Cervicogenic Headache

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Cervicogenic Headache
Definition	Pain that is perceived in the head but whose source is actually in the cervical spine or which is innervated by cervical nerves (a form of cervical referred pain)

Cervicogenic headache is headache arising from the cervical region. It is treated by four main groups of health professionals: neurologists, headache specialists, pain medicine, and manual therapists. Each group has their own view.

Mechanism

There are sensory axons in C1, C2, and C2 spinal nerves that converse on dorsal horn neurons that also receive trigeminal afferents largely from the ophthalmic division. The convergence allows pain mediated in the C1, C2, or C3 nerves to be perceived in regions innervated by the trigeminal nerve (cervical - trigeminal referral). Can also have cervical - cervical referral.

Aetiology

Possible sources of cervicogenic headache

	C1 Nerve Root	C2 Nerve Root	C3 Nerve Root
Joints	Median C1-2 C0-C1	Lateral C1-2	C2-3 ZA joint C2-3 disc
Ligaments	Transverse C1-2 Alar
Muscles	Prevertebral Sternocleidomastoid Trapezius Suboccipital	Semispinalis Splenius	Multifidus Semispinalis
Dura	Upper spinal cord Posterior cranial fossa
Arteries	Vertebral Internal carotid

Resources

File:Cervicogenic Headache - Lancet Bogduk 2009.pdf

Literature Review

Literature Review

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