Cervical headache is otherwise cervical migraine or upper cervical syndrome. The first term is not accidental, as cervical headache can produce symptoms similar to those caused by migraine. However, there are symptoms that distinguish the two from each other. What are the causes and symptoms of cervical headache? What is the treatment? How to distinguish this type of pain from migraine?

Cervical headacheis a headache with accompanying disorders of the cervical spine. Another name for this condition iscervical migraineor superior cervical syndrome. The first term is not accidental, as cervical headache can havesymptomssimilar to those caused by migraine. However, unlike migraine, which is a result of impaired contractility of the cerebral vessels, cervical headache is caused by pressure on the roots of nerves that run along the cervical spine.

Cervical headache (cervical migraine) - causes

Spine diseases may be responsible for the compression of the cervical nerves - birth defects, degenerative changes, discopathies.

Cervical headache can also be the result of a neck injury caused by a sudden acceleration or lag in the movement of the neck and head in relation to the chest (whiplash injury), e.g. in a traffic accident.

The risk factors are age and gender. Cervical headache is more common in women than in men, usually between the ages of 40 and 50.

Cervical headache (cervical migraine) - symptoms

Cervical headache is a pain that:

  • is described as blunt, deep, sometimes prickly
  • is located at the back of the head and around the nape of the neck
  • covers half of the head
  • can radiate forward - to the forehead or temples - or to the shoulders, arms
  • may be triggered or escalated during a specific head position
  • appears periodically
  • lasts from several hours to many weeks

Accompanying symptoms may be dizziness as a result of sudden head or neck movement, tinnitus.

Worth knowing

Cervical headache and migraine

Cervical headache, like migraine, occurs periodically and is usually limited to one side of the head. However, migraine differs from headache of cervical origin in its typical accompanying symptoms - long-lasting scotoma in front of the eyes, nausea, vomiting and photophobia. These symptoms may also bother people with cervical headache, but this is rare and then they are poorly expressed. In addition, cervical headache, unlike migraine, often occurs after trauma, such as a traffic accident.

Cervical headache (cervical migraine) - treatment

Treatment of cervical headache is the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Physical therapy is also helpful.

As a last resort, patients for whom non-invasive treatments do not improve their he alth may undergo surgery to remove pinched nerves.

Category:

Neurology