Spinal manipulation, a common manual therapy, has been identified in a recent systematic review and meta-analysis as an effective treatment for reducing the intensity, frequency, and disability of cervicogenic headaches. This is a ground-breaking revelation for those affected by this secondary headache, who are often left frustrated by the lack of effective treatments.
The results of this study were impressive. Manual therapy showed moderate-to-large effects in reducing headache frequency and intensity in the short term, with smaller but still significant benefits in reducing disability. However, it’s important to highlight that spinal manipulation specifically was most effective.
The data supporting the use of spinal manipulation is compelling and provides hope for those living with these headaches. This indicates a promising avenue for future research and serves as a call to action for healthcare professionals to consider spinal manipulation as a viable treatment option.
The study’s findings reiterate the power of spinal manipulation, emphasizing its effectiveness in reducing headache intensity, frequency, and disability both in the short and long term.
“Cervicagenic Headache is a secondary headache, with a prevalence of 1-4% among people experiencing headaches.”
“Recent guidelines on the management of cervicogenic headache support the use of exercise therapy and spinal manipulation to reduce CGH pain intensity, frequency, and disability.”
“Two trials compared spinal manipulation alone to sham treatment and found statistically significant changes in favor of spinal manipulation at short and long term.”
We believe patients have better outcomes when
their health professionals work together.
