Not every headache starts in your head. A large number of the headaches we see at our Richmond and Bundoora clinics are actually driven by tension in the muscles and joints of the neck — a pattern often called a cervicogenic or tension-type headache.
The good news is that neck-related headaches tend to follow recognisable patterns, and they often respond well when the neck itself is treated.
How a tight neck causes a headache
The muscles at the base of your skull, along the sides of your neck and across the tops of your shoulders all share nerve connections with the head. When these muscles become overloaded or the small joints of the upper neck stiffen, pain can be felt in the head itself — often behind the eye, across the forehead or in a band around the skull.
Common triggers include long hours at a desk or on a phone, clenching your jaw under stress, poor sleep positions, and suddenly increasing your training load.
Signs your headache may be coming from your neck
- Pain that starts at the base of the skull or top of the neck and spreads forwards
- Headache on one side more than the other
- Neck stiffness or reduced ability to turn your head
- Pain that builds through the workday rather than appearing suddenly
- Tender, tight spots you can press on in the neck or shoulders
- Headache that eases with heat, movement or massage
If several of these sound familiar, there's a reasonable chance your neck is involved. That said, any headache that is sudden, severe, worsening, or comes with symptoms like vision changes, weakness or fever should be checked by a doctor promptly.
What you can do at home
- Take regular movement breaks — stand and move every 30 to 45 minutes
- Try gentle chin tucks: draw your head straight back, hold 5 seconds, repeat 10 times
- Apply gentle heat to the neck and shoulders for 10 to 15 minutes
- Check your screen height so the top of the monitor is near eye level
- Review your pillow — your neck should rest in a neutral position, not propped or kinked
- Stay hydrated and keep caffeine and alcohol intake moderate
When self-care isn't enough
Stretching and ergonomics help, but when neck joints have stiffened and muscles have been guarding for weeks or months, hands-on treatment is often what settles things down.
Chiropractic care restores movement to stiff neck joints, while remedial massage releases the overloaded muscles that refer pain into the head. At Uprise Health our chiropractors and massage therapists work together in the same clinics, so your practitioner can recommend the right combination for your presentation — and give you exercises specific to you, not a generic printout.
If headaches are becoming a regular part of your week, it's worth getting assessed. Book online at our Richmond or Bundoora clinic, or call the team to talk through your symptoms first.