What is the trigeminal cervical nucleus?
The trigeminal cervical nucleus (also referred to as the trigeminal cervical complex, or TCC) is a region in the brainstem where sensory signals from the trigeminal nerve (which innervates the face and head) and the upper cervical nerves (which innervate the neck) converge. This complex is key in processing pain signals from both the head and neck, which is why conditions affecting either region, such as headaches or neck pain, often feel interconnected. For instance, pain in the neck can be perceived as head pain and vice versa, a phenomenon known as referred pain. The TCC plays a central role in headaches like migraines and cervicogenic headaches. Research suggests that increased sensory input from the trigeminal nerve (associated with head structures) and cervical nerves (associated with neck structures) can activate this complex, leading to overlapping pain sensations. This convergence helps explain why migraines or tension headaches often include neck pain, and why certain neck issues can trigger headaches. For more detailed research on the topic, you can check the following sources: - [Frontiers in Neuroscience on referred pain and the TCC](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2018.00715/full ) [oai_citation:2,Frontiers | A Neuroscience Perspective of Physical Treatment of Headache and Neck Pain](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2019.00276/full ) - [Medicina's article on the neural basis of cervicogenic orofacial pain](https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/1/95 ) [oai_citation:1,Medicina | Free Full-Text | Neural Basis of Etiopathogenesis and Treatment of Cervicogenic Orofacial Pain](https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/58/10/1324 )