›› CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE FAQ

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RIchard O'Braen


Despite the fact that Cervicogenic Headache has been recognized as a real medical condition, it will take time and efforts of many medical professionals, finding answers to all questions about its diagnostics and treatment. Below is a tiny portion of questions I see in my E-mails every day. Unfortunately I am not able to provide answer to all of them. With permissions of my respondents I am gladly sharing with you my research and my experience with my Cervicogenic Headaches

Q. Could your method be beneficial for people with migraine?
A. Per my extensive research migraine has a different “source of origination”, different symptoms and different level of intensity. In my cure plan I am targeting cervicogenic headaches. I think it wouldn’t be much beneficial for migraine sufferers.

Q. Are therapeutic procedures and exercises you recommend in your e-book really safe?
A. They are relatively safe if one is applying common sense. You also should be consistent and should increase intensity and amplitude gradually.

Q. Can computed topography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) point to exact area where cervicogenic headache is originated?
A. The anatomical neck or head structures that are responsible for cervicogenic headaches have not been clearly identified. In a resent study, cervical MRI was studied in 22 patients with cervicogenic headache and 20 control patients who did not have any headaches. MRI imaging of cervical vertebra showed a disc bulging in 10 out of 22 patients with cervicogenic headaches and in 9 of 20 people who are headaches free. So as you can see, MRI may not be an adequate method to detect pathological findings in people with carcinogenic headaches.
MRI of my c-Spine on my worse days was showing mild spondylosis, nothing beyond it.

Q. I have herniated disc in cervical area. My neurologist is strongly suggesting surgery as a radical but most promised cure option. Orthopedic surgeon I have been recommended to is talking about 97-98%% of success. What is your opinion?
A. I am not a medical professional, so you can’t consider my opinion as a second one. It also much depends of how badly disc is herniated. But in any case don’t helplessly go for radical procedures for cervicogenic headaches. It can produce very nasty side effects such as pain worse than the original headache. Patients offered such procedures should strongly consider a second medical opinion.

Q. How can I know that my headache is indeed cervicogenic headache? Is there any test to determine that?
A. At this point there is no such broadly available test. However a “diagnostic block procedure” has been offered in several medical facilities. It based on injection local anesthetic to every vertebra suspected of being the source of pain and analyzing out coming signals. But besides it cervicogenic headache cannot be seen with x-rays, CT scans or MRI. On my worse days multiple MRIs were shoving just a minor spondylosis in cervical spine.

Q. Did you have any injury prior to chronic cervicogenic headaches? From what I have found on an Internet cervocogenic headache is usually result of a trauma.
A. No. I did not. And this is pretty much accurate that big percentage of cervicogenic headaches is result of some sort of an injury. However there is an army of cervicogenic headaches sufferers, which couldn’t attribute their problem to a particular injury.

Q. On your site you haven’t priced chiropractor as really helpful option of cure. I started to see chiropractor and it seems (after 3 sessions) my headaches are better significantly. What are your thoughts?
A. I think that you have found one who cares not only about his enterprise but about your headaches as well. However relive you are having after each session doesn’t last long if it is not reinforced by physical therapy and proper exercises. It will the luckiest day for people with cervicogenic headaches when chiropractors, neurologists, and physical therapists will have unified their efforts together. Thought it doesn’t sound realistic in near future.

Q. Will your program help Chronic Tension Headaches sufferer?
A. If source of Tension Headache is located in cervical spine it definitely will. However tension headache definition is very broad. Stress, depression, anxiety, tiredness and many more can be a reason for tension headaches. Carcinogenic Headache as a part of it has one origin – abnormality in upper back of patient or in his neck. Whether from spondylosis, intervertebral disc disease or progressive facet joint arthritis, the neck can be a hidden source of headaches.

Q. Is aura (visual disturbances) one of the cervicogenic headache symptoms?
A. Typically is not. One of the most common symptoms is cervicogenic vertigo.
Some people also describe it as “Walking on a Bout” feeling.

