It often starts halfway through the day.
Your neck feels a little stiff after a morning at the computer, so you roll your shoulders, stretch from side to side and carry on. A few hours later, there’s a dull ache at the base of your skull. By late afternoon, that ache has travelled upwards, and suddenly you’re dealing with a headache as well as a sore neck.
Naturally, you reach for the obvious explanation. Perhaps you’re tired. Maybe you haven’t had enough water. Perhaps it’s simply “one of those headaches.”
But what if the headache and your neck pain aren’t two separate problems?
If you’ve ever wondered, can neck pain cause headaches?, the answer is yes. Certain headaches can originate from structures in the neck, and understanding that connection can make an enormous difference to how the problem is managed.
At Goddard Chiropractic, we regularly meet people who have been focusing on their headaches without realising their neck may be an important part of the story. If neck discomfort has become a regular part of your day, you can read more about our Neck Pain treatment
Why Can Neck Pain Cause Headaches?
Your head and neck don’t operate as separate pieces of machinery. The joints, muscles and nerves of the upper neck have close neurological connections with areas involved in head pain. When structures in the neck become irritated or aren’t moving comfortably, pain can sometimes be felt in the head or in the neck itself.
This type of headache is often described as a cervicogenic headache, meaning that the source of the pain is in the cervical spine, or neck.
For some people, a headache related to neck pain develops after hours spent at a desk. For others, symptoms may follow an old whiplash injury, poor sleeping position or a period of unusual physical activity. Sometimes there isn’t one memorable event at all; stiffness and discomfort have simply accumulated gradually.
That’s why asking “can headaches be caused by neck pain?” is useful, but the next question is even more important: what is causing the neck problem in the first place?
What Does a Headache From Neck Pain Feel Like?
Not every headache that occurs alongside neck discomfort originates from the neck. Migraines, tension-type headaches and other conditions can produce overlapping symptoms, so an appropriate assessment matters.
However, a headache from neck pain can have some recognisable features. You may notice:
- Pain beginning around the neck or base of the skull before travelling upwards
- Headache that is more noticeable on one side
- Reduced or uncomfortable neck movement
- Pain triggered or aggravated by certain neck positions
- Tightness through the shoulders and upper back
- Headaches after prolonged desk work or driving
- Tenderness around the upper neck
- Symptoms that repeatedly appear alongside neck stiffness
Some people describe the experience as a heavy, persistent ache rather than the throbbing sensation they associate with a migraine.
If you’re regularly experiencing both neck pain and headache, it’s worth looking at the two symptoms together rather than automatically treating them as unrelated problems.
The Desk-Work Headache Is More Common Than You Might Think
Picture a fairly ordinary working day. You open your laptop at nine, answer emails, join a few meetings and suddenly realise it’s lunchtime. Apart from making coffee, you’ve barely moved for three hours.
By mid-afternoon, your head has gradually drifted forwards towards the screen. Your shoulders have rounded and the muscles at the back of your neck have been working continuously to support the weight of your head.
Then the headache appears.
This doesn’t mean posture is responsible for every headache, and there isn’t one “perfect” posture everyone needs to maintain. The problem is often spending too long in any one position without enough movement.
Regular movement breaks, adjusting your workstation and changing position throughout the day can therefore be surprisingly important parts of managing a painful neck headache.
Can a Headache Cause Neck Pain Too?
Here’s where things become a little more complicated.
People often ask, can a headache cause neck pain? The answer can also be yes. Neck discomfort is commonly reported during some types of headache, including migraine. In other words, sometimes the neck contributes to the headache, and sometimes neck discomfort is part of the headache condition itself.
That’s one reason self-diagnosing based on symptoms alone can be difficult.
For example, neck pain with migraine headache may involve neck stiffness or tenderness, but that doesn’t automatically mean a problem in the neck caused the migraine. A careful history and examination can help distinguish between different patterns and determine whether treatment directed towards the neck is likely to be useful.
Can Neck Pain Cause Dizziness?
Another question we frequently hear is, can neck pain cause dizziness?
Some people experience dizziness or a sense of unsteadiness alongside neck symptoms, particularly following neck injuries. However, dizziness has many possible causes, including inner-ear problems, medication effects, blood pressure changes and neurological conditions.
For that reason, dizziness shouldn’t automatically be attributed to the neck.
If dizziness is new, severe, persistent or accompanied by symptoms such as weakness, difficulty speaking, fainting, vision changes or problems walking, seek prompt medical assessment.
Why the Upper Back and Shoulders Matter Too
The neck doesn’t work alone. Its movement is closely connected to the shoulders, upper back and the way you hold yourself during everyday activities.
Someone experiencing neck and back pain, for example, may have stiffness through the upper spine that changes how freely the neck moves. Another person may have significant muscle tension around the shoulders after long hours at a computer.
