Memphis Chiropractic Beats Massage for Cervicogenic Headaches

We see a great number of folks with headaches in our Memphis office, and Dr. Amodeo has been able to provide relief for many of them. Of course, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that half of all adults have difficulty with some type of headache problem, so this really isn’t shocking. One of the most frequent varieties of headaches which our patients suffer from is cervicogenic headache which, happily, chiropractic can often help.

Cervicogenic Headaches Explained

A cervicogenic headache is one that comes from an issue in the cervical spine. It might be a result of an issue with either the spine itself (primarily, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it could be brought on by a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This dysfunction in your spine leads to constriction or aggravation of the spinal nerves, which can bring about headache pain.

How do you recognize if the headache you are suffering from is a cervicogenic headache? Apart from getting a diagnosis from a healthcare expert, a typical symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or discomfort in your neck. This is occasionally combined with pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

Chiropractic to the Rescue

Considering cervicogenic headaches will not go away until whatever problem is causing them is remedied, it is crucial to receive treatment instead of just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an excellent solution, and one that can provide a considerable amount of headache pain relief.

In one study printed in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, experts followed 80 people who had repeated cervicogenic headaches. One-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 found that chiropractic offered the best effects.

Specifically, this study revealed that chiropractic adjustments gave patients greater pain relief and reduced the frequency of headaches that occurred. Furthermore, it also lessened the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dr. Amodeo 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/