OMT and Headaches

Source: drfeely.com/doctors/osteo_abstracts_11.htm

Osteopathic Manipulation and Headaches
Source: Dr.Feely D.O., FAAO website.

There is growing evidence that primary headache disorders may have a strong association with disorder of the upper cervical region. Clinical studies have implicated pathophysiology of the first three cervical vertebrae as a cause of headache pain. A single-blinded study was performed to determine whether a correlation between headache and somatic dysfunction of the upper cervical spine exists.
A physician examined 43 subjects without knowledge of their headache history. 25 of 43 subjects had a tension of migraine headache within 24 hours of examination; 24 of these 25 subjects (96%) had a somatic dysfunction at the 2nd cervical vertabrae. 18 of 43 subjects did not have any headache within 24 hours of examination; 8 of these 18 subjects (44%) had somatic dysfunction at the level of the 2nd cervical vertabrae.
Study findings correlate with current evidence that afference stimulation from the 1st cervical vertabrae to the 3rd cervical vertabrae innervated structures may activate trigeminal sensory fibers in the brain stem which trigger the trigemino vascular system believed to cause migraine and possibly, tension-type headaches. Alternatively, these lesions may be the result of a central headache event rather than a cause. Further studies to determine if Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy can reduce headache symptoms in patients with chronic headache may help to further delineate the role of the cervical spine in the cause of primary headache disorders.