Cervicogenic Headache Relief

The International Classification of Headache Disorders from the international headache society considers Cervicogenic Headache a secondary headache disorder. With secondary headache disorders, the head pain and symptoms originate from somewhere other than the head.

At Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™, we use modern and world-leading techniques to assess your upper cervical spine and brainstem. This will determine the actual cause of your cervicogenic headache.

If the cause is from a sensitised brainstem, we can start treatment immediately. We will usually see quick results within the first 6 sessions, as we do with around 85-90% of our patients.

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Understanding Your Symptoms

Symptoms of Cervicogenic Headache

Common cervicogenic headache symptoms include:

Dizziness
Tinnitus
Difficulty concentrating, and
Depression

Pain from a cervicogenic headache is generally mild to moderate and is often a unilateral pain – which means it is felt on one side of the head. It starts as neck pain before referred pain arising in the head or face.

The pain will be focused around the neck and there should be a reduced range of motion in the neck. Although most cervicogenic headache patients do not describe their pain as a severe pain, it is common for people with cervicogenic headaches to also experience nausea and vomiting.

Read more information about Cervicogenic Headaches

Understanding Your Headache

What is causing your Cervicogenic Headache?

For many Cervicogenic Headache sufferers, their strain likely comes from adopting poor postures as opposed to having a specific neck trauma. In this case, dysfunctional structures in the neck, such as; neck muscles, joints, discs or even nerves, can cause headaches. Through afferent cervical nerves from the neck to the brainstem, these structures can create pathways for pain signals to travel to the head and face.

Prolonged periods of poor posture or neck strain can lead to ongoing dysfunction in the cervical spine, contributing to persistent chronic pain. Without intervention, this can significantly affect daily activities and overall quality of life. These strained structures can refer pain to the head, through their connection to cervical nerve roots in the brainstem, which is located in the upper cervical spine. The neck can also be incidentally strained from occupational tasks like; looking at the ceiling as a painter or always looking at a computer screen to your right. Over time, these tasks can cause enough strain to cause a cervicogenic headache.

Modern research suggests that these upper cervical spine problems can result in a sensitised brainstem. It is the sensitised brainstem that is then responsible for Cervicogenic Headaches and even migraine headaches.

Organise Your Initial Assessment

About The Assessment Stage

What To Expect During The Assessment

1. Comprehensive and in-depth examination

We will perform a thorough and in-depth examination to identify all of the factors that may be related to your headaches and migraines. We will focus particularly on your upper cervical spine in our assessment.

2. Ligamental stability and vertebral arterial tests

In order to ensure the highest level of safety is maintained, we routinely will assess the stability of the important ligaments in your upper cervical spine, prior to any assessment or treatment.

3. Temporarily reproduce your headache and migraine symptoms

During our assessment and treatment process, we will be applying gentle and specific pressure to your upper cervical spine in order to temporarily reproduce your headache symptoms. This helps us to identify the specific cause of your headaches.

Cervicogenic Headache – Quick Facts & FAQs

How the Neck Joints Contribute to Cervicogenic Headaches

The Atlanto-occipital Joint (O-C1), the Atlanto-axial joint (C1-2) and C2-3 are the joints often responsible for cervicogenic headache.

The strained structures will stimulate cervical spinal nerves (such as the trigeminal nerve) that travel to the brainstem or, more specifically, the Trigemino-Cervical Nucleus.

Sensitised Brainstem

Recent clinical trials have shown the problem from the upper cervical spine results in a sensitised brainstem. Those suffering from cervicogenic headaches will have a dysfunction along the O-C1, C1-2, C2-3 or all of the combined 3 segments.

The brainstem and more importantly, the Trigemino-Cervical Nucleus (TCN), is located in these upper three cervical spine joints.

Dysfunction in these joints can lead to a sensitised brainstem. This will then induce pain to radiate into the head. Those with this problem will perceive this in the form of headaches and potentially migraine pain as a consequence.

How Are Cervicogenic Headaches Diagnosed?

