Manipulation and mobilisation for cervicogenic headache

Cervicogenic headache originates in converging spinal and trigeminal afferents in segments C1-C3. Disturbances in this system cause nociceptive irritation of the afferents, whereby the irritation of one afferent can be detected in the area supplied by the other afferent. The headache that can develop is referred pain, which can originate from any of the structures innervated by C1 to C3. Cervicogenic headaches are diagnosed through a specific medical history and the recognition of typical patterns. If the therapist has diagnosed cervicogenic headache, this is a clear indication for physiotherapy treatment, as the cause is a mechanical disorder of the cervical spine. This book provides a scientifically based overview of how effective mobilisation and/or manipulation are in patients with cervicogenic headache in terms of pain relief compared to other physiotherapeutic interventions, placebo or no treatment.