Headaches that start at the skull
A one-sided headache that begins at the base of the skull and worsens with neck posture or movement suggests a cervicogenic headache, one that originates in the neck.
Neck pain & headaches
Neck problems often produce pain somewhere else: at the base of the skull, across the shoulder blade or down the arm.
Referred from the neck
Pain across the shoulder blade
Aching across the shoulder blade or the top of the shoulder is commonly referred from the joints of the neck rather than the shoulder itself.
Pain or tingling down the arm
Pain, numbness or tingling that follows a path into the arm or hand suggests an irritated nerve root, often from a disc.
If this is a medical emergency, call 911.
Treating the neck
Local joint and muscle pain is treated with adjustment and soft-tissue work. When pain travels into the arm, cervical traction is added.
Adjustments
For restricted joints of the neck and upper back, by hand or with a non-force technique.
Cervical traction
Traction of the neck, including the Y-strap, when the findings point to a disc or an irritated nerve root.
Soft tissue and posture
Graston and electric stimulation with heat for the muscles of the neck and upper back, and biomechanics instruction for desk and phone posture so the strain is not rebuilt each day.
Headaches that begin in the neck are treated at their source; migraine and other headache types have different causes, and the history and examination distinguish them. When pain, numbness or tingling travels into the arm, Dr. Herner orders imaging or a nerve function test when the examination calls for it.