The Most Effective Exercise for Headaches (cervicogenic headaches)- Sustained Cervical Retraction
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024
- In this video, Dr. Sam Schroetke demonstrates Sustained Cervical Retraction, which is the most effective exercise for headaches arising from the neck (cervicgogenic headaches). If this exercise doesn't work, try one of the other videos in which Dr. Schroetke demonstrates other effective exercises for headaches.
Work up to holding the Sustained Cervical Retraction for 2-3 minutes, and repeat 3-4 X / day, and as needed for headaches.
Check with your physical therapist or physician before performing this exercise to make sure that it is appropriate for you.
i've had that ram's horn headache on both sides of my head for the last two days. woke up last night crying bc it hurt so bad and i momentarily even considered going to the ER. aside from popping 800mg of ibuprofen, doing this exercise has given me the most relief so far.
Did it stop?
Did this help?
I’ve had these headaches on and off for the last 3 weeks and unfortunately unable to go see my chiropractor this last bout. Headache for 2 days and no relief from all the usual pain relief strategies- I was seriously at my wits end. This technique helped after 3 minutes! It’s not fully gone yet, but it’s tolerable now, so will definitely do this a couple more times today. You are a life saver- thank you so much!
What if you feel like you can’t breathe when you do this.
I only get them when I try to sleep. I just want to feel normal again :(
Did it Go away?
I feel you :/
same i wish i can be normal agaim without pain
Same, its draining to get a headache almost every day :( I hope you find a good treatment that actually helps.
Hey guys a little update since I never see update comments often, to give people a bit of hope. I received a cortisone injection in my back and it has improved my sleeping so much (even though I still wake up I think some form of insomnia has developed due to expectation of pain) hope everyone is ok 🙏
THANK YOU! I sprained my neck last weekend and I’ve been having this throbbing on/off headache in the back-right side of my head ever since. This is the only thing that alleviates it without having to take ibuprofen every few hours!
My headache disappeared! Years of this and one technique fixed it! Thank you!
*R u serious?*
@Frank Lopez how do you know?
THANK YOU! Saw this last night and started doing this in the shower this morning after a 5 day migraine. So far today, I'm pain free.
Can it cause a ringing in the ears that moves from left to right?
I did this exercise a year ago when I was suffering from what I think was cervical headache(had all the symptoms, one side of the head, ram horn etc...). The only difference, I was doing it in the standing position. I used the wall as a support while tucking the chin and slightly pusing it back with my hand. At first I noticed an instant relief therefore I kept doing it a couple of times a day for a few days but then all of a sudden it didn't really have any effect. The headache was getting more severe and it lasted like 5-6 days more (overall 10 days cca) and went away on its own. Today it occured again and I'm looking for any kind of a solution. Hopefully it helps!
How are you now??
Plz help me 🙏🙏😭🙏
When I do this I feel pressure on my neck, it feel better but even more pain on my left shoulder muscle. Might it be the root cause of the pain, if so what can I do?
I just started do this after having a month of constant ram horn headaches. Intensity decreased and pain is not localized. It’s only the first day but I am going to keep trying. Was already researching radio frequency ablation of 3rd occipital nerve. Hopefully with this and dry needling I won’t need that procedure. Is there any spots you recommend for dry needling? And what do you think about laser therapy?
Jacob, thank you for commenting. This is a great exercise for headaches and some people need to maintain the position for 3 or more minutes to have a more powerful response. Depending upon how irritable your condition is, you may need to do this exercise every 1-2 hours. But as you get better you can do the exercise with less frequency.
Regarding dry needling, I would include these muscles: Obliqus Capitis Inferior, Obliquus Capitis Superior, Rectus Capitis Posterior Major, Rectus Capitis Posterior Minor. Your PT will likely locate other points that need to bee needled.
I hope this helps.
This is priceless information, it relieved me from 3 days lasting pain in 2 minutes. I mean, thanks a lot, God bless you.
Sir , hii i am 19 years old , and i having pain in back of my neck , behind the ears , jawline, forehead, in middle head and one side of neck.
When I wake up it gets worsed.