During an assessment, it can therefore be useful to look beyond the exact spot where the headache begins. Depending on your symptoms, this may include examining:
- Neck movement and joint function
- Upper-back mobility
- Shoulder movement
- Muscle tension and tenderness
- Posture and working habits
- Previous injuries or accidents
- Activities or positions that trigger your symptoms
The aim isn’t to find something “wrong” with every area. It’s to understand how the different pieces fit together.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help?
When a headache appears to be associated with problems in the neck, treatment should be based on what’s found during your assessment rather than applying the same approach to everyone.
At Goddard Chiropractic, this begins with a conversation. We want to know when your symptoms started, where the headache travels, what seems to trigger it and how it’s affecting everyday life. Your chiropractor can then assess your neck and surrounding areas to determine whether musculoskeletal factors may be contributing.
Depending on the findings, care may involve:
- Gentle chiropractic treatment or mobilisation where appropriate
- Soft tissue techniques for tight or sensitive muscles
- Exercises to improve neck and upper-back movement
- Advice about your workstation or daily habits
- Strategies for taking regular movement breaks
- Rehabilitation following an appropriate neck injury
If you’d like to understand more about how we work, read more about our Chiropractic Care service.
Treatment isn’t about simply “cracking the neck” and hoping the headache disappears. Good care starts with understanding the person behind the symptoms.
Small Changes Can Make a Surprisingly Big Difference
If your headaches tend to appear after long periods of sitting, driving or screen use, pay attention to what happens during the hours before the headache begins.
Do you spend most of the morning without leaving your chair? Are you constantly looking down at your phone between meetings? Is your screen positioned off to one side? Do you notice yourself clenching your jaw when you’re concentrating?
Small changes won’t resolve every headache due to neck pain, but they can reduce some of the everyday strain placed on your neck.
Try changing position regularly rather than searching for one perfect posture. Keep frequently used screens comfortably positioned, take short movement breaks during long working periods, and follow any exercises recommended specifically for you.
The key word is regularly. Ten minutes of stretching at the end of the day can’t always undo eight hours spent barely moving.
When Should a Headache Be Checked Urgently?
Most headaches aren’t a sign of something serious, but certain symptoms shouldn’t be ignored.
Seek urgent medical attention for a headache that is sudden and extremely severe, follows a significant head injury, or occurs alongside symptoms such as confusion, fainting, fever with severe neck stiffness, seizures, new weakness or numbness, difficulty speaking, significant vision changes or loss of coordination.
A new or substantially different headache should also be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional, particularly if you’re concerned about it.
Knowing when not to treat something as an ordinary musculoskeletal problem is just as important as knowing how to treat one.
Stop Treating Your Head and Neck as Separate Problems
Perhaps you’ve become used to the pattern by now. The neck tightens, the headache arrives, you get through the day and eventually it settles until the whole cycle begins again.
Recurring symptoms deserve a little more curiosity.
If you’re experiencing a regular neck pain headache, the answer may not be another afternoon spent rubbing your temples. Understanding what’s happening in your neck, how you move during the day and what consistently triggers your symptoms can provide a much clearer path forward.
At Goddard Chiropractic, our aim is to understand the whole picture before recommending care. If you’re looking for a chiropractor in Reading because neck pain and headaches are beginning to interfere with your work, sleep or everyday life, we’re here to help you understand what may be contributing and what you can do about it.
Because sometimes the most useful question isn’t simply, “How do I get rid of this headache?”
It’s, “Why does it keep starting?”
Frequently Asked Questions
Can neck pain cause headaches?
Yes. Problems involving the joints, muscles and other structures of the neck can contribute to certain headaches, particularly cervicogenic headaches. A professional assessment can help determine whether your neck is likely to be contributing to your symptoms.
Where does a headache related to neck pain usually hurt?
A headache related to neck pain may begin around the neck or base of the skull and travel towards the side, forehead or area around the eye. Symptoms vary, however, and headache location alone isn’t enough to identify the cause.
Can neck pain cause dizziness and headaches together?
Neck symptoms and dizziness can sometimes occur together, but dizziness has many possible causes. Persistent, severe or unexplained dizziness should be properly assessed rather than automatically assumed to originate from the neck.
Can migraines cause neck pain?
Yes. Neck discomfort and stiffness can occur as part of migraine, so neck pain with migraine headache doesn’t necessarily mean the neck caused the migraine. Distinguishing between migraine and a headache originating from the neck is important when deciding on treatment.
Can a chiropractor help with headaches caused by neck pain?
If musculoskeletal problems in the neck are contributing to a headache, chiropractic care may form part of an appropriate management plan. Your chiropractor should first assess your symptoms and determine whether chiropractic treatment is suitable for you.
When should I see someone about neck pain and headaches?
Consider arranging an assessment if your headaches repeatedly occur alongside neck pain, are becoming more frequent, or interfere with work, sleep or normal activities. Sudden, severe or unusual headaches particularly those accompanied by neurological symptoms, require prompt medical attention.
