Car accidents, mountain biking falls, sports injuries or just prolonged poor posturing, any of these things can lead to the type of injury that leads to headaches and migraines.
It’s important to understand that each of these scenarios is placing a load through the neck that it is not equipped to handle. The consequence is a change in the normal movement or expected resting position of the neck. The symptoms that present can vary dramatically from dizziness, headaches, migraines, jaw pain, tension headaches, sensitivities to lights and sounds, etc.
It is important to receive early intervention because over time the brain and our central nervous system will grow more and more sensitive to the symptoms. The underlying neck injury will remain the same, but the symptoms may increase with time as the brain adapts and feeds off the improper signal.
The best scenario is one where a patient can come in for treatment and receive a proper evaluation within 4-6 weeks of their symptoms starting. Many will suffer for years without finding relief, but only a few will find that their brain is not able to fully shut off the pain signal. Despite when and how long you have suffered, removing the underlying neck injury is always the best place to start.