I can't sleep and its making me dizzy.
Sir plz help me
Thank you. This stretch already gives me hope after doing it once. The relief is immediate.
Thank you so much, my headaches almost disappeared suddenly!!
I’ve had these headaches since I was in my 20’s due to a car accident! I used to go to the chiropractor but sometimes made it worse and I’d leave crying in pain…
I noticed that my pain goes away after I eat, I thought I developed diabetes, checked with Doc, no, thanks god! I’ve not. NOW I realised that I actually eat in this position: straight back and the chin in.
Another trigger for cervicogenic headaches for me is driving on bad roads , bumps and vibrations often give me headaches.
Yes, I saw a neurologist and he concluded with this kind of headache. I wake up with them. Have had a difficult relationship with pillows for the past 20 years, never seem to find one that's right. Thinking of atarting to set my alarm earlier than I normally wake up so as to prevent the early morning neck pain to even start.. it feels like some sort of swelling and my neck is hard to move for the first 20 seconds or so. Often locked in a side position and often at 6 or 6:30. So I'll try getting up early... and seeking out a chiropractor.
This has helped immensely almost instantaneously! I usually put my head all the way back and have my shoulders "hold?" my head (like my heads in a basket) and that usually would make the pain stop in an instant, but as soon as i came back in the regular position, it would come back ten-fold. Your technique so far is a lifesaver. Really, thank you!
I'm so happy this exercise helped. It really is the best exercise I have come across for treating neck headaches. Thank you for commenting and let us know if you have any questions.
Hey sister how are you now ??
Pls help me with the pain , hiw to get rid of it
can these headaches feel like shooting /stabbing too i get short shooting squezing pains in this area on my right side sometimes the other too daily on and of for a month now i have pressure on the forhead and eyes too my neck is stiff on my right side my doctor says it is from the neck i have kyphosis in C4/C5
I'm pregnant and suffering of headache I also refuse to take any sort of medication so I was thinking ok, let's try this guy with absolutely disbelief I tried and my headache is gone, I have not words to thank you enough.
looking forward to trying this. can you explain, in a nutshell of course, why these headaches respond to cervical retraction. is it an effort to counteract a forward head position? would much appreciate your helping me understand. many thanks.
Quite a lot of clicking! Feels good. I'll keep doing this exercise. Thank you so much.
I'm having the same aches in the locations you described (ram horn - behind eye - radiating to gingiva), and it's been over a month despite taking Flunairizin.
I have headaches at both of my head temple regions (right temple more often). Also the back side of my right eye pains. Could that be Spondylosis?? Im 32yrs old, and sit in front of my laptop too much
Thank you for your question. The location of your pain seems to suggest a cervicogenic headache, and your occupation (sitting in front of a computer all day) makes this diagnosis more likely.
Have you tried this exercise yet? If so, was it effective?
The position you place your head and neck in for this exercise needs to be held up to 3 or even 5 minutes to be effective. Let me know how it works for you.
I have suffered with cervicogenic headaches for 2 years now. Rams horn on both sides, neck cracks almost every 5 minutes and pain is in neck, shoulder, and temples. Doctors and physio unable to find any kind of relief or solution. Exercises like this one help, but intermittantly. Not a lot of other advice/videos online. Strangely, lack of sleep makes condition worse, but when it's really bad, it makes me need to lie down/sleep. Running out of ideas, hoping long term application of your techniques helps!!
Just exactly like my condition. I had these symptoms coz of car accedent. So have you found any cure for this cervicognic headech ? Thank you
Plzz help me , are you okay now??
Very well explained. Thank you
Thank for watching and commenting. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you. I'm having these symptoms and this exercise helps alleviate them.
My headache got worse - does that mean that I should stop the exercise or should I continue?
Wow, it works. Anything for tinnitus from what my ENT stated was nerve damage?
Always thankful to you for uploading this video 🙏🙏 god bless you ❤️🙏
Dear dr. Sam ! So grateful for this exersise! I have had terrible postcovid headache for three days. This worked instantly, pain still coming but I know what do now. Thank you very much!!!
