Is Your Back Pain Causing Headaches?
There are many different types of headaches, from sinus headaches to migraines to stress headaches to cluster headaches. Headaches can be caused by a number of different things, but have you ever considered that back pain could be one of those causes? Because the spine is such a complicated structure, made up of bones, joints, muscles, and nerves, all working together, pain or dysfunction in the spine can have an effect on other parts of the body. For instance, a spine that is misaligned can put undue pressure on certain nerves, leading to back pain and headaches. In fact, research indicates that chronic back pain and chronic headaches are linked. The type of headache most directly linked to a spinal problem is a cervicogenic headache. This kind of headache can occur from an injury or other medical condition affecting the cervical spine, which is the part of the spinal cord that makes up the neck. Understanding cervicogenic headaches can help us understand how the spine and headaches are connected.
Underlying Causes of Cervicogenic Headaches
Sometimes, it’s nearly impossible to determine what caused a cervicogenic headache. This kind of headache can be caused by a variety of injuries or conditions that affect the cervical spine. These include problems with the cervical vertebrae or joints, with the vertebral arteries, with ligaments, or with nerve roots. What causes these types of problems? They can happen because of a neck injury like a fracture, a sprained muscle, a slipped or herniated disc, or a pinched nerve. Whiplash can cause cervicogenic headaches, but so can arthritis in the neck, or a tumor in the cervical spine. Interestingly, the head posture known as “tech neck” can also cause cervicogenic headaches. This is the forward head posture that develops when people spend too much time looking down at a phone or computer, and it puts a strain on the cervical spine over time.
Is a Cervicogenic Headache the Same Thing as a Spinal Headache?
Since a cervicogenic headache is caused by an issue with the spinal cord, you might logically conclude that a spinal headache is the same thing. However, this is not the case. A spinal headache is a very specific type of headache, cause by a leak in cerebrospinal fluid. This decreases the fluid around the brain, causing intense pain and nausea, among other symptoms. This kind of headache can occur after a lumbar puncture, or when fluid leaks because of a cyst or an injury.
The Link Between Back Pain and Headaches: What Causes Headaches Every Day?
While cervicogenic headaches are the most obviously linked to the spine, chronic headaches can certainly be connected to back pain. Muscle tension in the back, especially the upper back, for instance, can cause tension headaches. When the trapezius muscle, which extends from the back of the neck to the middle of the back, becomes tense, this can also lead to headaches. Nerve irritation in the back can also lead to headaches. This irritation, caused by things like a herniated disc or spinal misalignment, can cause headaches. For example, when the nerves that run from the base of the skull through the scalp, called the occipital nerves, are irritated, they cause occipital neuralgia. This kind of headache is a sharp, throbbing pain beginning in the neck and spreading to the back of the head. Headaches and back pain are linked by several conditions, including poor posture, stress, spinal misalignment, and degenerative disc disease.
Is a Cervicogenic Headache Always a Back of the Head Headache?
Because a cervicogenic headache originates in the neck, the pain typically starts at the back of the head or the bottom of the head. It can go from the base of the skull and radiate up and over, to the front of the head, or it can begin at the bottom of the head and go up one side. There is not always neck pain with a cervicogenic headache, but it is common to have a limited range of motion in the neck. This kind of headache may get worse when you move the neck.
Diagnosing and Treating Cervicogenic Headaches
To make a diagnosis of cervicogenic headaches, the doctor will perform a physical exam and ask questions. It’s important to tell your doctor about details, like if you hit your head, or the headache gets worse over time. Tell the doctor, too, if you have other symptoms, including a fever or rash. Some other types of headaches can present with similar symptoms, like migraine and tension headaches, you will probably need diagnostic tests, like an X ray, CT scan, or MRI. Cervicogenic headaches are sometimes treated with a nerve block, an injection that numbs the nerves in the back of your head, or with medications to alleviate the pain. Natural treatments like yoga and massage may help, as well as interventions like physical therapy and chiropractic adjustment. In some cases, radiofrequency ablation is used to address damaged nerves and, in rare cases, your doctor may recommend surgery.
Managing Back Pain and that Headache in the Back of the Head
The good news is that you don’t have to just suffer through chronic back pain and headaches. Working with a pain specialist, you can develop a comprehensive pain management plan that addresses all the various aspects of your pain, including physical, psychological, and emotional components. You may be able to get your pain under control using physical therapy and medications, including NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, and other pain relievers your doctor may prescribe. There are also injections that your pain specialist can offer, to provide relief for your pain, as well as other interventions. You may also find that certain lifestyle changes can help, like practicing relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing, to alleviate muscle tension that can result in back pain and headaches.
Don’t Suffer Through Chronic Headaches! Contact Greater Maryland Pain Management
At Greater Maryland Pain Management, we’re committed to helping you overcome the pain that keeps you from living life to the fullest. As the field of medicine continues to evolve, our team strives to bring our patients the most effective, innovative, non-invasive treatments, to help them overcome life-limiting pain. Our practice was founded by Jank Vidyarthi, MD, a board-certified, award-winning Interventional Pain Management physician who has helped thousands of people to overcome chronic pain. We pride ourselves in treating each patient with the care and compassion we’d show our own loved ones, helping them to improve their quality of life through a customized approach that addresses the patient’s unique needs. We have multiple locations and schedule appointments quickly, sometimes even the same day, so contact us for a consultation.