At Bounceback Physical Therapy in Chattanooga, I recently worked with a patient who thought her painful headaches would never go away. This patient – a woman in her 30s – had been in a car accident over a decade ago. Since then, she suffered one-sided headaches that started at the base of her skull and radiated up behind one eye. These debilitating headaches came with a cascade of other issues: jaw pain, chronic neck stiffness, mid-back aches, even low back pain. After years of living like this, she told me, “I figured I’d just have to live with the pain forever.” It broke my heart to hear her say that, because I knew it didn’t have to be that way.
Fast forward a few weeks, and this same woman was pain-free for the first time in 10 years. In just 4–5 weeks of one-on-one treatment at my clinic, all her symptoms resolved – the headaches vanished, her neck and jaw felt normal, and even her back pain was gone. She was stunned by the change. “I can’t believe I have no more headaches – I honestly thought I’d be stuck with that pain for life,” she said with a smile. Her story is a powerful example of how identifying the right kind of headache and treating its root cause can truly change someone’s life. In her case, the culprit was something called a cervicogenic headache – a big word meaning a headache that actually starts in the neck. Many people haven’t heard of cervicogenic headaches, and they often get confused with migraines or tension headaches. Today, I want to use her success story to shed some light on what cervicogenic headaches are, how they differ from migraines and tension-type headaches, and how the right approach to physical therapy can provide lasting relief. If you’re looking for headache treatment in Chattanooga or Hixson and you’ve been told to “just live with it,” keep reading – there is hope! What Are Cervicogenic Headaches? Cervicogenic headaches are headaches that originate from issues in the neck. In other words, the head pain you feel is actually referred pain from a problem in your cervical spine (neck). Typically, a cervicogenic headache starts at the base of the skull (upper neck) on one side and can radiate to the forehead or behind the eye. The pain is often described as a steady, dull ache (not the throbbing of a migraine), and it usually stays on the same side of the head. What’s happening is that something in the neck – perhaps muscle tension, joint dysfunction, or nerve irritation – is triggering pain signals that travel up into the head. It’s common for cervicogenic headache sufferers to also have neck stiffness or pain, and certain neck movements or postures will usually provoke the headache. This type of headache is considered a secondary headache, meaning it’s a symptom of an underlying issue (in this case, a neck problem) rather than a primary headache disorder on its own. In my patient’s situation, her old car accident had left her with lingering neck and upper back issues (whiplash can do that). Over years, that unresolved neck dysfunction led to those daily headaches. She actually thought they were migraines at first, because the pain would shoot behind her eye. But the key clue was how they started in her neck. As soon as I examined her, I could tell her neck was the troublemaker – and if we fixed her neck, we’d fix the headaches. That’s exactly what we did. Before I dive into how we treated it, let’s clarify how cervicogenic headaches differ from other common headaches like migraines and tension headaches. Not all headaches are created equal, and understanding the difference is important for getting the right treatment. Cervicogenic vs. Migraine vs. Tension: What’s the Difference? When patients come in seeking relief for chronic headaches, one of the first things I do is determine what type of headache they’re dealing with. Migraines, tension-type headaches, and cervicogenic headaches are three of the most common types I see, and each has distinct characteristics:
How Physical Therapy Relieves Cervicogenic Headaches (and Even Helps Migraines) After diagnosing my patient with cervicogenic headaches, we immediately started a comprehensive treatment plan focused on correcting the issues in her neck (and elsewhere) that were driving her pain. In her case, and with many of my patients, a combination of hands-on therapy, targeted exercises, and lifestyle adjustments did the trick. Here are some of the key elements of how we approach headache treatment in Chattanooga at Bounceback Physical Therapy:
And it’s not only cervicogenic headache sufferers who benefit. I want to emphasize that even migraine sufferers can often get improvements through physical therapy. While PT isn’t a direct cure for migraine (since migraines have complex neurological causes), many people with migraines have neck posture issues or muscle tension that trigger or exacerbate their migraine attacks. By working on those factors – improving posture, loosening neck muscles, teaching relaxation techniques – we can reduce one of the common migraine triggers. I’ve had migraine patients who, after a course of PT, report fewer headaches or less intense episodes. It’s all about taking a holistic view of the person’s health rather than just handing them a pill. So if you’re dealing with headaches, especially ones accompanied by neck pain or triggered by certain movements, consider seeing a physical therapist. The right physical therapy for headaches in Chattanooga can address issues that medications and general treatments overlook. As my patient discovered, you don’t have to live with headaches forever. With a thorough evaluation and an individualized, hands-on approach, you can find relief even if you’ve suffered for years. Ready to Leave Your Headaches Behind? If you’re tired of just managing your headaches with pills and want a real, lasting solution, let’s talk. Schedule a free discovery call with me today so I can hear your story and help determine if we’re a good fit to solve your pain. 📍 Serving Chattanooga, Hixson, Red Bank, Soddy Daisy, and surrounding areas 💬 One-on-one care from a Doctor of Physical Therapy (no crowded clinics or generic programs) 🏃 Faster relief and longer-lasting results – so you can get back to living your life pain-free! I’d love to help you bounce back from headache pain and get you back to doing what you love. Feel free to reach out for a free consultation – relief is closer than you think. Warmly, Dr. Chase Helgren, PT, DPT Owner, Bounceback Physical Therapy (Chattanooga/Hixson, TN)
0 Comments
|