This was a Godsend it helped me with a cervicogenic headache within a few hours
I've had constant neck stiffness and headaches since march 2019. I think it as a result of swimming, but my life is horrible now and there's no sign of it getting better. When it's really bad I can't work, and my eyes are sore and my skin feels itchy and uncomfortable
Did you not get it checked out by a doctor? Thats a really long time. I would be so miserable.
@@KakashiTheFirst yes, but they're not very helpful. They sent me for a brain scan which came back clear last year, and since then they think it's a tension headache so they've put me on about 10 different drugs since January and none of them work. Due to covid I can't even go in to see the Dr and appointments are like 2 month queues, so it's just my time to suffer
Try and find a good chiropractor and see if it helps. I’ve been too many different offices and some help more than others.
@@j3s0nhow are you doing now?
Thank you so much for this video! I have four herniated discs in my neck and everyday I get headache starting from the base of my neck. All the way up the right side of my head. I tried the exercise and it worked.
I have headaches at both of my head temple regions (right temple more often). Also the back side of my right eye pains. Could that be Spondylosis?? Im 32yrs old, and sit in front of my laptop too much
How are you now?
@@gabitsu-ftw3871 I'm great now, thanks for asking
@@SudeeshSubramanian what was the root cause and how did you fix yourself if you don't mind?
When I’m using 200 ml vodka and go to sleep, after 1-2 ours the pain comes and first wake me up, when I’m getting up the pain increase and that is 30-40 min or 1-2 ours. The pain is too hard when I’m using alcohol. What is the relation between alcohol and cervicogenic headaches? Sorry for my bad English.
Are you only getting the headaches after you drink? If so, I would say that you are having headaches due to dehydration.
@@physicaltherapyhandclinico9074 No, but alcohol increase the pain 2+ times harder maybe... Thanks a lot for the answer! The pain exist without alcohol and is cervicogenic hedache according to doctors.
@@РосенМитев-ы7ф I think the increase in pain is likely due to dehydration.
This exercise tends to be very very effective for a cervical headache. Try holding the position for up to 3 minutes.
If it doesn't work, then try this exercise. ruclips.net/video/D8v0jYQOOXk/видео.html&t
@@РосенМитев-ы7ф The exercise in this video is the most effective one I've seen for cervicogenic headaches. Try holding the position for up to 3 minutes.
If the exercise shown in this video doesn't help you, then try this one:ruclips.net/video/D8v0jYQOOXk/видео.html&t
I hope you get better.
@poc I have the same issue that you. If I drink the pain growth 2x …. You solve this problem?
Is it normal to feel dizzy when applying pressure and doing the retraction?
ive been suffering from this for the past 14 years, constant headache and tinnitus on the left side of my head. when i do the neck push back the tinnitus scream goes mental then goes back to its mild whine when i relax. this just started on day when i quickly turned left to right dodging a wasp, went really dizzy and have been in pain every since
Thank you very much! You helped ease my pain!!!
I think my headache is caused by bad posture, I'm a student and spend at least 8 hours a day in front of my computer. I can't stand the pain, this technique helps a lot! Thanks! Is this pain a chronic one or something that can resolve quickly?
Than you for your question.
Posture can be the cause of most of our ailments, whether it be low back pain, neck pain or headaches.
I'm glad this technique helps. You may have to do this quite frequently (every 2-3 hours) initially. But as you get better, the frequency can be decreased. You may get to the point where you only need to do it one timer per day or a few times per week in order to prevent the pain from returning.
If it's caused by posture and you've had it for a while then the condition would qualify as chronic. However, it is not necessarily 'chronic pain syndrome.'
I have the same problem.
Plz help me , how are you now ??
What did you do ??
Plz help me , it's giving a lot of pain to me .
I can't sleep because in morning it's hurt a lot in my head everyside
Been suffering with migraine-like headache for the past two days with pain surrounding my neck area, this has truly helped me, almost instantly. Huge thanks!
I have this kind of headaches for many many years, almost every few days, sometimes for days, let's try and see if it works.
How are you now?
