The cervicogenic headache from the spiral surgery point of view - a pilot study

In a retrospective analysis of 299 consecutive patients with degenerative c ervical spine disease the incidence of cervicogenic headache and the result s of conservative and operative therapy have been investigated. Cervicogeni c headache was noted in 117 of 299 patients (40%). 73 of those patients wer e treated conservatively. The cervicogenic headache resolved in 10% or impr oved in 27% and remained unchanged in 63% of the patients. 44 of these pati ents were operated by ventral discectomy, which was indicated in case of ne urological deficit and painful shoulder-arm syndrome refractory to conserva tive treatment. In none of these patients the operation was indicated by th e cervicogenic headache. In the postoperative follow-up with a mean of 6 mo nths the headache resolved in 20%, improved in 60% and remained unchanged i n 20% of the patients. These results suggest the existence of a cervicogeni c headache, i.e. a headache due to disorders of the cervical spine,and the chance of successful operative treatment.