Harleysville, PA Chiropractic Effective for Cervicogenic Headache

We see a lot of people with headaches in our Harleysville, PA office, and Dr. Szilagyi has been able to help many of them. Actually, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 50 percent of all adults have a problem with some manner of headache condition, so this actually isn’t surprising. One of the most common varieties of headaches that our patients are afflicted by is cervicogenic headache which, fortunately, chiropractic can generally help.

What is a Cervicogenic Headache?

A cervicogenic headache is one that originates from issues in the cervical spine. It might be caused by a condition with either the spine itself (specifically, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it might be because of a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This problem in your spine contributes to compaction or irritation of the spinal nerves, which can contribute to headache pain.

How do you find out if the headache you are going through is a cervicogenic headache? Aside from getting a diagnosis from a healthcare expert, a frequent symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or discomfort in your neck. This is sometimes accompanied by pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

Headache Relief with Chiropractic

Considering cervicogenic headaches will not go away until whatever issue is causing them is remedied, it is essential to receive treatment as opposed to just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an effective approach, and one that can provide a considerable amount of relief.

In one study reported in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, specialists followed 80 people who had frequent cervicogenic headaches. Half received chiropractic care and the other 50% underwent light massage therapy. Each participant was assessed 12 and 24 weeks after the treatment and it was discovered that chiropractic delivered the most beneficial effects.

In particular, this study found that chiropractic adjustments offered patients better pain relief and reduced the frequency of headaches that occurred. On top of that, it also diminished the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dr. Szilagyi can do for you and your headache pain, call us today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you deserve!

References

• Haas M, Schneider M, Vavrek D. Illustrating risk difference and number needed to treat from a randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulation for cervicogenic headache. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2010 18(9).
• World Health Organization. (2012, October). Headache disorders. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs277/en/