Cevicogenic Headache Treatment

Cevicogenic Diagnostic Criteria:

A.     Pain, referred from a source in the neck and perceived in one or more regions of the head and/or face, fulfilling criteria C and D

B.     Clinical, laboratory and/or imaging evidence of a disorder or lesion within the cervical spine or soft tissues of the neck known to be, or generally accepted as, a valid cause of headache1

C.     Evidence that the pain can be attributed to the neck disorder or lesion based on at least one of the following:

1.     demonstration of clinical signs that implicate a source of pain in the neck2

2.     abolition of headache following diagnostic blockade of a cervical structure or its nerve supply using placebo- or other adequate controls3

D.     Pain resolves within 3 months after successful treatment of the causative disorder or lesion

Notes:

1.     Tumours, fractures, infections and rheumatoid arthritis of the upper cervical spine have not been validated formally as causes of headache, but are nevertheless accepted as valid causes when demonstrated to be so in individual cases. Cervical spondylosis and osteochondritis are NOT accepted as valid causes fulfilling criterion B. When myofascial tender spots are the cause, the headache should be coded under 2. Tension-type headache.

2.     Clinical signs acceptable for criterion C1 must have demonstrated reliability and validity. The future task is the identification of such reliable and valid operational tests. Clinical features such as neck pain, focal neck tenderness, history of neck trauma, mechanical exacerbation of pain, unilaterality, coexisting shoulder pain, reduced range of motion in the neck, nuchal onset, nausea, vomiting, photophobia etc are not unique to cervicogenic headache. These may be features of cervicogenic headache, but they do not define the relationship between the disorder and the source of the headache.

3.     Abolition of headache means complete relief of headache, indicated by a score of zero on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Nevertheless, acceptable as fulfilling criterion C2 is ≥90% reduction in pain to a level of <5 on a 100-point VAS.

For information, or to refer a patient, please contact us.