Diagnosing cervicogenic headaches requires a thorough evaluation to distinguish them from other headache disorders, such as migraines or tension headaches. Since cervicogenic headaches originate from dysfunction in the cervical spine, the diagnostic process focuses on identifying structural issues in the upper cervical spine and related musculoskeletal factors.

Steps in Diagnosing Cervicogenic Headache

Medical History & Symptom Review: A headache practitioner from our team will assess your symptoms. It’s noted that identifying patterns, such as pain triggered by certain movements or posture-related strain, will help your diagnosis.
Physical Examination:
- Range of Motion Testing: Restricted movement of neck pain can indicate dysfunction in the cervical structures.
- Palpation of the Upper Spine: Tenderness in the neck muscles, deep neck flexors, or cervical nerve roots may suggest you require cervicogenic headache treatment.
- Reproduction of Head Pain: Applying pressure to the upper cervical spine can sometimes replicate the severe headache, confirming the neck as the source.

Imaging Tests: While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans are not always necessary, they may be used to rule out other conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, spinal degeneration, or a pinched nerve affecting the cervical nerve roots.
Diagnostic Nerve Blocks: In some cases, referrals are needed to nerve blocks in order to confirm whether pain originates from the upper cervical spine. If blocking certain nerve roots provides temporary pain relief, it supports a cervicogenic headache diagnosis.

Accurate diagnosis is essential for selecting the right treatment strategies, including physical therapy, manual therapy, and other evidence-based approaches.

What is a cervicogenic headache?

A cervicogenic headache is a secondary headache caused by dysfunction in the neck. The pain typically starts in the neck and radiates to the head, often affecting areas like the forehead, temples, or behind the eyes. Unlike migraines, cervicogenic headaches don’t involve nausea or aura and tend to worsen with neck movement or pressure.

How long can a cervicogenic headache last?

Cervicogenic headaches can last from a few hours to several days. If left untreated, they can become chronic, with episodes recurring over weeks or even months. Early treatment using therapies like the Watson Headache Approach can significantly reduce the duration and frequency of these headaches.

What causes cervicogenic headaches?

Cervicogenic headaches are caused by dysfunction in the upper cervical spine (neck). Poor posture, neck injuries, muscle tension, or degenerative changes (like arthritis) can contribute to these issues. The pain is referred to the head, causing a headache as a result of nerve irritation.

What are the treatment options for cervicogenic headaches?

Treatment for cervicogenic headaches often includes manual therapy, neck exercises, and posture correction to address the underlying neck dysfunction. The Watson Headache Approach is often used at Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™ to target cervical issues, providing relief and preventing future episodes.

What are common triggers for cervicogenic headaches?

Common triggers include poor posture, neck injury, stress, and prolonged desk work or sitting. Certain neck movements, like looking up for extended periods, can also trigger pain. Identifying these triggers and working on posture correction can help reduce the frequency of cervicogenic headaches.

What helps relieve cervicogenic headaches?

Relieving cervicogenic headaches involves treating the underlying neck dysfunction. Manual therapy, neck exercises, and posture correction are all effective treatments. The Watson Headache Approach is particularly effective in correcting cervical spine issues, offering lasting relief.

I’ve tried it all, is there any else that can help me?

Cervicogenic Headache Treatment

At the Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™ we thoroughly examine your upper cervical spine and your brainstem to determine if they are, in fact, the cause of your headaches and to what severity your brainstem is sensitised. Once we have determined that we can help, achieving cervicogenic headache relief is possible. We start immediately with a detailed subjective assessment, sitting down with you to thoroughly discuss your symptoms, history, and concerns. After this, we perform a comprehensive physical assessment of your upper cervical spine and brainstem. Based on these findings, we may commence manual therapy treatment during your first consultation, designed specifically to desensitise your brainstem and treat the underlying cause of your Cervicogenic Headaches.

We utilise the most modern research and techniques to assess and treat your headaches in a gentle and non-invasive way. This means we are not as quick as other headache practitioners to recommend treatments such as cervical epidural steroid injection or peripheral nerve stimulation. Unfortunately, not every headache practitioner is keeping up with the changes in research, which means they aren’t looking for the actual cause of your Cervicogenic Headache.

