Dry Needling for Cervicogenic Headaches in Columbia, SC

At Vertex PT Specialists in Columbia, SC, we work with patients who suffer from persistent neck pain and headaches that haven’t improved with traditional approaches. One of the most effective treatment options we offer is dry needling, particularly targeting a deep muscle called the Obliquus Capitis Inferior (OCI).

What Is the OCI and Why Does It Matter?

The OCI is one of the suboccipital muscles located at the base of your skull. When this muscle becomes tight or irritated, it can compress the suboccipital nerve and contribute to a type of headache called a cervicogenic headache. These headaches often start in the neck and wrap around the head, radiating into the temple, jaw, behind the eye, or even into the teeth.

This happens due to referral patterns into the trigeminocervical nucleus, a key structure where upper cervical nerves and cranial nerves (like CN V, VII, IX, X, XI, and cervical nerves C1–C2) converge. Tension in the OCI can light up this system and result in persistent, often misunderstood head pain.

How Dry Needling Helps

Dry needling is a targeted manual therapy technique used by our Doctors of Physical Therapy to release tension in deep muscular structures. When applied to the OCI, dry needling can:

• Decrease pressure on the suboccipital nerve
• Improve upper cervical mobility
• Reduce neural irritation to the trigeminocervical complex
• Provide long-term relief from cervicogenic headaches

Watch the Technique

Below is a demonstration of dry needling the OCI, performed by Dr. Brandon Vaughn, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS. This technique is performed with precision and care to target the deep suboccipital region effectively and safely.

Serving Columbia and the Surrounding Areas

Vertex PT Specialists provides physical therapy services including dry needling for cervicogenic headaches across Columbia, Cayce-West Columbia, Lexington, and Cayce, SC. If you’ve been dealing with chronic headaches and haven’t found relief, we encourage you to reach out.

Contact Us

Reach out to us today to schedule your evaluation with one of our licensed Doctors of Physical Therapy Let us help you get to the root cause of your headaches and build a path forward.