Condition
I'm getting these headaches that are kind of all over my head. I can't really figure out.
What we hear from headaches patients on the first call.
What it is
Cervicogenic headaches start at the upper cervical spine and travel into the head. Tension headaches come from sustained muscle contraction in the neck and shoulders. Migraines are their own neurological event but often have a cervical trigger. The exam separates them.
What causes it
Atlas/axis misalignment, forward head posture, screen time, stress, dehydration, and bruxism. Foudy uses the AP open-mouth X-ray to look directly at the C1 and C2 relationship. Most headache patients have not had this view taken before.
How we diagnose and treat it
Full neurological screen plus an AP open-mouth X-ray. Upper cervical adjustment if the imaging supports it. Theragun and electric stim for the trap and occipital muscles. Posture correction to keep them away.
Symptoms we look for
- Pain at the base of the skull or behind the eyes
- Headache worse in the second half of the day
- Tightness across the forehead like a band
- Triggered by screen time, driving, or stress
Cost
First visit: $90. Adjustment-only follow-up: $90.
Timeline
Tension and cervicogenic headaches often drop in frequency inside 3–4 weeks. Long-standing patterns take a few months to retrain.
What a patient said
Two-a-week tension headaches for years. Now maybe one a month. (Melissa N.)
Related conditions
Neck pain
Stiffness, soreness, or sharp pain in the neck, often with a "knot" that keeps coming back between the shoulder blades.
Brain fog
Difficulty concentrating, slow processing, a feeling that the lights are dim. Not always tied to a headache.
Forward head posture
The head sits forward of the shoulders, dragging the upper back into a hunch. The body pays for it in pain.