Our Award-Winning Treatment Approach

We expect that improvement and pain relief will be seen in the first 5 sessions, as it is with 85-90% of our patients. At the Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™, we don’t aim to give you false hope when helping you look for answers to relieve pain. If we determine that your neck or brainstem is not the cause of your headaches, we will let you know in session one, and refer you on to whoever we feel will be the most efficient in treatment and pain management.

The best part is that our cervicogenic headache treatment method is gentle, non-invasive and medication free!

What our clients have said

Excellent

4.9

Andrea Duffy

After being diagnosed with Sunct Trigeminal Neuralgia I was seeking treatment without drugs. After 2 months of treatments with Kevin I'm now pain free. Well worth the effort for a fantastic result, thanks team.

Sarah Jane

Seeing Doug & the team at BHMC has really changed my life, and I’m really grateful for the ongoing care and support. I used to think I had bad vertigo & I would feel dizzy and faint and light headed and nauseous all day everyday and couldn’t work, couldn’t do housework, couldn’t walk my dog, could barely stay standing to shower all because I had been walking around with an unaligned c2 &c3 in my neck due to years of bad posture and constantly hunching over at my desk at work or my head down looking at my phone all day. Migraines 2-3 times a week, constantly feeling pressure in my head and sharp pain, unable to sleep a full nights sleep, and not reacting well at all to prescription medications like valium, replax, and others. I finally got health insurance and headed into BHMC and in the 1st consultation, I was advised of a detailed diagnosis and knew I was in the right place to get help. I’d been struggling everyday for over a year with migraines, had to quit jobs, and was mentally struggling due to these physical symptoms, it was awful. I really wish i’d gone to get physio sooner! Please go and see BHMC, I have been in physio for less than 6 months (probably 10-15 appointments) and have never felt better and more stable. If you go here, try the sessions, buy the pillow, sit up straight, do the exercises, I promise you’ll be better off! Doug has been amazing & so professional, he really knows what hes doing. All the office team is lovely as well!

Samuel Cox

I have been seeing Dr. Woo for about 6 months now and he has been helping me manage my migraines fantastically. I used to get on average 2 migraines a month, now I have gone 4 months with no migraines. The cause of my migraines was very quickly diagnosed and its clear the team here prioritise the goal of self management, not the reliance on medication and continuous appointments. Can recommend to anyone who suffers from Chronic Migraines, it may well be a life changer for you.

Han Wang

My headache problem has been lasting for many years and I suffer from it more frequently from the last 18 months. The quality of my life before treatment was affected tremendously. I simply couldn't enjoy lots of activities when headache attacks occur. I started my headache treatment from the last few weeks and it has been very effective. It is very obvious to how I feel around my neck before and after the treatment. I haven't had any headache episode since. I highly recommend this clinic and the physician named Douglas. He is courteous, gentle, very caring and most amazingly very knowledgeable and skillful. He was able to diagnose my headache issue and provide detailed explainations about my treatment plan and future preventative guidance. I wish I had found this clinic earlier and for anyone who is suffering from headaches you should definitely give it a go. Overall it's a nice and clean clinic, easy public transport and parking. Helpful and friendly admin staff too. Thank you Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic Sunnybank Hills.

Celeste Cover

My healthy 7yr old son out of blue started having debilitating migraines about a year ago. Being a nurse I ensured we ruled out anything nasty by doing MRI and seeing specialist. But we kept getting no definitive answer as to why they were reoccuring. Being so young treatment options are limited until 12yrs of age and every episode we would end up at the emergency department with then specialist follow up appointments. Something had to change. I then came across a fellow work colleague (GP) whom referred me to Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic. My son has been seeing David now at the spring hill clinic for over 2mnths, where he has worked absolute wonders. My son has had no episodes of a migraine to date yet. David also ensure he educates his clients during the appointment, follows up with exercises and resources for you to use at home as well, easy management plans and a diary to track and see patterns as to why a migraine maybe triggered. I would highly recommend these clinics to anyone suffering. The amount of knowledge and expertise by the staff is amazing. I will always be praising them for the help with my son.

