Prevalence of Cervicogenic Headache in the General Population

Headache related to cervical spine is often misdiagnosed and treated inadequately because of confusing and varying terminology and is usually mistaken as other primary headache such as Tension Type Headache and Migraine. The diagnosis of Cervicogenic Headache is done by physical examination and by fulfilling the diagnostic criteria laid down by International Headache Society in 1990.

To estimate the prevalence of Cervicogenic Headache in general population of age group 18–30 years.

The nature of design in this study was Survey design.

The study was conducted at outpatient department of Sai Institute of Paramedical and Allied Health Science, Dehradun, capital of Uttrakhand, India.

A detailed questionnaire was provided to 981 subjects (mostly students) of different collages in Dehradun. A group of 69 subjects were identified who fulfilled the inclusion criteria of study.5 subjects dropped out. So 64 subjects were eventually interviewed and examined with respect to International Headache Society criteria for Cervicogenic Headache (the radiological criterion was omitted on ethical ground).

Out of 64 patients examined 10 fulfilled the International Headache Society diagnostic criteria for Cervicogenic Headache equivalent to a prevalence of 15.6% in population with frequent headache and 1.70% in general population.

Cervicogenic Headache appears to be relatively common form of headache in prevalence in individuals of age group 1830 years.