Headaches Related to the Neck
Many headaches involve tension in the neck and upper back. Here is how headache is assessed at River City and when medical evaluation is needed.
Most headaches are primary headaches, meaning they are not caused by an underlying disease. Many of them involve muscle tension in the neck and upper back, which is why the neck is worth examining when headaches are a recurring problem.
Common symptoms
- Pain that starts at the base of the skull and spreads forward.
- Headache on one side that does not switch sides, often provoked by neck movement or sustained positions.
- A pressing or tightening band-like ache across both sides of the head.
- Neck stiffness or restricted movement alongside the headache.
How chiropractic care may help
For headaches that involve the neck, manual care directed at the neck and upper back may reduce how often headaches occur and how intense they are. Care is also commonly combined with advice on posture, work setup, exercise and relaxation.
What care may include
The history does much of the work: where the pain is, what it feels like, how long attacks last, what brings them on, and whether the pattern has changed. The examination then looks at neck movement and the joints and tissue of the upper neck, and whether your familiar headache can be reproduced or eased by working with the neck.
It is also worth knowing that frequent use of pain relief medication can itself keep headaches going. If you are taking something for headache on most days of the week, discuss it with a physician or pharmacist.
Headache symptoms that need urgent medical assessment
A small proportion of headaches are a warning sign of a physical problem. Seek urgent medical care if you have:
- A sudden, severe headache unlike any you have had before.
- Headache with fever, neck stiffness, rash, confusion or seizures.
- Headache with slurred speech, weakness, visual loss or difficulty walking.
- A new headache after a head injury, or a headache pattern that has changed markedly.
If your headaches would be better managed by a physician, Dr. Davis will tell you and recommend that step.
What to expect at River City
Your first visit starts with a conversation about your headaches and an examination appropriate to what you describe. Dr. Davis explains what he finds and whether care directed at the neck is a reasonable option for you.
River City Chiropractic Center is on Sabrina Drive in East Peoria, serving patients from across the Greater Peoria area.
Sources & further reading
- American Chiropractic Association — Headaches and Chiropractic — patient information on headache