Why Am I Getting Headaches From My Neck?
You know the feeling.
A dull ache starts at the base of your skull. Your neck feels tight. The discomfort gradually travels up the back of your head, towards your temple or sometimes behind one eye.
You take a painkiller. It settles for a while.
Then a few days later, it’s back.
Perhaps you’ve noticed it happens after a long day at your desk, after spending too much time looking down at your phone, following a poor night’s sleep, or during a particularly stressful week.
So, can headaches really come from your neck?
Yes — in some cases, they can.
A cervicogenic headache is a type of headache associated with a problem or dysfunction in the neck, where the source of the pain is in the cervical structures but the pain is felt in the head. The relationship between the neck and head is complex, which is why identifying the source of a headache isn’t always straightforward. (ICHD)
At Family Osteopathy in Hammersmith, we regularly assess people experiencing headaches alongside neck pain, stiffness or restricted movement.
In this article, we’ll explain what a cervicogenic headache is, what can contribute to headaches coming from the neck, what symptoms to look out for, and how an osteopathic assessment may help.
What Is a Cervicogenic Headache?
A cervicogenic headache is a headache that is attributed to a problem within the neck, usually involving structures such as the upper cervical joints or surrounding soft tissues.
The pain is felt in the head, even though the source is lower down in the neck.
This is partly explained by the way sensory information from the upper neck and head is processed within the nervous system. Because these structures share pathways involved in pain processing, the brain can interpret pain arising from the neck as pain in the head.
In simple terms, the problem may be in your neck, but the pain can be felt in your head.
However, it’s important not to assume that every headache accompanied by neck tension is cervicogenic. Migraine, tension-type headache and other types of headache can also involve neck discomfort, and some headaches require medical assessment rather than manual therapy. (ICHD)
That’s why a proper assessment matters.
What Does a Headache From Your Neck Feel Like?
Cervicogenic headaches can vary from person to person, but there are some patterns that may suggest the neck is contributing to your symptoms.
You may notice:
Pain beginning around the base of your skull or upper neck
Pain travelling from the back of your head towards the forehead or temple
Pain predominantly affecting one side
Neck stiffness or reduced neck movement
Headache symptoms that change with certain neck movements or positions
Tenderness around the upper neck or base of the skull
Headaches that can be reproduced or aggravated by movement or pressure around the neck
Shoulder or upper back discomfort alongside the headache
One feature that can be particularly relevant is whether your headache changes when you move your neck.
Reduced neck movement and headache provocation by neck movement are among the features considered when assessing whether a headache may be cervicogenic. However, these features aren’t exclusive to cervicogenic headache, so they shouldn’t be used to self-diagnose the condition. (ICHD)
What Causes Headaches From the Neck?
There isn’t always one single cause.
The neck is influenced by your posture, movement, previous injuries, physical activity, sleep, stress and the demands you place on it every day.
Some common contributing factors include:
1. Spending Long Hours at a Desk
If you spend much of your day sitting at a computer, your neck may remain in the same position for hours at a time.
It’s not necessarily that your posture is simply “bad”. More often, the issue is how long you stay in one position without moving.
Long periods of static desk work can contribute to neck stiffness and muscular discomfort, which may be relevant for some people experiencing headaches.
2. Looking Down at Your Phone
We spend an enormous amount of time looking at phones and tablets.
If you’re regularly holding your phone low and keeping your head tilted down for extended periods, the muscles around your neck and upper back are working continuously to support that position.
Again, the solution isn’t necessarily to have “perfect posture”.
It’s about varying your position and giving your body opportunities to move.
3. Neck and Shoulder Muscle Tension
Stress, fatigue, prolonged sitting and repetitive activities can all contribute to increased tension around the neck and shoulders.
For some people, this muscular discomfort may form part of a broader headache pattern.
However, cervical muscle tenderness on its own doesn’t prove that a headache is coming from the neck. The relationship between neck pain, muscular tension and headache can be complicated. (ICHD)
4. Previous Neck Injury or Whiplash
A previous road traffic accident, sporting injury or other neck injury can sometimes be relevant to recurring neck pain and headaches.
If your headaches began following an injury — particularly a significant head or neck injury — it’s important that the injury is appropriately assessed rather than simply treating the muscles around it.
5. Sleep Position
Have you ever woken up with a stiff neck and a headache?
Your sleeping position, pillow arrangement and the amount of time you spend in one position overnight can all influence how your neck feels in the morning.
If morning headaches and neck stiffness are a regular occurrence, it’s worth looking at your overall sleep setup as part of the bigger picture.
6. Stress
Stress doesn’t just affect how you feel mentally.
It can also change how you hold your body.
You may notice yourself unconsciously raising your shoulders, clenching your jaw or tightening your neck during stressful periods.
Over time, this can contribute to neck discomfort and may be relevant to some headache patterns.
7. Jaw Tension and TMJ Problems
The jaw and upper neck are closely connected through their muscles, joints and nervous system.
If you regularly clench or grind your teeth, experience jaw pain or have symptoms associated with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), this may be relevant when assessing headaches.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that your jaw is causing your headache, but it’s an important part of the overall picture.
Neck Headaches vs Migraine: What’s the Difference?
This is where things can become confusing.
Cervicogenic headaches and migraines are different types of headache, but they can share some features.
For example, some people with cervicogenic headache may experience nausea or sensitivity to light, although these symptoms tend to be less prominent than they are with migraine. (ICHD)
A headache that begins around the neck and changes with neck movement may suggest a cervical contribution, but you shouldn’t try to diagnose the type of headache based on symptoms alone.
If your headaches are frequent, severe, changing or interfering with your everyday life, it’s worth discussing them with an appropriate healthcare professional.