Sahan Amarasena

I have been seeing Sascha for about 3 weeks now. Thanks to Sascha, I have gone from 4-5 headaches a week to being headache free for over a week now. He is very knowledgeable and was quick to diagnose my problem. The treatment plan has been very clear and easy to follow at home. We have addressed all factors that are contributing to my headaches and I am confident of keeping my headaches under control thanks to the tools Sascha has taught me. Highly impressed with the team. They have been very professional, friendly and helpful throughout and been impressed with their customer service. Highly recommend these guys if you are someone who has been suffering with headache for a long time like myself.

Ana Uppman

Mattias and the staff at the clinic are wonderfully helpful and friendly. Mattias in particular helped me to manage chronic headaches and sinus effectively and naturally which has provided a huge amount of pain relief to me especially after so many years of discomfort. Thank you so much Mattias and staff.

Jesse Tamblyn

Diagnosed with Vestibular Neuritis, quickly turned into vestibular migraines of a hellish level. I was hallucinating constantly, pretty much 24/7 for a entire year. With no regular symptoms of a migraine other than extreme light sensitivity, my doctor ordered all the tests, nothing was helping. After a few sessions with Sasch I have zero symptoms and none of my previous triggers are triggering any hallucinations/migraines. Sasch is increadibly skilled at what he does and is very passionate about his clients. I am forever in a debt of gratitude.

kynan jones

I have had cluster headaches on and off for two years now and have had no clue what to do about it, I stumbled across Brisbane migraine and headache clinic, decided to give it a go and I could not be happier with the results from Mattias. My symptoms have dropped by an easy 90% and I can enjoy my days again. Thank you Mattias and thank you Brisbane migraine and headache clinic.

Carter Bennett

So far my treatment at the Headache and Migraine clinic has been very helpful. As someone who experiences migraines often enough, I can say with confidence that after only a few months of treatment with practictioner Mattias, the frequency and severity has been reduced. Still a ways to go till Im migraine free, but I can say with confidence that this very interesting form of treatment works.

ARCHANACHOWDARY NALLAPANENI

David is really wonderful and he is a magician. I've been suffering from migraine headaches for past three years after I met David, and his treatment is like a miracle. I've been on treatment for five weeks now and haven't had any headaches. Thank you heaps David

Rachel de Vera

Best place to overcome your headache pain. This clinic will give you treatment to make your life free from migraine.

Luke Shanley

Ariel from Brisbane Migraine & Headache clinic was the only person that actually helped with my migraines. After seeing doctors & neurologists to no avail i decided to give it a go. I'm able to see friends, nieces & nephews again and working full time. This seemed impossible just over 2 months ago when I first started treatment. Gave me my life back.

Danielle Raftopoulos

I've seen Ariel for neck, back and knee pain/ injuries in the past. She does an excellent job with releasing muscles through dry needling and acupuncture which has relieves pain. Ariel provides exercises to do at home which are helpful. I've also seen all the other physios at the clinic. Highly recommend it.

Pawan Sandhu

I was suffering with bad migraine from last 13 years. Then I heard about Brisbane headache centre. I consulted with Dominic he is very professional and nice Physio. He find out the triggers and started my treatment since i seen him first till now I haven't had any headaches. I highly recommend people if you suffering with headache and migraine please go and consult with the team. Thanks Dominic.

Brooke O'kell

I have had an amazing experience with Ariel at the clinic. I went there in horrific pain after been diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia and I was taking 12 nerve pain tablets a day. The clinic was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so glad I gave them a try because now after a couple of months I am pain free and down to one nerve tablet a day. It's hard to explain really how grateful I really am now to be spending Christmas with my family pain free after not been able to leave the house without crying in pain. I'm would give them 100 stars if I could and I've already recommended Ariel to some friends who suffer migraines. Thank you for everything Ariel your an amazing and lovely lady who really changed my life.

