Question
Hello i have been suffering from a constant headache from around the time i suffered two separate injuries to my head and neck while playing rugby. This was around three years ago. The first injury i was stamped on the head with boots several times, had a bad concussion. Second injury was a month later, my neck was jerked in a scrum and i felt a shooting pain in my neck, followed by a very bad migrane headache.(before that time i very rarely had headaches)

Although i cant remember the exact time the constant headache started it was around the time of these two injuries.Apart form that i am healthy. The headache is a dull, constant pain, also my whole face and neck often ache alot. MRI head scan was clear.

I recently had sinus surgery hoping it was the cause of the symptoms but it has not helped. My question is do you think these injries and my headache are related and could it be treatable?
Many thanks for your time
Andy

Answer
Andrew,

Thank you for your question.

With regard to your question as to whether your headaches could be related to your rugby injuries, and could they be treated, in my opinion, I believe that yes, your headaches could very well be associated with your multiple rugby injuries, and if your headaches are associated with derangement of the sensitive joints, discs, and musculature of the neck, I think that they probably could be treated.

Here is my expanded answer.

In 2000, an article entitled "Headaches and Exercise" was published in the medical journal Sports Medicine. In that article, the author stated:

- "Exercise-related headache is one of the most common medical problems affecting the modern-day athlete."

- "In certain collision sports, up to 50% of athletes report regular headaches as a consequence of their athletic participation."

- "Post-traumatic headaches were seen almost universally in males due to participation in rugby football."

A 1997 study entitled "Injury consequences from participation in professional rugby league: a preliminary investigation" published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine stated that most professional players will have some form of long-term consequence from injury, and that chronic headaches were reported in 8.7% of rugby players.

A correlation seems to exist between chronic recurrent cervical spine (neck) nerve root injury and narrowing of the central spinal canal in the neck tackled football players, according to a 2005 study published in the journal Chiropractic and Osteopathy entitled "Cervical stenosis in a professional rugby league football player: a case report".

Cervicogenic headache is a term that describes pain in the head with the source of pain being the neck. Trigger-points, disc lesions and joint dysfunction, particularly in the upper neck, can give rise to certain patterns of head pain responsive to chiropractic care.

Trigger points are discrete, focal, hyper-irritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. They produce pain locally and in a referred pattern and often accompany chronic musculoskeletal disorders. Acute trauma or repetitive microtrauma may lead to the development of stress on muscle fibers and the formation of trigger points.

Derangement of the discs and joints of the neck can also cause headaches. MRI of the neck is the best imaging modality to evaluate for disc lesions in the spine.

With regard to treatment, consulting with a musculoskeletal-based chiropractor who is knowledgeable and skilled in both joint and soft tissue manipulation might be a good place to start, or with a good physiotherapist, to determine if you might be a candidate for non-surgical conservative care.

I hope that this helps to answer your question.