Headaches due to possible rectified cervical lordosis and sinus congestion.

Dear Ask The Doctor: I have had a constant, dull, achy headache since May of 2011. It is the worst when I wake in the morning and I usually have a sinus congestion first thing in the morning as well. Different parts of my head ache depending on how I am laying. I had a deviated septum fixed in Nov of 2011 that was supposed to fix it but did not. I have taken two rounds of different antibiotics for sinus infection, didn't help. I had a sinus CT and a brain MRI that both showed nothing irregular. Currently, I have been seeing a chiropractor for cervical subluxations and loss of arc in my neck, three times a week for the first month now into the second month I am going once a week and the adjustments are not helping only making me more sore. Now I am considering going gluten-free to see if maybe that is it. My question is: What could be causing these headaches? I would just love some relief as soon as possible. Advil and ibuprofen seem to help but I would rather fix the cause. I am not sensitive to light. Thank you.

Dear Sierra: Certainly you have more than one factor that may be producing the headaches that you described meaning, chronic sinusitis and cervical spine problems. These two issues must be addressed by the corresponding specialist: ENT and spine surgeon. A normal, healthy neck has a small lordosis (arc of your neck). In fact, all areas of the spine have curves that, together, help keep the body balanced. To keep the normal curve in the neck all the cervical structures must be strong. If your neck no longer has the natural curve, this means that the bones of your neck are pressing in areas that are not normal and thus you may have pain: headache and neck pain. Also would be important re evaluate the septoplasty and see if the previous problem was corrected indeed.