21 Feb Can Cervical Kyphosis Actually Cause Headaches?
Cervical kyphosis is a reasonably common condition that could be attributable to disc degeneration, injury, and even bone loss. Some cases are literally congenital. What many individuals don’t know is that kyphosis can result in a wide range of symptoms that could appear disconnected until a pain management doctor has the chance to make a diagnosis.
For instance, we frequently get questions on whether cervical kyphosis may cause headaches. Simply put, it might. Such headaches are generally known as cervicogenic headaches on account of the incontrovertible fact that they originate within the cervical spine. It will not be a standard symptom of mild cervical kyphosis, but headache pain is more common when kyphosis is more severe.
The Basics of Kyphosis
The human spine has two natural curves built into it. Within the upper spine, the natural curve faces toward the back. Within the lower spine, the curve faces front. Cervical kyphosis is a condition through which the curvature of the upper spine is in excess of what is taken into account normal parameters.
An individual with a severe case of cervical kyphosis might appear to have a hunched back. Then again, the curvature in a gentle case may not even be noticeable and not using a medical exam. The excellent news is that mild kyphosis rarely causes symptoms. The bad news is that mild cases can grow progressively worse and, once they do, lead to uncomfortable symptoms.
Common Kyphosis Symptoms
Essentially the most notable symptom of cervical kyphosis is a change in posture. With that change of posture is usually an abnormal or unsteady gait. The more severe the curvature, the harder it’s for an individual to maneuver around normally.
Other symptoms include:
- neck and back pain
- muscle weakness
- general instability
- lack of mobility.
The unique query posed by this post was whether cervical kyphosis may cause headaches. It may possibly. However the headaches aren’t actually a direct results of spinal curvature. Moderately, they’re the results of how kyphosis affects posture.
An individual with moderate to severe cervical kyphosis could have difficulty keeping the shoulders back and the top held high. This puts undo stress on shoulder and neck muscles. In turn, an individual can experience a noticeable amount of tension at the back of the neck and the bottom of the spine.
All this working together may cause headaches. Kyphosis-related headaches are inclined to be dull headaches that last over an prolonged time frame. They don’t are inclined to be acute headaches that come on suddenly, throb for some time, after which go away just as quickly.
Kyphosis Headache Pain Relief
Many kyphosis patients will go their entire lives without experiencing related headaches. But for those for whom headaches are an issue, there are alternatives for pain relief. From pain medications to injection therapies, pain medicine doctors can offer relief in a wide range of ways.
It has been our experience that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to kyphosis-related headache pain. If we are able to offer one piece of recommendation that applies to all patients, it will be this: consult with your doctor about any type of chronic pain you experience. Whether it is said to kyphosis or another condition, talking about it is step one toward successful treatment.
Have you ever been diagnosed with cervical kyphosis? In that case, is it causing you discomfort? The Lone Star Pain Medicine clinic in Weatherford, TX is here to assist. Our experienced pain medicine doctors are fully trained to diagnose conditions and offer viable treatment options. Please don’t hesitate to pay us a visit. We would like to provide help to feel higher.
