Cervicogenic Headaches

 

Cervicogenic headaches are head pains that originate as a result of painful upper neck muscles and/or joints.

 

Causes of Cervicogenic Headaches

They are most commonly the result of cervical facet joint arthritis and secondarily the associated muscle-related pain. Increased tone in the muscles that support the neck cause tension at the attachment sites and this contributes to the pain. Poor posture is also a common culprit of pain because of the muscle imbalances and muscle-related pain. The combination of all these imbalances can result in headaches. 

 

Treatments for Cervicogenic Headaches

Once the diagnosis is made clinically, muscle injections can be performed to loosen up the muscles.  I typically perform these injections with the help of live xray (fluoroscopy) in order to safely reach the deeper parts of the muscle without getting near any nerves.  

 

The underlying source may be the upper cervical facet joints.  The first step in determining if these little joints are the source of the pain is performing medial branch blocks.  This is a precision xray-guided procedure that would eliminate all the potential pain from the joints.  If this procedure stops all the pain for several hours, it is considered a positive diagnostic test.  After two such successful procedures, radiofrequency ablation is the final treatment.  

Communities Serviced - 

Dr. Faubel has helped patients with low back and neck pain from nearby Crystal Lake, Lake In The Hills, McHenry, Huntley, Dundee, Gilberts, Carpentersville, Woodstock, Wonder Lake, Barrington, Prairie Grove, Cary, Spring Grove, Genoa City, and Elgin, Illinois.  Patients have come from as far away as Rockford, Illinois, and communities in southern Wisconsin and western Indiana.