Headaches
Headaches and migraines can be extremely disruptive to everyday life, as any headache sufferer or their colleagues and family members will tell you.
They often then rely heavily on medications, which only mask the headache symptoms instead of solving them.
Cervicogenic headaches
Pain that is felt in the head or face that is referred from structures in the neck is called a Cervicogenic headache. The nerves from joints and soft tissues of the neck link directly with the part of the brain associated with headaches.
Is my headache cervicogenic?
- Symptoms of cervicogenic headaches can be
- Dull aches
- Sharp stabbing pains
- Felt in the face or head
- Constant or intermittant
- Made worse by various factors eg; foods, alcohol, certain times in the menstrual cycle, bright light, working at a computer.
- Associated with other symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, tiredness.
Assessment
During assessment your physio will take a detailed history and make a thorough physical examination of your neck to help determine if any structures in your neck may be a source of your pain.
Watson techniques
Dean Watson, an Australian physiotherapist, has found that the temporary reproduction and lessening of your pain/headache by a therapist can confirm that structures in your neck are a source of the pain that is referring into your head.
He has developed a series of techniques that are proving highly successful in resolving cervicogenic headaches.
Treatment
Watson treatment techniques involve passive movements applied in a slow and smooth manner to affected joints and aimed at restoring normal movement.
Other physiotherapy such as posture correction, specific strengthening or stretching exercises, acupuncture and ergonomic assessment and advice can also be helpful in alleviating headaches and migraine.
Physiotherapy treatment for cervicogenic headaches and migraines using the ‘Watson Headache Approach’ is available with Jayne Davies and Carol Ellis who have had specialist training in this method.
See these websites for more information:
http://yourheadachesolutions.co.uk/
http://headacheeducation.com/
