patient may experience limited movement, or stiffness, and moderate to severe pain while making passive neck movements. Additionally, the muscles surrounding the area may become tender, or painful to the touch.

While chiropractic treatment is an effective treatment for Cervicogenic headaches, those suffering severe headache symptoms should consult a doctor, or health care professional to rule out more severe underlying causes of their headaches before proceeding with chiropractic treatment.

Especially in the breakneck speed of life today, most of us suffer from headaches at one time or another. For some of us, headaches are minor and infrequent, generally caused by stress or fatigue. For others, they are chronic and debilitating such as migraine headaches. However, there is another form of headache that many people may be unaware of – Cervicogenic headaches, which are headaches caused by the cervical spine.

Headaches due to whiplash injury, intervertebral disc disease, progressive joint arthritis and chronic tension can all be classified as Cervicogenic headaches. This means that the major contributing factor to the headache is the cervical spine.

Regular patterns of pain that relate to the muscular trigger points in the neck and shoulder region, as well as pain in the upper spine area are considered Cervicogenic headaches. As a matter of fact, some headaches that present with pain the forehead or behind the eyes can actually be pain zones that are triggered by a Cervicogenic headache.

In layman’s terms, there are many conditions that can contribute to or be the primary cause of a Cervicogenic headache. Injury, disc misalignment, joint degeneration, muscular stress, previous neck surgery and fatigue are all contributors. Did you know that the joints which connect the top levels of the spine to the base of the skull are responsible for more than 50% of the motion of the entire head and neck region; absorbing continual amounts of repetitive stress and strain and ultimately bearing the major load of the weight of the head? It is not wonder that this region of our bodies would account for pain and headaches. People with Cervicogenic headaches often exhibit distorted or abnormal neck posture or have restricted range of neck and head motion. These abnormalities are often overcompensation by the body to reduce pain. Headaches can be triggered by neck movement, passive neck positioning, especially when extended towards the side that is prone to pain.

It is common with Cervicogenic headaches for muscular trigger points to be in the suboccipital cervical region, and in the shoulder muscles; points that can also send shooting pain to the head when they are manually or physically manipulated.

It seems that for the most part Cervicogenic headaches have been discredited or ignored by professionals because doctors have a difficult time making a diagnosis and determining proper treatment. Although Cervicogenic headaches can be caused by whiplash or injury in the upper neck, this cannot be diagnosed by clinical examination, cannot be seen with an x-ray or MRI scan. However, Cervicogenic headaches can be diagnosed via the use of diagnostic block, which is a clinical procedure that uses needles to apply local anesthetic to any joint suspected of being the source of pain. The consensus is that if a joint is the source of the headache, the anesthetic should immediately relieve the pain.

If your head hurts on a regular basis, and you suffer from headaches continually, especially if the pain seems to radiate from your spine or upper shoulder area, this may be a sign of Cervicogenic headaches. This is especially true is you have suffered trauma to your spine or neck such as whiplash or injury.

Cervicogenic headaches, where the major contributing factor to the headache is the cervical spine, and where the pain originates in the spine, neck and upper shoulder areas are often due to whiplash, neck injury, and related stress traumas.

If you are one of the thousands of people who suffer from daily Cervicogenic headaches that are the result of whiplash or injury, you may certainly benefit from neck treatments. This is especially true if you are not looking for extreme solutions such as trigger injections, heavy medication or fusion surgery.

Most especially when some type of injury or trauma is present, the critical key to treating cervicogenic headaches is neck treatments which will concentrate on alleviating and reducing pain and the frequency of your headaches.

The devastating pain of Cervicogenic headaches can lead to difficulty in other aspects in your life, and make it hard to function at work and at home while coping with cervicogenic headaches. Although neurologists are actively searching for a cure, treatment at this time is limited to chiropractor and physical therapist care, unless you want to resort to medication, block therapy or surgery.

Neck treatments performed by physical therapists include a progressive plan of joint mobility, soft tissue massage, muscle strengthening, endurance improvement to lessen headache frequency and diminish levels of pain associated with each episode of cervicogenic headache.

You may also want to seek out a qualified chiropractor who has experience treating patients with cervicogenic headaches. A chiropractor can be instrumental in the treatment of your chronic headaches by properly aligning your spine, relieving any pinched nerves in the neck and providing overall relief from your pain.

It cannot be stressed enough that visits to a therapist must be done on a regular basis and not just periodically when the pain is unmanageable. When pain management through neck treatment therapy is maintained, you will see a significant decrease in the number of cervicogenic headaches you experience, and you will also notice a decrease in the level of pain that comes with each headache.

