What Is Cervicogenic Headache?
Cervicogenic Headache is a secondary headache that begins with dysfunction or irritation in the neck and is felt in the head or face. Neck movement, sustained posture, or pressure around cervical joints and muscles may influence the pain. The headache often affects one side and can resemble migraine or tension-type pain.
Quick Facts About Cervicogenic Headache
Category
Secondary headache disorder
Used for
Describing neck-related head pain
Common confusion
Migraine or tension-type headache
Often discussed with
Headache Treatment, Neck Pain Treatment
Key Takeaways About Cervicogenic Headache
- Pain starts in the neck and travels toward the head.
- Neck movement or posture may change the symptoms.
- Cervicogenic Headache is not the same as migraine.
How Cervicogenic Headache Works
Cervicogenic Headache develops when irritated structures in the neck send pain signals into areas of the head. The upper cervical joints, muscles, and nerves share connections with sensory pathways in the head and face. This pattern is called referred pain because the painful source and the place where pain is felt are different.
Related glossary terms: Cervical Spine, Forward Head Posture, Facet Joint.
Assessment focuses on the relationship between neck function and headache symptoms. A clinician may compare head and neck movement, posture, muscle tenderness, and symptom changes during physical examination. Cervical Spine problems may contribute to the pattern, while migraine remains a separate neurological condition with different features. Treatment planning depends on the findings and the person’s reported symptoms.
From the Advanced Injury Care Clinic team
When we assess Cervicogenic Headache, we look at how neck movement, posture, and local tenderness relate to the reported head pain. Our team also considers whether the pattern fits a neck-related source or suggests another headache type that needs different clinical attention.
Cervicogenic Headache in Practice: A Real-World Example
A person develops one-sided pain near the base of the skull after sustained desk posture. Neck rotation reproduces the familiar head pain, which supports considering Cervicogenic Headache during the clinical assessment.
Related Services
Related Terms
Cervical Spine
Cervical Spine is the upper section of the spinal column that runs through the neck and…
Forward Head Posture
Forward Head Posture is a postural pattern in which the head rests in front of the…
Facet Joint
Facet Joint is a small, paired joint at the back of the spine that connects neighboring…
Joint Mobilization
Joint Mobilization is a hands-on technique that applies controlled movement to a joint to support mobility…
Advanced Injury Care Clinic
Have Questions About Cervicogenic Headache?
Contact Advanced Injury Care Clinic for practical guidance on Cervicogenic Headache and related chiropractor work in Nashville.