@@gabitsu-ftw3871 thanks for asking, actually I gave up, I plan to see a doctor if he can help me
Thank u 4 this. Its affecting my life
Thank you
Very helpful ❤✔
Give some more excercise.This headache come due to lack of sleep.I suffer from sleepless night.Give us some excercise for good night sleep.
Great exercise, thank you very much !
Has anyone had neck spasms with with cervicogenic headaches? My Jaw also feels tight when I open it.
About 5 days ago, April 3rd ,I was doing a stretch on the floor, my chest on the ground and my feet touching the back of my head. But suddenly I couldn't breathe, I got out of the stretch struggling to breathe, then I couldn't swallow for a while. So the rest of that day my neck felt very weak to hold up my head. But the rest of these days iv been having pressure in my head or headaches i cant stand certain noises or bright lights and the earthquake or elevator feeling is worse. The earthquake feeling came after I hit my head back in 2018. Iv veen looking up my symptoms, and this cervicogenic seems closest because the headaches probably started with the neck injury. It's weird how I hurt myself, my mom thought it's a whiplash, but I was stretching slow. I also have poor appetite since the headaches/pressure started. Iv been doing my daily stretching and conditioning everyday since this happened ,but not that one stretch. I will try this stretching I hope I get back to normal, because I'm scared.
GOD BLESS YOU WITH HEALTHY LONG LIFE AMEEN SUMA AMEEN
@@beedee3838
Shukraan jazilaan. I hope so. I'm still in pain. Nothing Helps. Only resting alot will help which I cannot do. I get extreme pressure in my head when I work hard or get tired. It scares me. It could also be a brain fluid leak. What I really needed was a CT SCAN back in 2018 and Now to find out what's wrong with me . But some evil people put a stop to it.
@@biancaayala3157 MAY GOD PROTECTS YOU AND HEEL ALL YOUR INJURIES ...But u will have to keep ur spirits high and get ur checked by a good orthopedic surgeon ,which is must .Do ur part and leave rest to GOD. PRAYS FOR YOU💐
@@beedee3838
Thank you. I will try again. God has helped me get through all those months. My mom did not want me to go to the hospital 2 months ago because of Coronavirus. But hopefully it will be safe.
@@biancaayala3157 how are you now ??
Plz help me , i am having same problem
Excuse me, I would like to know the posture when lie on the bed. Which pillow should I use for cervicogenic headache?
Thank you for this. Appreciated.
I just started with these headaches two weeks ago. They're not super intense headaches but they're consistent and super annoying. They drive me nuts. Sitting and laying down flares then up. I tried going to the chiropractor, I've tried massaging my upper back and head, relaxation techniques and nothing was helping. Today was pretty bad and I was starting to feel anxious form having these headaches so I looked up physical therapy for tension headaches and this popped up. I did 3 minutes and I felt immediate relief. I still feel slight tension on my back and neck but its definitely less intense. I will keep doing these exercises. Thank you.
?
How are you now ?
Plz help me 🙏🙏😭
@BigSM_hater_pinkblood how are you now? Found any help?
what would you say if someone tried this and it actually gave them a headache?
problem being those muscles are weak and so its extremely taxing on the neck doing this exercise. So your neck then over compensates due to the muscular exhaustion and that causes more headaches :(
Thank you for your response. A cervicogenic headache is not necessarily due to weak muscles. It is quite often an issue with joint position and placing the upper cervical spine in sustained retraction can abolish the headache.
And this exercise should not be fatiguing, as you are sustaining the position with your hands, so it should be relatively passive with regards to your neck muscles.
If you are using your neck muscles for this, then focus more on holding your head and neck in the retracted position with one or both hands pressing on your chin.
If it is still too difficult, then try holding the position while laying on your back.
@@physicaltherapyhandclinico9074 I appreciate your response. I absolutely have a neck issue but its beginning to look like an occipital neuralgia issue. Significantly more complex than a simple neck exercise. When I lay down, the back of my head throbs and aches very badly.
@@brodhax6148 Have tried neck flexion exercises?ruclips.net/video/D8v0jYQOOXk/видео.html
should I let my lower jaw relax or keep it in line with my upper jaw?
