Cervicogenic Headaches

Cervicogenic and chronic tension headache world-leading specialist neck pain treatment Clinics in London W8

Dr Marek Gibson - AxaPPP, Aviva, Cigna, HSA, BUPA GLOBAL / International.

Dr Ed Timings  -  AXAPPP, Aviva, WPA, BUPA GLOBAL / International

Our expert specialists successfully treat acute or chronic neck pain, shoulder pain, upper back and arm pain with huge experience in helping whiplash injuries with postural rehabilitation.

Our expert specialists successfully treat acute or chronic neck-posture related headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, upper back and arm pain with huge experience in helping whiplash injuries with postural rehabilitation.

Screening and diagnosis

We take a full case-history of your symptoms, perform physical, orthopaedic and neurological examinations and check for signs of illness or infection. You may need referral for blood or urine tests to identify any underlying medical conditions.

Always seek prompt attention from your GP or hospital for headache that is sudden and severe, with fever, stiff neck, rash, confusion, seizure, double-vision, weakness, numbness, difficulty speaking or following a head injury.

Headache Prevention

•  Avoid headache triggers such as: physical, postural and emotional stress.

•  Lack of sleep.

•  Missed meals - hypoglycaemia - low blood sugar.

•  Avoid foods or alcohol which seem to trigger headaches.

•  Exercise often : Walking, swimming or cycling.

•  Reduce stress : Organise, Simplify, Think and Act positively.

•  Stop smoking : Smoking can trigger headaches or make them worse (particularly sinus headaches).

Cervical spondylosis, arthritis, muscle and fascial trigger points in the deep neck and shoulder muscles with daily poor posture and forward-poking neck position during computer work or sleeping on your front may be causative. Even swimming breast-stroke with your neck extended bent backwards with your chin up can trigger suboccipital neuralgia with headaches and dizziness.

Cervicogenic Vertigo

Patients experiencing cervicogenic vertigo may feel positional unsteadiness or giddiness with a feeling that the ground is moving, postural instability on turning the head and imbalance that is aggravated by sudden head movements such as neck extension with upward or downward gaze or on rising from the lying position.

At our Clinics in Kensington, West London, W1 central London and EC2 City clinics we often see the cervical tension headache or ''laptop headache''.

Headaches often originate in the upper neck due to poor posture-related locked and stiff joints and mechanical dysfunction, chronic hypomobility or 

fixation of the suboccipital area and cervical joints irritating the nerves (C1-C3), ligaments and muscles.

Pain starts at the base of the skull and spreads around to the forehead, temple and eye. Intensity fluctuates from mild to severe and can occur daily and be worsened by head and neck movement.

Not all cases of dizziness or vertigo originate in the balance mechanisms of the inner ear or are due to vertebrobasilar arterial pathology. Position nerve receptors in the neck joints and supporting muscles may also be important in the maintenance of balance.

Neck pain may be present with muscle tenderness, stiffness, and neck guarding and may precede sensations of imbalance by days to months and is commonly located in the upper neck, occasionally with radiations to the jaw - TMJ (temporomandibular joint).

At Sayer Clinics a thorough examination is performed to find the origin of the pain, reach an accurate diagnosis, provide effective treatment and offer intelligent advice.

Sayer Clinic Kensington referral for an MRI – magnetic resonance imaging may be advisable - just book online at www.sayerclinics.com 24/7.

Our Chiropractic, Acupuncture or Physical Therapy treatment of cervicogenic headaches with careful and specific manual mobilisation or manipulation helps regain normal spinal flexibility, function and posture. Acupuncture may, some believe, promote the release of natural painkillers (endorphins) in the central nervous system.

Massage reduces stress, relieves muscular tension, promotes relaxation and releases tight, tender muscles at the back of the head, neck and shoulders.

Chris Berlingieri - Doctor of Chiropractic is Sayer Clinics' senior xray and cervicogenic headache treatment specialist. Chris practices at Sayer Clinics: Kensington W8 and 11 Welbeck Street W1 and is experienced in digital x-ray analysis, diagnosis and functional rehabilitation of the joints of the cervical, thoraco-dorsal spine and shoulders and surrounding muscles following pain and injury.

Our highly qualified practitioners do not treat using drugs or surgery. We diagnose using neurological and orthopaedic tests, postural and physical spinal examination and, if necessary, digital radiology and treat patients with safe and effective manipulation, physical therapy modalities and postural rehabilitation.

Chris originally practiced in New York and has been giving specialist neck and headache treatment to many patients since 1994.

Choose which chiropractor, physiotherapist, acupuncturist or massage therapist you would like to see and book online.

Got any questions? Not sure what appointment to book?

We're always here to help from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. Simply email mail@sayerclinics.com and Lucie, Gen or Signe will assist you.

World-leading cervicogenic headaches specialists