Where is that headache coming from?

Hello and thanks for checking out this Blog.  My name is Dr. Greg Beasley and I am a chiropractor in Everett wa.  In the 19 years I have been a chiropractor I have treated thousands of people with headaches.  The interesting thing is many patients will come into the office for treatment for a stiff neck, I will adjust them a few times and the stiff and pain in the neck will go away and then I will hear something like this, "since I have been getting adjusted by daily headaches have been gone! Why is that?" 

The reason is because the patients were having what is termed a Cervicogenic Headache.  This is a headache that originates in the neck (cervical spine). This is a very common cause of headaches and can be from an old or new whiplash, poor posture, old injuries, poor sleeping or work habits or from self manipulation of the spine. Headaches can also be a cause of depression, work loss, general back pain and loss of sleep to name a few.

The good news is it does not matter how you injured your neck, if the headaches are coming from the neck then you most likely will be helped by chiropractic care.  I have included a few links to articles concerning Cervicogenic Headaches. Only one is specific to chiropractic treatment but they do have good information in regard to headaches occuring from neck pain.  Take a look and then give us a call at 425.353.7246 so you can set up an appointment to for an exam to see if Chiropractic care can help you.

http://www.frequent-headaches.com/cervicogenic_headache_symptoms_exposed.html

http://www.jaoa.org/content/105/4_suppl/16S.full

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15614241