Cathy Biles

I have suffered from migraines for 30 years and I have found that the treatment that I am having at Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic is the most effective way I’ve found in preventing a migraine. I have been having treatment with Mattias for around 4 months, and at this stage I still do get some migraines, but they are getting a lot less frequent than they were before I started having treatment. Mattias is very understanding and explains each step of the treatment very thoroughly.

Candy Beanland

Dominic is a very polite person who has helped me a great deal with my migraine headaches. I am very grateful to him.

Emma Zonca

I've had a great experience being treated by Dominic. I was recently diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia and my symptoms have now massively reduced. The care and education I have received have been excellent. All staff have been welcoming and very lovely to deal with since my first appointment. I highly recommend Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic.

Ebony Smith

I've been receiving treatment from Mattias for a little over two months now and I cannot recommend this practice enough!!! I have been struggling with Migraine headaches and terrifying aura symptoms for 10+ years and have tried absolutely everything (from medications, diets, all sorts of treatments and multiple specialist/neurologist appointments) in order to eliminate, ease or simply manage the pain. Thank you to Mattias and the wonderful team at Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic for listening to my struggles with pain, understanding my issues, applying the right treatment that my body was receptive to...and most importantly.... they gave me a free jar of mints! What a DEAL! 10/10 recommend.

Cassandra Guse

2 months ago debilitating migraines were driving me crazy - and I finally snapped and called this clinic after 3 years of spending most of my spare time just resting and re-habbing my head and neck between work. I started treatments with Dominic immediately. And I am amazed to report that I haven't had a migraine since! I wish I had done it years earlier. Dominic is pleasant, thorough, very knowledgeable and holistic in his advice, picking up on things which seem unrelated but were likely contributing to my headaches - and explains everything every step of the way. I can't recommend him highly enough.

Laura O'hearn

I have only been seeing Dominic from Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic for three weeks, but the change in my migraines has been dramatic. I have struggled with chronic migraines for over 20 years and I did not find daily medication helpful in controlling them. I wish I had known about Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic sooner as this has been a life-changing experience.

Paul Hewitt

There could not be too much praise for the services and results produced at this Centre . I was suffering clusters of migraines and other neck pain. Went to Doctor, more medication! Decided there has to be a better way. Googled the Headache and Migraine Centre, met with Mattias, and Helen , a few visits and the relief was significant . Small business could take a lesson from their efficiency as well, Admin staff are all over everything, helping you to make appointment times that suit you. If you had or having similar issues to mine..........Just go there .

Chimorne Bekker

Special thanks to Dominic for treating me at the Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic. I have had roughly 11 sessions at the clinic and have been headache & migraine free for two weeks today. This may not seem very long, but it is for someone who experiences an attack every second day. My treatment is still ongoing, but the results are already promising. I also have to mention that Dominic was the first specialist to notice that my C2-C3 cervical vertebrae were rotated/disturbed and recommended that we realign the vertebrae and desensitise my brain stem. This was a relief as specialists in the past have diagnosed me with anything from ethmoid sinusitis and occipital neuralgia to labelling it as “psychosomatic“. I would highly recommend anyone suffering from migraines/headaches to arrange a consultation with Dominic.

Megan Tilley

After about 5 weeks of constant headaches, in complete desperation I contacted BHMC and within 4 sessions with Mathias, my headaches significantly reduced in severity and duration. Highly recommended!

Have Questions?

If you have any general enquiries, feel free to use our form on this page to ask us your questions. If you are looking to make an appointment, you can scroll down to make a booking.

Common Headaches Treated at our Clinic

Menstrual Migraine Cluster Headache Cervicogenic Headache Whiplash Associated Injury Sinus Headache Chronic Daily Headache Tension Type Headache Migraine Headache Hormonal Headache Vertigo Cervical Headache Trigeminal Neuralgia Occipital Neuralgia Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome Hemiplegic Migraine Abdominal Migraine