Skip to main content

Practical Approach to Cervicogenic Headache

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Interventional Management of Head and Face Pain

Abstract

Cervicogenic headache was initially defined as unilateral headache that is provoked by neck movement or pressure over tender points in the neck with associated reduced range of movement of the cervical spine. The headache occurs in non-clustering episodes and is usually non-throbbing in nature, originating from the neck and spreading over the occipital, temporal, and frontal regions. These clinical criteria are not enough to make a definite diagnosis of cervicogenic headache, as it is sometimes difficult to differentiate clinically between cervicogenic headache, migraine, and tension-type headache. Response to diagnostic block of the nerve supply of these cervical structures or intra-articular injection of local anesthetic into the affected joint is now considered a major criterion in the diagnosis of cervicogenic headache.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Sjaastad O, Saunte C, Hovdahl H, et al. Cervicogenic headache. A hypothesis. Cephalalgia. 1983;3:249–56.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Fredriksen TA, Hovdal H, Sjaastad O. Cervicogenic headache: clinical manifestation. Cephalalgia. 1987;7:147–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Sjaastad O, Fredriksen TA, Pfaffenrath V. Cervicogenic headache: diagnostic criteria. Headache. 1990;30:725–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Sjaastad O, Fredriksen TA. Cervicogenic headache: criteria, classification and epidemiology. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2000;18(2 Suppl 19):S3–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Sjaastad O, Fredriksen TA, Pfaffenrath V. Cervicogenic headache: diagnostic criteria. The Cervicogenic Headache International Study Group. Headache. 1998;38:442–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Leone M, D’Amico D, Grazzi L, et al. Cervicogenic headache: a critical review of the current diagnostic criteria. Pain. 1998;78:1–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Suijlekom JA, de Vet HCW, van den Berg SGM, Weber WEJ. Interobserver reliability of diagnostic criteria for cervicogenic headache. Cephalalgia. 1999;19:817–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Sjaastad O, Bakketeig LS. Prevalence of cervicogenic headache: Vaga study of headache epidemiology. Acta Neurol Scand. 2008;117:173–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Headache Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society. The international classification of headache disorders (2nd edn.). Cephalalgia. 2004;24 Suppl 1:1–160.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edn. (beta version). Cephalalgia. 2013;33(9):629–808.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bogduk N. The neck and headache. Neurol Clin. 2004;22(1):151–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Meloche JP, Bergeron Y, Bellavance A, et al. Painful intervertebral dysfunction: Robert maigne’s original contribution to headache of cervical origin. The Québec headache study group. Headache. 1993;33:328–34.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Bartsch T, Goadsby PJ. Stimulation of the greater occipital nerve induces increased central excitability of dural afferent input. Brain. 2002;125:1496–509.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Bartsch T, Goadsby PJ. Increased responses in trigeminocervical nociceptive neurons to cervical input after stimulation of the dura mater. Brain. 2003;126:1801–13.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Aprill C, Axinn MJ, Bogduk N. Occipital headaches stemming from the lateral atlanto-axial (C1-2) joint. Cephalalgia. 2002;22(1):15–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Bogduk N. The clinical anatomy of cervical dorsal rami. Spine. 1982;7:319–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Lord S, Barnsley L, Wallis B, Bogduk N. Third occipital headache: a prevalence study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1994;57:1187–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. van Suijlekom JA, Weber WE, van Kleef M. Cervicogenic headache: techniques of diagnostic nerve blocks. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2000;18:S39–44.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Silverman SB. Cervicogenic headache: interventional, anesthetic, and ablative treatment. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2002;6:308–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Sjaastad O, Stolt-Nielsen A, Blume H, et al. Cervicogenic headache. Long-term results of radiofrequency treatment of the planum nuchale. Funct Neurol. 1995;10:265–71.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Horowitz MB, Yonas H. Occipital neuralgia treated by intradural dorsal nerve root sectioning. Cephalalgia. 1993;13:354–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Dubuisson D. Treatment of occipital neuralgia by partial posterior rhizotomy at C1-3. J Neurosurg. 1995;82:591–6.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Weiner RL, Reed KL. Peripheral neurostimulation for control of intractable occipital neuralgia. Neuromodulation. 1999;2:217–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kuritzky A. Cluster headache-like pain caused by an upper cervical meningioma. Cephalalgia. 1984;4:185–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sharma RR, Parekh HC, Prabhu S, et al. Compression of the C2 root by a rare anomalous ectatic vertebral artery. J Neurosurg. 1993;78:669–72.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Poletti CE, Sweet WH. Entrapment of the C2 root and ganglion by the atlantoepistrophic ligament: clinical syndrome and surgical anatomy. Neurosurgery. 1990;27:288–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Travell J, Rinzler SH. The myofascial genesis of pain. Postgrad Med. 1952;11:425–34.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Freund B, Schwartz M. Post-traumatic myofascial pain of the head and neck. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2002;6:361–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Cummings TM, White AR. Needling therapy in the management of myofascial trigger point pain: a systemic review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001;82:986–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Cheshire WP, Abashian SW, Mann JD. Botulinum toxin in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome. Pain. 1994;59:65–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Freund BJ, Schwartz M. Treatment of whiplash associated neck pain [corrected] with botulinum toxin-A: a pilot study. J Rheumatol. 2000;27:481–4.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Wheeler AH, Goolkasian P, Gretz SS. A randomized, double-blind, prospective pilot study of botulinum toxin injection for refractory, unilateral, cervicothoracic, paraspinal, myofascial pain syndrome. Spine. 1998;23:1662–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Grubb SA, Kelly CK. Cervical discography: clinical implications from 12 years of experience. Spine. 2000;25:1382–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Blume HG. Cervicogenic headaches: radiofrequency neurotomy and the cervical disc and fusion. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2000;18:S53–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samer N. Narouze MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Narouze, S.N. (2014). Practical Approach to Cervicogenic Headache. In: N. Narouze, S. (eds) Interventional Management of Head and Face Pain. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8951-1_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8951-1_10

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-8950-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8951-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics