Headache starting from the neck

Pain at the back of the head or pain that pull from behind over the head are usually referred to by those affected as a headache from the neck. If imaging methods such as MRI or X-ray have been left without findings, there is often a vague explanation "that may come from the cervical spine". But what exactly are the causes and mechanisms that cause headaches from the neck and how are they treated? This article is intended to give you some information.

Contents:
Headache starting from the neck
Synonyms
symptoms
Causes of headache from the neck
TMJ, neck and headache
Whiplash and neck pain
Pelvic obliquity and neck pain
Naturopathy with headache from the neck
Treatment of headache from the neck

Synonyms

Headache from the neck, headache, occipital headache, occipital headache, occipital pain, neck pain, stinging neck pain, cervical syndrome, cervical pain, trigger band at the back of the head, trigger band at the neck, star trigger band, cataract, trapezoidal Triggerband, Trapezoidal TB, Occiput CD, Continuum Backside Distorsion, Cylinder Distortion, CyD.

symptoms

Many people who complain of headaches in the neck wake up in the morning with the symptoms. The pain can occur on one or both sides and switch between the sides. When the pain from the neck occurs during the day, the triggering moment often describes long-lasting positions in which the head had to be held. There are many names for pain coming from the neck. Some refer to it purely as a headache from the back of the head, other than neck pain or neck tension.

Most commonly, there are drawing pains along a line that run from the neck over the back of the head to the middle of the head. It can also be a sharp pain at the level of the second cervical vertebra or directly at the back of the head. In most cases, the tracks or points of pressure described by those affected are painful. They usually then intuitively press directly on the back of the head to relieve the pain. But many report that the pain usually continues unabated shortly after pressing. A little movement or stretching of the neck or head gives a bit of relief to many headache sufferers. In extreme positions, such as taking the chin on the chest or extreme turning of the head, the complaints tend to be more pronounced or can be provoked.

Causes of headache from the neck

If one looks at the complaints from the anatomical point of view, the trapezius muscle and a nerve are the causative factors for the occurrence of the pain. Both pull from the cervical spine to, or over the back of the head. The trapezius muscle runs from the thoracic spine over the neck to the back of the head. In its course you will often find tender points or lanes. At the back of the head, a nerve passes over the occiput through the trapezius muscle, which comes from the second cervical vertebrae, the occipital nerve.
An increased tension on the neck and back seems to be a major cause of headache from the neck. In many theories of development, body posture (for example, the working position) combined with lack of movement play a leading role. This theory refutes people who are constantly moving and stretching, like yoga drills, top athletes or craftsmen who have been ruled out of structural causes and still complain of headaches from the neck.

So it seems to be individually different, how quickly someone with headaches on the neck occur when the back is a little tense. Other theories in the genesis include TMJ tensions, whiplash rear-end collisions, pelvic obliquity, sitting position in front of the monitor, or tensions of the cranial bones and internal structures.

TMJ, neck and headache

The tensions in the jaw joint should be able to be transferred to the neck, since there are close mechanical and neural connections between temporomandibular joint and neck. It should be noted critically that the temporomandibular joint as a cause of complaints for a few years is very "in fashion". Since the late 1990s, the pelvic obliquity seems to have been superseded as the main cause of TMJ discomfort. It was about 10 years ago, the deposits in the shoes, which were prescribed many people with neck tension, back pain and headaches from the neck, so it is now mostly the so-called bite rails, which are in many households (often unused) lying around. Jaw malpositions, false bites, nocturnal teeth grinding, pawing with the pines during the day or forwards Pushing the lower jaw are considered to be causes of tensions that can continue on the neck.

Whiplash and neck pain

In a whiplash injury (usually in the context of a rear-end collision), there are jerky forces on the area of ​​the upper cervical spine and the neck, which can develop into discomfort as a result. As the nerve mentioned above, which passes over the head, comes from the second cervical vertebra, discomfort in the course of the nerve over the back of the head is interpreted as a consequence of tensions caused by the unnatural forces of the collision on the vertebra and the surrounding tissue.

Pelvic obliquity and neck pain

In the manual treatment after osteopathy, a close relationship between the pelvic bones and the mastoid (bone behind the ear) is seen. With the raising in the baby age thus takes a different load on the pelvis and a slight rotation of the pelvic blades, while at the same time the head turning muscle, by train on mastoid (mastoid) latter forms. In this way, a link is established between asymmetry of the pelvis and one-sided headache from the neck. Asymmetries can also be transmitted via the muscles, such as the hip flexor muscle (iliopsoas muscle) to the spine and continue to the head. Even so, one-sided headaches can be explained by the neck.

Naturopathy with headache from the neck

From a naturopathic point of view, manual methods such as osteopathy, Rolfing or the Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) are the therapeutic approach of choice for mechanically solvable problems.

Rolfing and osteopathy look at asymmetries, unfavorable stress distributions or movement restrictions in the organism. The findings detected with the hands or determined by movement tests serve to find the adequate treatment, which is not always necessarily at the place of the complaints. For patients who are experiencing an osteopathic diagnosis for the first time, it is sometimes strange to be asked about symptoms such as foot pain or shoulder stabbing, which are located in completely different regions than the headache.

The Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) is a concept developed by the US-American osteopath and emergency physician. Stephen Typaldos D.O. was justified. Dr. Typaldos came to the conclusion, through unsuccessful treatments, which were made according to anatomical or palpatory aspects, that patients indicate the necessary treatment by their own body language. He asked patients what they themselves would find effective treatment. Over the years he refined his therapeutic interventions through his observations. He found six complaints: Trigger Band, Continuum Distortion, Falt Distortion, Herniated Trigger Point, Cylinder Distortion and Tectonic Fixation. He assigned these to the connective tissue, the fasciae, because the effects of the treatments on this system were well explained.

Since the headache from the neck is usually a drawing pain along one or two lines, this is seen after FDM as a twist in the band-like fascia and referred to as a trigger band. The stinging pain in the back of the head is seen as a disturbance in the bone-to-ligament junction and is called continuum distortion. The treatment is done in both cases directly with the thumb. And following the treatment, the restricted or painful motion is immediately tested.

Treatment of headache from the neck

In headaches from the neck, which are not mechanically influenced, there are other theories in natural medicine to the emergence. Food intolerances or hyperacidity of the organism list the list of naturopathic suspected causes as a trigger for headaches from the neck. As a diagnostic possibility, stool examinations and blood diagnostics, e.g. Dark field microscopy, therapeutic work is carried out with detoxification and Ausleitungsverfahren or the establishment of a physiological intestinal flora. I.d.R. Nutritional therapy, medicinal plants, microbiological drugs, isopathic or homeopathic remedies used. Other natural remedies for headaches from the neck include ear acupuncture and neural therapy. In neural therapy, local anesthetics are injected at certain points to harmonize the irritated tissue. (Tf)