Miscellaneous
Cervicogenic headaches are, by definition, headaches that come from the structures of the neck, mainly the joints, muscles, nerves & ligaments. These headaches are almost always accompanied by neck pain. This doesn’t have to be the case, but it is the nature of the beast. These headaches are not super common, only about 0.5-2.5% of the population gets them, but in chronic pain settings, we see ~20% of patients with cervicogenic headaches. When comparing cervicogenic headaches to migraines and tension-type headaches (which are the main ones I treat), those suffering from cervicogenic headaches actually report the lowest quality of life score. In this episode, I also talk a little bit on pain physiology & convergence. Without getting into too much detail about it here, I’ll just say that the same nerves innervate different structures in the body, and though your brain can tell which nerves the pain sensation is coming from, it cannot tell exactly which structures are involved. This episode also gives you a full rundown of a treatment plan on cervicogenic headaches. Kids, it is not to be missed. If you suffer from headaches, I have created a really great free resource for you on common exercises I give patients suffering from headaches. The exercises are really simple, but they are also really effective; what more could you want! Head over to www.drdonaldlittlewood.com/headache to get your copy.