Headaches are a very common problem that can have multiple causes ranging from stress to trauma. To make matters worse, there are MANY different types of headaches, such as migraines, cluster headaches, and cervicogenic headaches. Don’t just put up with the pain and try to get by day-to-day. Call a chiropractic clinic to find relief.

Many people understand the symptoms of a migraine headache. They include nausea, vomiting, aura (a pre-headache warning that a headache is about to strike), light and noise sensitivity, increased tearing with red eyes, one-sided head, neck, shoulder, and/or arm pain, and dizziness.

You may be wondering, “What is a cervicogenic headache?” This is a secondary headache, which means that it is caused by another illness or physical issue, generally a disorder of the cervical spine and its component bony, disc and/or soft tissue elements. The cause of cervicogenic headaches can be obvious, such as trauma (sports injury, whiplash, slip and fall), or not so obvious, like poor posture. A forward head posture can increase the relative weight applied to the back of the neck and upper back as much as 2x-4x normal. The upper three nerves innervate the head and any pressure on those upper nerves can result in a cervicogenic headache.

The common symptoms associated with those struggling with cervicogenic headaches include:

• Unilateral (one-sided) head or face pain (rarely is it on both sides).
• Pain is localized, usually the back of the head, front, side, or eyes regions
• Moderate to severe pain intensity.
• Intermittent attacks of pain that last hours to days.
• Pain is usually deep, non-throbbing, unless migraines occur at the same time.
•  Head pain is triggered by neck movement, sustained awkward head postures, applying deep pressure to the base of the skull or upper neck region, and/or taking a deep breath, cough or sneeze.
• Limited neck motion with stiffness.

In some case, the cervicogenic headache sufferer can also have a migraine at the same time, making it more challenging to diagnose. The chiropractic doctor is trained to examine, identify, and treat these types of potentially debilitating headaches. When you visit a chiropractic clinic, be to ask, “How long should I go to the chiropractor?”

If you’re suffering from headaches, don’t put off calling McKim Chiropractic clinic today for more information about relief from headaches and to schedule a consultation. Our licensed and certified staff is committed to helping the residents of Nampa, ID live life pain-free!