Neck Pain and Headaches: Why They're Connected
If you've ever had a headache that seemed to start in your neck, you're not imagining things.
In fact, some headaches don't actually originate in the head at all.
They originate in the neck.
This is one of the most common conditions I treat at Modern Movement Physical Therapy in Scottsdale, and it's also one of the most misunderstood.
Many people spend months treating the headache itself while never addressing the source of the problem.
The result is a cycle of temporary relief followed by recurring symptoms.
Sound familiar?
How can your neck cause headaches?
The muscles, joints, and nerves in your upper cervical spine are closely connected to the areas of the brain that process headache pain.
When those structures become irritated, stiff, or overly sensitive, pain can be referred into the head.
This is often referred to as a cervicogenic headache.
Patients commonly describe:
Pain that starts at the base of the skull
Tightness in the neck and shoulders
Headaches that worsen after sitting or working
Pain behind the eyes
Reduced neck mobility
Sometimes people are surprised when I start evaluating their neck when they came in complaining about headaches.
By the end of the evaluation, it usually makes a lot more sense.
What causes these headaches?
There isn't always one single cause.
In Scottsdale and Phoenix, I frequently see these headaches in people who spend long hours working at a computer, driving, looking down at their phone, or dealing with high levels of stress.
Common contributors include:
Poor posture
Stiff cervical joints
Tight upper trapezius muscles
Weak deep neck stabilizers
Limited thoracic mobility
Often it's a combination of several factors rather than one isolated problem.
What does the research say?
Research published in The Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT) has consistently shown that manual therapy combined with exercise is one of the most effective treatment approaches for cervicogenic headaches.
Studies have demonstrated improvements in headache frequency, intensity, and overall quality of life when the underlying neck dysfunction is addressed.
In other words, treating the source works better than simply chasing symptoms.
How I treat neck pain and headaches
One of the reasons I enjoy treating these cases is because people often improve relatively quickly.
Treatment depends on the individual, but frequently includes:
Dry needling
Cervical mobilization
Spinal manipulation
Soft tissue treatment
Postural correction
Mobility exercises
Strengthening of the deep neck flexors
A common example would be someone who sits at a desk all day and develops chronic neck tension.
Their upper traps become overworked, their cervical spine loses mobility, and headaches become more frequent.
In those situations, dry needling can be extremely effective for reducing muscle tension while manual therapy helps restore movement.
From there, we reinforce the changes with exercises that improve posture and neck stability.
The goal isn't just getting rid of today's headache.
It's preventing next month's headache.
When should you see a physical therapist?
If you're consistently dealing with headaches and neck pain, it's worth getting evaluated.
Too many people assume headaches are simply something they have to live with.
In many cases, they're not.
If the neck is contributing to the problem, physical therapy can often make a significant difference.
The sooner we identify what's driving the symptoms, the sooner we can start addressing it.
The bottom line
Not all headaches come from the neck—but many do.
If you've been dealing with recurring headaches, stiffness, or tension that never seems to fully go away, your neck may be playing a larger role than you realize.
At Modern Movement Physical Therapy in Scottsdale, I frequently help patients address the underlying causes of these symptoms through a combination of manual therapy, dry needling, exercise, and movement correction.
Because getting rid of the headache is great.
Keeping it from coming back is even better.
Take good care of your body, it's the only one you have.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Price