Cervicogenic Headache in sleep

[Dr Damien]

your best bet would be to start looking at your activities of daily living? what is your occupation?
if you are scoliotic, then your cervical spine will have to also adapt to below changes in the chain, you might have a forward head with regards your posture...
when the headache starts? what relieves it...

These muscles generally overwork when you have a forward neck posture and the deep flexors of your neck are weak, they take up the role of stabilizers, something they are not used to...so the begin to ache...

cervicogenic headaches, several theories to the cause, some say trapped nerves with muscle, others say within the upper cervical joints...

exploring your activities of daily living and occupation may give some insight into predisposing factors...its one thing to get treatment that helps temporarily, its another to maintain effect gained...

an understanding of your general posture is necessary, and if anything at all, working the deep flexors of your neck is necessary...

Ask yourself if you have the adequate support for your head and neck when you sleep...or what your sleeping position is like....

Do you get any aura (blinding flashing lights or colors) when this headache comes?

T

[philip101]

Hi, thanks very much for your reply.

I definitely do have a forward head with regards to posture and have had for years. I am a PhD student and spend all of my time at a computer or doing close work hunched over circuit boards. The only thing which triggers headaches is when I go to sleep, I have tried different positions and pillow heights and they help slightly but don't stop me getting the headaches. The only thing which seems to make them go away is to stand up and start my day - then they will start to fade.

I have never experienced any aura but when the headaches are really bad sometimes I can see my vision pulsing with my heartbeat.

Can you recommend any exercises to strengthen the deep flexors in the neck and help to alleviate a forward head carriage?

Philip