Q. I just have to say this - I was very skeptical about giving my credit card number because it looks like a scam - mostly because of all the grammar and spelling errors - it was very hard to read and unprofessional looking - But, it definitely contains a wealth of information and covers a lot of your experiences.
A. My apology for all spelling errors and grammatical mistakes, and for pure presentation as well. English is my second language and no matter how hard I try this is perhaps the best of my ability. Unfortunately I think it is scaring out every visitor and turning off majority of them.
About editing.Two people (who have downloaded my e-book) had offered their professional help. Unfortunately the price for editing of presentation part (web site) and of an e-book itself was much beyond reasonable numbers.One person initially offered a voluntarily help, but she’s did not reply to my e-mail where I’ve said YES.

Q. Why are antidepressant drugs used to treat cervicogenic headaches?
A. A number of different drugs can be used to prevent frequent or severe headaches. Many of these drugs were first developed for treating other conditions, such as depression, heart disease or seizures. However, they appear to work for headaches as well. Pamelor is in a category of drugs known as tricyclic antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants treat depression, but they also treat headaches, chronic back pain and even pain in knees and elbows. It is not clear how it works, but practice indicates that Tricyclic antidepressants are the best medicine treatment for chronic pain. Perhaps Tricyclics are making one’s reaction to the source of pain not so uncompromising.

Q. I’ve been playing basketball for 25 years, and quiet frankly this is the only game I like. The idea of heading a soccer ball every day doesn’t look exiting to me. I have discovered that when I am shooting a basket for about 25 minutes I have big relieve in my headache. Besides I think this is a good workout. What are your thoughts on it?
A. The biomechanics of shooting a basket in some parts is similar to soccer head kick. That is why you are having relieve in your headache. And quiet frankly heading a soccer ball is the last thing I would like to do everyday, preferring tennis and swimming. Unfortunately tennis and swimming (Yes! Swimming, despite common opinion) are not the best thing for people with c-Spine problems. So 5-7 minutes of heading a soccer ball doesn’t seems to me a big price if you are getting virtually headache free head.

Q. I have bought your tutorial; have no regrets for giving credit card number to unknown merchant. Question. On your website neither in you program you are not mentioning muscle relaxants. I am been on Norflex for a long time because this is only thing is working for me. It makes my neck not so stiffed and headache not so annoying. And looks like in conjunction with your advises it is working even better.
A. I haven’t mentioned many things I have tried. A complete list would’ve been too long. Muscles relaxants among them, coincidentally it was Norflex, thou all of them are working similarly. Yes, I had definitely felt the difference when on/off Norflex.
But that difference was mostly in muscles tension, having almost no effect on my headaches. Back then when I’d tried Norflex I was also on three more medications. Adding Norflex to a “cocktail” made my stomach extremely upset, heartburn was intolerable.

Q. Assuming I have bought your program and have precisely followed all advises. What is a guarantee that I’ll be headache free and how big is a chance that headache will be back after I’ll stop treatment?
A. The chance that you will be headache free (If it a cervicogenic headache) is 95-97%%, the other 3-5%% will have a tremendous improvement comparing to current condition. The chance that headache will return back is 100% if you stopped exercising. Unfortunately it is a human nature to decrease or even completely to drop an effort when you are feeling better. I have tested it on myself on multiple occasions. So to keep a healthy head you have to exercise anyway. Thou schedule could be not so intense. I call it a “maintenance mode”. Not much I can say here. For some reason a “Paramount CEO on Haven” had granted you and me a cervicogenic headache. Just think how lucky you are comparing to some others, diabetics for instance. They should do much more painful things to be in shape.

Q. I am having mild constant headaches for 2 years now. Not sure if it cervicogenic or some other sort. I am spending all my free time looking, not even sure at this point what I am trying to find. Can you please spell it out; can you tell me what is cervicogenic headache?
A. Well, let me try one more time.
Pain localized to the neck and occipital region. It may project to the forehead, orbital region, temples vertex or ears. Pain is precipitated or aggravated by special neck movements or sustained neck posture. You have at least one of the following:

Resistance to or limitation of passive neck movements.
Changes in neck muscle contour, texture, tone or response to active and passive stretching and contraction.
Abnormal tenderness of neck muscles.
MRI examination reveals at least one of the following
Movement abnormalities in flexion/extension
Abnormal posture.
Congenital abnormalities, fractures, bone tumors, rheumatiod arthritis or other distinct pathology (not spondylosis or osteochondrosis).