Do you regularly experience headaches that seem to start around your neck or the back of your head?
Perhaps you spend long hours at a computer, work on your phone, drive for much of the day, or frequently wake up with a stiff neck and a headache.
You may have tried painkillers, massage or simply waited for the headache to go away—only for it to keep coming back.
In some people, the neck can be an important source of their headaches.
What Is a Cervicogenic Headache?
A cervicogenic headache is a headache that originates from structures in the neck but is felt in the head or face.
The joints, muscles and other tissues around the upper neck can refer pain into the back of the head, forehead, temples or around the eyes. This can make it difficult to know whether your headache is actually coming from your neck.
Could Your Neck Be Contributing to Your Headaches?
You may want to have your neck assessed if your headaches are associated with:
- Neck pain or stiffness
- Pain that starts at the back of your head and moves forward
- Headaches that become worse when you move your neck
- Headaches after prolonged computer or phone use
- Headaches associated with certain neck positions
- Tightness around your neck and shoulders
- Reduced ability to turn or move your neck comfortably
Some cervicogenic headaches occur mainly on one side, but symptoms can vary.
Why Might Your Neck Contribute to Headaches?
Your neck supports your head throughout the day.
Long periods of sitting, working at a computer, looking down at a phone, driving, repetitive activities or previous neck injuries can place additional stress on the muscles and joints around the neck.
For some people, this can contribute to headaches.
The problem isn’t necessarily simply “bad posture.” It may be the combination of prolonged positions, reduced movement, muscle tension and other individual factors contributing to your symptoms.
When Should You Seek Help?
Consider having your headaches assessed if they are persistent, recurrent, becoming more frequent, or interfering with your work, sleep or daily activities, particularly when they occur together with neck pain or stiffness.
However, not every headache should be treated as a neck problem.
Seek urgent medical attention if you experience a sudden, extremely severe headache, or a headache accompanied by significant weakness, difficulty speaking, confusion, loss of consciousness, new vision problems, fever with a stiff neck, or following a significant head injury.
What to Expect at Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Health Centre
At Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Health Centre, we don’t assume that every headache comes from the neck. Your first visit begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand your symptoms and determine what may be contributing to them.
Your assessment may include:
1. Understanding your symptoms
We discuss when the symptoms started, what makes them better or worse, your daily activities, previous injuries and other relevant symptoms.
2. Physical assessment
We assess your movement, strength, flexibility, posture and relevant neurological signs where appropriate.
3. Spine Scan
We use our spine scanning technology to assess areas of tension and imbalance around the muscles and nerves of the spine. This provides additional information alongside your clinical assessment and may help identify areas that could be contributing to your symptoms, including areas that may not yet be causing noticeable symptoms.
4. Identifying contributing factors
Your symptoms may be influenced by several factors, including prolonged sitting, phone or computer use, reduced strength, restricted movement, previous injury, work demands or other musculoskeletal problems.
5. Creating an appropriate treatment plan
Depending on the findings, treatment may include physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation, manual therapy, chiropractic care, education and advice on how to manage your symptoms and reduce factors that may be contributing to them.
Stop Treating the Headache Without Understanding the Cause
If your headaches keep coming back, you don’t have to simply keep taking painkillers and hoping they disappear.
Your neck may be contributing to your headaches—or there may be another explanation.
The first step is finding out.
Book an Assessment at Chiropactic & Physiotherapy Health Centre
If you’re experiencing persistent headaches, especially alongside neck pain or stiffness, book an assessment with our team and let us help you understand what’s behind your symptoms.
Persistent headaches deserve more than temporary relief.
Find the cause. Understand your options. Start feeling better.