The short answer is yes, a pinched nerve can cause headaches and neck pain. When the source of a headache is the neck, it is referred to as a cervicogenic headache. The upper cervical spine, the top two bones of the neck, are often to blame when this type of a headache exists. We are going to take a closer look at the symptoms of a cervicogenic headache, some possible underlying causes, and a natural way to find headache relief when the source is the upper bones of the neck.
If you are at your wit's end dealing with a chronic headache or migraine problem, do not give into despair. Natural relief is possible and understanding why the headaches are occurring can lead you to the right choice of therapeutic care.
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If your headaches are starting in your neck, here are a few of the symptoms that you may experience along with the headache itself.
While you may or may not experience these additional symptoms, it is always important to check the neck when headaches are recurring or chronic. But what can cause the misalignments that lead to cervicogenic headaches?
There are a number of possible causes that can affect the structures of the neck and lead to pinched nerves. The pinched nerves, in turn, are what cause the head and neck pain. Here are some of the possible issues that created the misalignments, soft tissue changes, and nerve irritation.
Head or neck injuries are the fastest way to shift the upper cervical spine out of alignment. Of course, a minor injury may not produce symptoms immediately. It could be months or even years before the headaches and other symptoms begin to occur or grow worse.
The body stores stress in the muscles of the neck, so the more stress you are dealing with, the more strain you put on the muscles of the neck. This can lead to pain, misalignments, and eventually the irritated nerves that cause headaches. It is no wonder then that the most common type of a headache is a tension headache.
This is extremely common in an office setting. Even if your monitors are a little lower than eye level, this can lead to a forward head position. When the head is not positioned directly over the shoulders, the amount of stress on the neck increases exponentially. Other causes of poor posture are regularly checking mobile devices, holding a phone between one’s neck and shoulder, and sitting in a hunched position.
Whether it is your sleep position or the quality of your pillow, sleep issues can lead to neck problems. Avoid stomach sleeping, as this is the most stressful position for the neck. Also, be sure that your pillow offers the correct amount of support for your sleep position – more for side sleepers and less for back sleepers.
Now that you know some of the ways the issue may have started, we want to offer you a natural solution to upper cervical misalignments.
If you thought all chiropractors were the same, we would like to introduce you to upper cervical chiropractic care. This is a very precise and gentle form of chiropractic that targets the top two bones in the neck. X-rays and other forms of diagnostic imaging are used to pinpoint misalignments down to hundredths of a degree. There is no popping or twisting of the neck – just low force adjustments that are tailored to each patient.
For some headache patients, upper cervical chiropractic has resulted in fewer and less severe headaches right from the first or second adjustment. Other patients find complete relief once irritation is removed from the nerves of the neck. To learn more about upper cervical chiropractic and how it can help you, contact a practitioner in your area. You may join the hundreds of other people who have finally found long-lasting relief from neck pain and headaches.
Do pinched nerves go away on their own?
Yes, most cases of pinched nerves go away on their own. However, there are some cases where expert help is needed especially when it causes severe back pain or neck pain.
How long do symptoms of a pinched nerve last?
A pinched nerve can last from a couple of days or up to 6 weeks or even longer for serious cases.
Can a chiropractor fix a pinched nerve?
Chiropractic care can help with a pinched nerve. In fact, easing the pain of pinched nerves and eliminating its root cause are the specialty areas of a pinched nerve chiropractor.
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TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.
