Cervicogenic….

In an ongoing effort to meet with as many folks as possible in Springfield’s health care industry, I have become acquainted with yet another malady closely related to arthritis. I’m not complaining here, this week we are celebrating the life of an ex-sister in law who succumbed to pancreatic cancer in a matter of days. Even so, arthritis and age will put you on a first name basis with your providers and pharmacist, as it is a plague all in its own. Most people can avoid a malady called cervicogenic headache, or ram’s horn headache as it is sometimes called, even if they have disc disease in their neck. A textbook description of this headache is that it…….”is characterized by chronic hemicranial pain referred to the head from the cervical spine and/or soft tissue in the neck.” A hillbilly would say it’s is a pain in the neck and head. The pain radiates upward, in the shape of a ram’s horn. They are miserable

Folks may not realize that by the age of 20, 37% of us have disc disease, by 50, 80% and by 80 ( I can see it from here) 96% of folks have some form of disc disease. They do not always have OA to deal with, however, I do. My PCP was able to diagnose the malady very quickly and prescribed physical therapy to address the problem. Your neck is one busy piece of anatomy…..and you have to get it back to a normal configuration to solve the problem and deal with it. The alternative is to eat NSAIDS like candy and risk tearing up your gut or narcotics and join the street people in San Francisco.

Enter physical therapist Riley Lekarczyk, DPT and Jeff Martin, PTA. As a result of their expertise, I now have a neck like a linebacker. To say they know things is a huge understatement. Riley is also able to use “Dry needling” somewhat similar to but not acupuncture. The therapy (16 45 minute sessions) has greatly resolved the headaches. I now hold a laptop differently, sit differently and have become adept at isometric exercises. PT worked, but you must continue with the training regimen they teach. Their bag of tricks is very impressive. I cannot say enough about their dedication, expertise and compassion. Thanks guys, your art is impressive. I was a little skeptical, but my PCP, an osteopathic physician, nailed the diagnosis and I am no longer in the Advil hall of fame!

There are many causes for headaches, and it takes an accomplished practitioner to sort them out and once again I am fortunate…..as well as getting older by the minute. Medical whack-a-mole is not fun, the alternative is far worse. I have gone from a stiff neck and headache to having a neck like an owl…..almost pain free. Now about that arthritic left knee……

Have a great, headache free, week!

SR