Dec 21

Cervicogenic Headache Surgery Or Manipulation

Which would you choose? Cervicogenic headache is pain that starts in the neck and is perceived to be in the head or face. Reduced neck range of motion is common. (1) Medicine offers surgical options. One new study describes the removal of one or two cervical discs in patients unresponsive to prior treatments resulting in 63%/64% of unilateral/bilateral cervicogenic headache relief or improvement at 19.8 and 25.5 months. (2) Another surgical approach – pulsed radiofrequency ablation of the C2 DRG – is being done, seeking a “successful outcome” of at least 50% pain relief at 6 months post-surgery. (3) Chiropractic offers non-surgical approaches like manipulation and mobilization. These are often effective for the relief or improvement of cervicogenic headache or reduction of symptoms when compared to control subjects. (4) A study comparing the effectiveness of manipulation versus mobilization for the relief of cervicogenic headache found that both had similar effects on disability, pain, global rating of change, and cervical range of motion. (5) A case report of a patient suffering with cervicogenic headache along with a lower cervical disc herniation described how gentle, Cox® Technic treatment delivered relief. (6) Your chiropractor offers gentle, safe, non-surgical spinal manipulation for neck pain and related headache.

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. David Kulla on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes his relieving treatment of neck pain and headache with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

TIP OF THE MONTH:  Chondroitin Sulfate for Bone Health and Relief of Diabetic Osteoporosis

The benefits of chondroitin sulfate keep coming! The latest involves its influence on diabetes and diabetic osteoporosis. Diabetic osteoporosis is linked to high morbidity and high disability in its sufferers. New rat studies are showing some promising help. The antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-osteoarthritis and hypoglycemic effects of chondroitin sulfate were found after 8 weeks of oral administration that improved the symptoms of diabetes, lowered blood glucose, increased bone mineral density, repaired bone morphology, and lowered femoral osteoclasts and tibia adipocyte numbers among other benefits. All this prompted the researchers to conclude that chondroitin sulfate can effectively prevent bone loss caused by diabetes. (7) A follow up study found similar outcomes. After administering chondroitin sulfate for 10 weeks, researchers found signs of bone loss prevention, blood glucose reduction, symptom decrease, bone mineral density increase, improvement of bone microstructure, reduction in bone marrow adipocyte number, and alleviation of oxidative stress. (8) The rat studies shed light on the potential for human benefit. Chondroitin sulfate’s benefits for back pain, disc health, and, more and more being shown, bone health support our discussion of the importance of nutrition in the chiropractic treatment plan!

Happy Holidays! We look forward to seeing you in 2022.Thank you for entrusting us with your spinal health throughout the year.

References for HEALTHY NEWS – December 2021

  1. Al Khalili Y, Ly N, Murphy PB. Cervicogenic Headache. 2021 Mar 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan–. PMID: 29939639.
  2. Jansen J. Surgical treatment of cervicogenic headache. Cephalalgia. 2008 Jul;28 Suppl 1:41-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2008.01620.x. PMID: 18494997.
  3. Lee HJ, Cho HH, Nahm FS, Lee PB, Choi E. Pulsed Radiofrequency Ablation of the C2 Dorsal Root Ganglion Using a Posterior Approach for Treating Cervicogenic Headache: A Retrospective Chart Review. Headache. 2020 Nov;60(10):2463-2472. doi: 10.1111/head.13759. Epub 2020 Feb 13. PMID: 32052873.
  4. Garcia JD, Arnold S, Tetley K, Voight K, Frank RA. Mobilization and Manipulation of the Cervical Spine in Patients with Cervicogenic Headache: Any Scientific Evidence? Front Neurol. 2016 Mar 21;7:40. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2016.00040. PMID: 27047446; PMCID: PMC4800981.
  5. Lerner-Lentz A, O’Halloran B, Donaldson M, Cleland JA. Pragmatic application of manipulation versus mobilization to the upper segments of the cervical spine plus exercise for treatment of cervicogenic headache: a randomized clinical trial. J Man Manip Ther. 2021 Oct;29(5):267-275. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2020.1834322. Epub 2020 Nov 5. PMID: 33148134; PMCID: PMC8491670.
  6. McKee N: Case Report #182: Lower Cervical Disc Bulge Causing Headaches and Facial Pain, Treated with Cox® Spinal Decompression Manipulation. www.coxtechnic.com June 12, 2018. Sourced on 12/15/21.
  7. Zheng HX, Chen J, Zu YX, Wang EZ, Qi SS. Chondroitin Sulfate Prevents STZ Induced Diabetic Osteoporosis through Decreasing Blood Glucose, AntiOxidative Stress, Anti-Inflammation and OPG/RANKL Expression Regulation. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jul 26;21(15):5303. doi: 10.3390/ijms21155303. PMID: 32722636; PMCID: PMC7432814.
  8. Qi SS, Shao ML, Sun Z, Chen SM, Hu YJ, Li XS, Chen J, Zheng HX, Yue TL. Chondroitin Sulfate Alleviates Diabetic Osteoporosis and Repairs Bone Microstructure via Anti-Oxidation, Anti-Inflammation, and Regulating Bone Metabolism. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 Oct 27;12:759843. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.759843. PMID: 34777254; PMCID: PMC8579055.