When Should You Seek Medical Assessment for a Headache?
Most headaches aren’t caused by something serious.
But some headaches require prompt medical assessment.
Seek urgent medical attention if you experience a sudden, extremely severe headache that reaches maximum intensity within minutes, particularly if this is unlike anything you’ve experienced before.
You should also seek medical assessment for headaches associated with symptoms such as:
New weakness, numbness or other neurological changes
New confusion or changes in consciousness
Significant changes in your vision
Fever and a stiff neck
A recent significant head injury
Headaches triggered by coughing, sneezing or exertion
Headaches that change significantly with posture
A substantial change in the usual pattern of your headaches
A headache that is progressively worsening
NICE recommends considering further investigation or referral when headaches present with a number of these features. (Nice)
If you’re worried about your symptoms, don’t wait for an osteopathic appointment to seek medical advice.
An osteopathic assessment is not a substitute for medical investigation when red flags are present.
How Can Osteopathy Help With Neck-Related Headaches?
The first step isn’t treatment.
It’s understanding what’s happening.
A Thorough Assessment
At Family Osteopathy, we’ll start by asking questions about your headaches.
We’ll want to understand:
Where your headache starts
Where the pain travels
How often it happens
How long it lasts
What seems to trigger it
Whether neck movement changes your symptoms
Whether you’ve had any previous neck injuries
How your symptoms affect work, exercise and everyday life
What you’ve already tried
We’ll then assess relevant areas of your musculoskeletal system, which may include your neck, upper back, shoulders and jaw depending on your symptoms.
The aim is to understand whether there is a musculoskeletal contribution to your headaches and whether osteopathic care is appropriate.
Hands-On Treatment
If osteopathic treatment is appropriate, techniques may include:
Soft tissue techniques
Gentle joint mobilisation
Myofascial techniques
Stretching techniques
Muscle energy techniques
Other appropriate manual techniques based on your individual assessment
Manipulation may be considered in some circumstances, but it isn’t something everyone needs.
Your treatment should be individual to you — not dictated by a particular technique.
Looking Beyond the Neck
We also want to understand what might be contributing to your symptoms outside the treatment room.
That might include:
Your workstation setup
How much time you spend sitting
Your phone habits
Your exercise routine
Sleep position
Stress and recovery
Jaw clenching
Previous injuries
Sometimes the most useful change isn’t something we do to you.
It’s something we help you change in your everyday routine.
What Can You Do at Home?
If you’re experiencing recurring headaches alongside neck stiffness, there are some simple things you can try.
Move Regularly
If you work at a desk, avoid staying in exactly the same position for hours at a time.
Stand up. Walk around. Change your position. Move your neck and upper back comfortably.
You don’t need to wait until your neck hurts before moving.
Check Your Screen Position
Your monitor should be positioned so that you aren’t constantly looking down.
But don’t become obsessed with finding the “perfect” posture.
The best posture is often your next posture.
Regular movement and variation are generally more useful than trying to hold yourself rigidly in one ideal position all day.
Bring Your Phone Up
If you spend a lot of time scrolling, try bringing your phone closer to eye level rather than keeping your head tilted down for prolonged periods.
Even better: put the phone down occasionally.
Your neck will probably appreciate the break.
Consider Your Pillow
If you regularly wake up with both neck stiffness and a headache, consider whether your pillow is comfortable and appropriately supportive for your usual sleeping position.
There’s no universally perfect pillow height — comfort and maintaining a comfortable, neutral position matter more than finding a particular “magic” pillow.
Notice Stress-Related Tension
Pay attention to what happens to your shoulders and jaw when you’re stressed.
Do you clench your teeth?
Do your shoulders creep towards your ears?
Do you hold your breath?
Simply becoming aware of these habits can be a useful first step.
How Long Does It Take for a Neck-Related Headache to Improve?
There’s no single timeline.
Some people may notice changes relatively quickly, while headaches that have been recurring for months or years may require a more gradual approach.
Rather than promising a particular number of sessions, we’d rather assess your individual situation and monitor how you’re responding.
If osteopathic treatment is appropriate, your plan may involve a combination of hands-on treatment, movement advice and exercises or self-management strategies.
The aim is not simply to chase the headache every time it appears.
It’s to understand the pattern and help you develop better ways of managing it.
Can an Osteopath Treat Headaches?
An osteopath can assess and treat musculoskeletal factors that may be contributing to some headaches, including headaches associated with the neck.
But not every headache is a neck problem.
That’s an important distinction.
Migraine, cluster headache, medication-overuse headache and other primary or secondary headache disorders require different approaches.
At Family Osteopathy, our role is to assess whether your symptoms appear appropriate for osteopathic care and, where they aren’t, recommend that you seek the appropriate medical assessment.
Getting to the Root of Your Headaches
If your headaches regularly seem to come with neck pain, stiffness or restricted movement, it’s worth looking at the relationship between the two.
That doesn’t automatically mean your neck is the cause.
But it may be an important part of the picture.
At Family Osteopathy in Hammersmith, we take the time to understand your symptoms rather than simply treating the area that hurts.
We’ll assess your neck and relevant surrounding areas, talk through what we’ve found and explain whether osteopathic treatment is appropriate for you.
If we think you need further medical investigation or another type of care, we’ll tell you.
Because good healthcare isn’t about treating everyone the same way.
It’s about finding the right approach for you.
Experiencing Headaches and Neck Pain in Hammersmith?
If you’re experiencing recurring headaches alongside neck pain or stiffness and would like to understand whether your neck may be contributing, you can book an appointment with Family Osteopathy in Hammersmith for an assessment.
We’ll start by listening, assessing and understanding what’s going on — then we’ll work with you to decide on the most appropriate next step.
