Those of us that have had a headache that seems to start from the front and go all the way to the back of the head and neck with pain that just doesn’t seem to quit are most likely suffering from a cervicogenic headache. While there are several types of headaches, pain associated with neck pain and muscle tension are some of the most prevalent. A few months ago, I had a school teacher that had tried all types of medications, MRI imaging, and injections before coming to my office. After a few weeks of treatment she said, “I should have started here.”
Presentation
Headaches can often have different pain referral patterns, can come and go with specific triggers, and often are very debilitating. Lost time at work, an inability to read, perform computer work or household activities are among the most common limitations. The school teacher had limited range of motion at the neck that she noticed during teaching and driving. She also had some radiating pain and weakness that traveled down her right arm and seemed to get worse while writing on the white board or leaning over student’s desks to check their work. Her posture was mildly poor with a forward head position and reduced neck curvature. Further findings led me to investigate the nerves in her neck that radiated down the right arm with an EMG (nerve test). The nerves were mildly compressed. I teamed up with her physician and she decided to get an injection along with physical therapy to maximize pain relief.
Treatment
Physical therapy, effectively treated her chronic headaches with neck pain through manual therapy, dry needling, and postural exercises. Manual therapy improves cervical spine mobility, dry needling reduces muscle tension, and postural exercises correct imbalances contributing to headaches. These interventions can significantly decrease pain and improve quality of life (Fernández-de-Las-Peñas et al., 2018; Racicki et al., 2020). Over a period of 6 weeks her pain reduced from 8/10 to 1-2/10 on a daily basis, headaches reduced from 4-5 times per week to 1-2 times per month with a 50% reduction in severity and duration. This all made a tremendous difference in the classroom, with computer work and with overall quality of life.
Proactive Action
Headaches can be a chronic condition. But there is hope. Click and make an appointment or call 208-233-2248 to get in with a Board-Certified Doctor of Physical Therapy and get to the root of the problem in Pocatello, American Falls, Fort Hall, Idaho Falls and Rexburg. Our spine and headache specialists are ready to get you back to the good in life that makes your life worth living each and every day.
Sincerely,
Bart McDonald, MPT, ECS, FMSK
President Superior Physical Therapy
Racicki, S., et al. (2020). Dry needling for cervical headaches: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 28(1), 10-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10669817.2019.162727