I have done the chiropractor and physical therapy . My therapist spoke to my Dr now I go for injections that help a little , all those exercises did was aggravate causing more pain and intense headaches.
would it also be generally beneficial to work up to doing standard head/neck motions e.g. turning left, right, looking up, down while maintaining sustained cervical retraction if the goal is to retrain muscle memory to avoid symptom generating posture?
Do you have any sense as to whether these injuries might be related to chronic fatigue? What are the best exercises for headaches and neck problems tied to the C3 vertebrae?
I get these headaches ever since I injured my neck in a poorly designed hairdresser's sink! Hairdressers should not have sinks with thin lipped edges, but many do (I presume because they are cheaper).
thank you! woke up 3Am having the exact same pain. now its gone. great video!
Hello! Thank you for the video, i felt a mild burning sensation at the back of my kneck (muscles), was i pushing too hard on my chin? Felt like a little workout, or is that the right effect? Thank you)
Does cervical headaches happens at the same time everyday? Like a migraine cycle?
I get them a day or two after I have worked out or anything forcing heavy use of the neck, traps, shoulders, back. It's so painful and sometimes can't function well when it occurs. I will add that they have also made me very nauseous most times. I feel like I can't exercise or do much without getting these headaches and when I do, I can look out because there is no relief for at least 2 days. 😔
How are you now I've been diagnosed with cervicogenic headache and mechanical neck issue I feel sick all the time but not like I have to run to the bathroom just an uncomfortable feeling in my upper stomach
I went to the ED because I've been having dull headaches that I thought were migraines, lasting for three days. I felt wiped out. I got an MRI...which was negative. I've started to wonder if what I'm experiencing is the bilateral version of cervicogenic headaches. I've had this sensation of feeling underwater aside from the pain. Will try this exercise (which hurts) and continue my follow up with the doctors...
Wish me luck!
How did you do? My headaches get worse with this exercise too
Thank you ❤
Thank you! Having headaches now like this the last year or so. Finally going to see a chiropractor in about 2 weeks. Question: what's a good second or third exercise for this?
I never thought this was the headache i. Suffering from but all the pains where sustained at the base of my skull which you said. Ill do this now as it kills me, I have it at the moment
Hi there friend have you tried vibration? I have pain in same spot and a massage gun helps ease the pain by increasing blood flow to that area. I hope you find relief 🙏
@@goldmemberr thank you, i havent tried that but thanks for letting me know! Ill try and find one
Thank you. This helped tremendously after I consulted a few doctors who wouldn't help with finding the reason and just prescribed medication.
Did you ever get better? I was misdiagnosed as Migraines on all my Doctors and Neurologists. Not once dod they ask about posture issues
@@cantseeshadow One doctor eventually said something like this was a "functional blockage" and had manipulated something manually on my spine with some crackle noize, then said to be carefull until the healing completes itself in about a month. And it did. I've been improving my spine muscles in the gym since then, and had no new episodes. Hope this helps.
@@AnnaLitvinuk What kind of doctor was he,a chiropractor?
@@casualcookin3893 That was a traumatologist on duty at the local hospital. I became desperate after some serious pain one night and went there to report an injury. And that's what it had been from the start, turned out. But what had caused that injury was bad posture and weak muscles for years, and some little exercise the body was not prepared for.
@@AnnaLitvinuk Great to know,can you tell me what kind of excercises you had to do to restore muscle condition,i think im in similar shoes rn
What about the off balance with this type of pain and headache?
When I did this excercise, the pain on the rightside of my neck/head would stop every time, but then come back shortly after. Then I noticed that if I lift my right arm, the pain would go away immediately. Any guesses what this could be? I'll wait a bit and if the pain doesn't stop I'll try registering for a doctor's appointment.
You probably have a shoulder blade out of wack. Sometimes a dropped shoulder blade causes these headaches
Thank you, woke up w/a migraine & am trying this right now.
this is exactly how i feel.. im really in pain everytime pleasd help me with more pointer and meds doc
Hello. Thanks for the video. I have slipped discs at C4.5.6.7 and am also having daily headaches. However mine are on the top and sides of my head. Not the pattern you show in this video. Could my headaches be cervical? Thanks
How are you now?
