Types of Headaches

Cervicogenic Headaches

● Pain is usually on one side
● Often chronic and recurrent headaches
● Usually accompanies decreased neck range of motion
● This type of headache actually arises from the upper neck region and is considered to be referred pain from the C1-C3 spinal nerve levels
● This is a less common type of headache than tension type or migraines

Tension Type Headaches

1. This is the most common type of primary headache
2. May be linked to myofascialtrigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles
3. Can be classified as episodic (1-14 days month) or chronic (more than 15 days a month for more than 3 months a year)
4. Generally there is no light or sound sensitivity with these types of headaches
5. Tension type headaches occur more frequently in women than men and usually occur most often in people age 30-40
6. In the past it was thought that muscle tightness was the main cause of these headaches but now research has shown that people who experience TTH have an increased sensitivity to pain
7. Stress is most commonly the trigger of these types of headaches

Common Symptoms

● BIlateral non-pulsating pain
● Mild to moderate intensity
● Pain is most often in the forehead, back of head, or neck
● Pain is not worsened by physical activity

Physical Therapy

Soft tissue massage, joint mobilizations, neck exercises, postural correction, stretching, and dry needling can help reduce intensity and frequency of headaches