Concussions and whiplash can leave behind headaches that stick around long after the initial injury heals. These post-concussion headaches are common, real, and treatable.
After a head or neck injury, the nervous system can stay on high alert. Pain signals keep firing, muscles stay tight, and everyday activities can trigger a headache. The result is a pattern that feels different from the headaches you had before.
Most patients see steady improvement in the first three months. For those with pain lasting longer, targeted interventional care can calm the nervous system and help the recovery process along.
Post-concussion headaches blend features of several headache types. Finding the pattern guides the treatment plan.
We use a multimodal plan that calms the nerves, releases the muscles, and supports the rest of your recovery team.
A quick injection at the base of the skull that calms the occipital nerves often aggravated by whiplash and concussion. A good early step in the plan.
Targeted injections into tight neck, shoulder, and upper back muscles that keep pain signals active after the original injury has healed.
A non-invasive nasal procedure that quiets autonomic nerves often stirred up after a concussion. Useful for patients with headaches plus light and sound sensitivity.
When upper neck joints are contributing to the headache, blocking the nerves that supply them can reduce both neck pain and head pain.
Call us urgently for worsening headache after a concussion, repeated vomiting, new weakness, confusion, or seizure. These can signal a more serious injury that needs imaging right away.
Most post-concussion headaches improve within three months. If yours is dragging past that window, or is severe enough to disrupt work or daily life, it is worth a specialist visit.
Yes, and we usually coordinate with your neurology team. Interventional treatments aimed at the nerves and muscles pair well with the cognitive, vestibular, and rehab work handled by your other providers.
No. Most patients find they can progress through return-to-play or return-to-work protocols more comfortably once the headache pain is under control.