If you get Cervicogenic headaches, then you know the frustration of not being able to find ultimate and permanent relief, never mind an all-out cure. Since there are treatments that are known to help, you owe it to yourself and your overall health and happiness to utilize those treatments and services on a regular and frequent basis.

If you suffer from debilitating Cervicogenic headaches, you know that part of the ongoing frustration is finding the right medical professional or physician who can help you with your symptoms and provide solutions to alleviate your pain. This is not an easy task but if you look in the right places, you may just find the answers you have been long searching for.

1. Decide on Your Path – First you must decide if you want to seek the help of a medical doctor or a homeopathic doctor such as a chiropractor. As both courses of treatment will be radically different, you need to decide what will work best for you.

2. Choose a Qualified Medical Professional – Whichever path you take, make sure you choose a doctor that has experience dealing with patients that have cervicogenic headaches.

3. Ask for Diagnosis Methods – It is important to talk to your physician about what methods he or she will use to diagnose your cervicogenic headaches. As you may know, this type of headache can only be diagnosed through the use of diagnostic blocks to determine the point of origin of your headaches. If your doctor is going to use x-rays, find another doctor as this method will not spot cervicogenic headaches.

4. Choose a Doctor that Believes – There are a portion of the medical community that don’t believe in the validity of cervicogenic headaches. These physicians are close-minded and ultimately, are not able to help you if you suffer from these types of headaches. You need to find a professional that believes in your pain and suffering and will work with you to find pain management techniques, solutions and ultimately a cure.

5. Select a Physician that Educates as Well as Treats – A big part of dealing with your illness is gaining a full understanding of what it is, how it works and what will work to fix it. When you choose a doctor that is willing to educate you about your cervicogenic headaches, you are in a much better place where you can help yourself.

6. Look for References Online – There are many chat rooms and support groups available on the Internet for people like you who suffer from cervicogenic headaches. These people have been through what you are going through and can assist in determining what is important when you are looking for a doctor.

7. Talk to your Therapist – The medical and healing communities are closely links. Many times, your physical therapist or massage therapist may know of doctors that actively treat patients with cervicogenic headaches. This may be an excellent referral source to find a suitable qualified and open minded doctor to see about your headaches.

8. Consider Personality – Headaches are actually a very personal experience and in many cases, a lot of emotional issues accompany the symptoms and the pain. As such, you should make sure that you choose a doctor that you are comfortable talking to on a very personal level and one who is open to discuss your progress and regression with you.

Headaches where the pain originates in the cervical spine, neck and upper shoulders are often referred to as a cervicogenic headache. Many times, these headaches can be a byproduct of whiplash, neck injury or muscle trauma due to poor prolonged posture or severe stress.

One of the most common ailments in modern society, more than 42 million Americans suffers from headaches each year. Usually these are minor stress or tension related headaches, and in some people are more severe migraine headaches. Unfortunately, one type of headache that is often overlooked and misdiagnosed is the cervicogenic headache.

This headache, which is clinically defined as pain that is present in the head, but which originates in the cervical spine.

Cervicogenic headaches, like other types of headaches are different for different people; some are more severe, some present in the head while others have pain behind the eyes.

If we first look at the commonalities between migraines and cervicogenic headache symptoms, we can then discuss the unique symptoms. Both types of headaches affect a largely female population and are unilateral in nature. Both migraines and cervicogenic headache sufferers complain of severe pain, head throbbing, nausea, phonophobia (sensitivity to sound) and photophobia (severe sensitivity to light). However, these symptoms are reported far more frequently in migraine sufferers. This is primarily where the similarities end as migraine headaches have no association with the cervical spine and do not originate in the neck region.

Symptoms that are specific to cervicogenic headaches include a marked decrease or lowering of the pain threshold, meaning a decreasing intolerance to accept or manage the pain that comes with the cervicogenic headaches. If this is a concern, your pain threshold can be measured by an algometric instrument and must be done by a professional.

Additionally, pain that begins in the occipital region, meaning near the base of your neck in the cervical spine and then progressively spreads upwards into the head is a classic symptom of cervicogenic headache.

For those that suffer from these types of headaches, it should be said that although the intensity of pain will fluctuate from mild to moderate to severe, cervicogenic headache symptoms occur daily.

There are two symptoms that are generally exclusive to those with cervicogenic headaches. The first is that the headache can be made worse or actually onset by head or neck movement. The second is that there is marked tenderness in the suboccipital region.

It is obvious that when it comes to cervicogenic headache symptoms, the neck plays a significant role in diagnosing and assessing symptoms. Some may experience symptoms that are not covered here and still be suffering from cervicogenic headaches. It goes without saying that as a unique individual; you should be diagnosed and treated as such.

Next article: Cure Your Cervicogenic Headache