Mine gets worse from these ;(
Or closes my throat
I get these headaches when I apply pressure to the back of my head/neck in a seat or lying down for just a few minutes. My symptoms are horrendous. I really appreciate this!!
I’ve been getting them for 2 months almost every day. I can’t take it anymore. I will be trying this later today. Hopefully it’s helps
Hello! I suffer from the same type of headache and ear pressure. Did this work for you?
@@mercedp6890 Are you feeling better?
@@dianamaria4373 yes they worked for me right away. Haven’t gotten these headaches anymore. 🙏🏾
@@mercedp6890 hey plz help me ??
I get relief but in the morning, it's gets worse .
Plz help me , I'm very scare right now because it's sleeping time and i am getting dizzy but I am scare of pain
What if it doesn’t work
Thank you ❤️
thank you GOOD DOCTOR !!!
I have all the symptoms that is mentioned. I get those sharp pain in my toes whenever i sleep. usaully it happens only when i sleep on my side. In the last few weeks, i get it even if i sleep on my back. I just couldnt find a position to sleep and its uncomfortable and scary.
How are you now?
I have had the rams horn headache with all of those symptoms daily for 7 months now... it's horrible!
I having for more than a month
Plz help me , i can't sleep
@@BigSM_hater_pinkbloodhow are you doing now?
@@gabitsu-ftw3871 I'm fine now , I did mri and there was a problem inside my neck bones I still don't know what it was , doctor suggested me using metal structure on my body and to balance my neck and it took me around 1+ year to get well after using that shit and medicine
thank you
Thank you!
This is helpful. My cervicogenic headaches have been for the past 4 years nonstop and I’ve tried acupuncture and meds and chiro and PT and deep tissue massage and still my cervicogenic headaches haven’t gone away. I am currently doing postural alignment therapy as that may be a root cause. They get triggered especially when I sleep on my stomach. Any advice on how not to do that?
damn bro, def sleep on your back or side if you can.
Please try vibration. I know everyone has a different level and type of pain but I swear by vibration for pain. Combined with meditation and directing your thought into self healing. If you can find some sort of massage tool / gun combine that physical vibration with the vibration of your thought and its very powerful. I wasn’t open to this until I felt hopeless. I’m doing much better but my heart still hurts for everyone else in pain. I was not aware of this part of life until it happened to me now I want to help people.
@@goldmemberr thanks for the advice. What tool do you use for the vibration bit? I have a Theragun which is helpful though still far from taking this pain away.
@@chukaikokwu8370 so yes, I have one of those guns too but they don’t seem to get deep deep. The thing I use looks straight out of a movie lol google “niagara thermo cyclopad” it was made 70’s or 80’s... if you can get your hands on one im telling you the saying “they just dont make em like they used to” applies to this easily. When i wrote this comment i was feeling very good and i had a nap in the couch and i literally woke up feeling worse then i ever have. Its a crazy road to recovery and all I want is to get better and help others heal. Big love brother.
@@goldmemberrhow are you doing now?
4:01
6 weeks of this😢. Still trying to work it out.
Hello! How are you feeling now? Any better?
@@petyabor5223yes, thank you. Lots of stretching and massage, finally. 🤞 it stays gone.
@@ashleyrobinson539what are u pain free now??
@@Edp-jf8zn yes, i have been for a few weeks. Knock on wood. But i am still doing this every once in a while to try and help it stay gone.
@@ashleyrobinson539how are u now?
When i did the first excercise it helped me alot,however i also felt great pain in the traps area and also in my back shoulders (both) and even one triceps
I guess my problem is really complex,any advices?
Awesome Thank you.. I have been suffering ram horn headaches for 4 years.. you are the FIRST professional that has given me a clear explanation!! Ttthhankk Youuu sooo much 👍👍👍👍
I've had almost constant migraines since Covid and my physio has prescribed these. They help quickly. So grateful.