Why Your Neck Pain Causes Headaches and What Helps

Why Your Neck Pain Causes Headaches and What Helps

Headaches are incredibly common. Most people will experience headaches at some point in their lives, and for many people they become a recurring issue that affects work, sleep, exercise, concentration, and daily life.

Some headaches are primarily neurological, such as migraines. Others are more closely related to tension, neck irritation, jaw tension, posture, stress, sleep, or prolonged positions. In many cases, the neck is an important and often overlooked contributor.

This is especially common in people who:

  • spend long hours at a computer
  • work at a desk or drive frequently
  • carry tension through the neck and shoulders
  • experience stress or poor sleep
  • have a history of whiplash or neck injury
  • clench their jaw or grind their teeth
  • notice headaches that worsen with neck stiffness or prolonged sitting

Not all headaches come from the neck, but certain types of headaches respond very well to physiotherapy, especially when the neck, muscles, posture, or movement patterns are involved.

At Avenue Physio, we assess how the neck, jaw, shoulders, posture, breathing, and movement patterns may be contributing to headaches through our TMJ physiotherapy and neck pain physiotherapy assessments.

How the Neck Can Cause Headaches

how headaches can be related to neck pain

The neck plays an important role in many headaches. Structures in the upper cervical spine, including joints, muscles, and nerves, can all contribute to pain felt in the head, temples, forehead, jaw, or behind the eyes.

The upper neck has strong neurological and mechanical connections with the head, jaw, and face. Joints, muscles, and nerves in the upper cervical spine can all refer pain into the head.

Because these areas share overlapping nerve pathways, irritation in the neck can sometimes be felt as:

  • headaches at the base of the skull
  • temple pain
  • pressure behind the eyes
  • forehead pain
  • pain around the jaw or ear
  • tension through the scalp or face

This is one reason neck-related headaches can sometimes feel confusing. The source of the pain may be in the neck even though the symptoms are felt in the head.

Upper Neck Joints Can Refer Pain

Small joints in the upper neck, called facet joints, help guide movement and provide stability. The upper cervical joints, particularly around C1-C3, have strong connections with the nerves that supply the head and face.

When these joints become stiff, irritated, or sensitive, they can refer pain into the head.

Some people feel this as:

  • pain at the base of the skull
  • headaches that travel toward the temple
  • pain around or behind the eye
  • one-sided headaches
  • headaches associated with neck stiffness

These headaches are often aggravated by:

  • prolonged sitting
  • computer work
  • driving
  • sustained neck positions
  • poor sleep positions
  • previous neck injuries such as whiplash injuries

In some people, moving or holding the neck in certain positions can reproduce the headache.

Neck Muscles Can Refer Pain Too

how neck pain leads to headaches

Muscles in the neck and shoulders can also refer pain into the head. Tight or overloaded muscles may contribute to headaches, pressure around the temples, pain behind the eyes, or tension through the jaw and forehead.

Some common contributors include:

Suboccipital Muscles

These small muscles sit at the base of the skull and help control head position. When overloaded, they may contribute to:

  • headaches at the base of the skull
  • pressure behind the eyes
  • headaches that worsen with prolonged sitting or screen time

Upper Trapezius

The upper trapezius connects the neck and shoulder. Increased tension here may contribute to:

  • temple headaches
  • side-of-head pain
  • shoulder and neck tightness

Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)

The SCM runs along the front and side of the neck. When sensitive, it can sometimes refer pain into:

  • the forehead
  • around the eye
  • the temple
  • the jaw or ear region

Some people also notice dizziness or a sense of head pressure associated with tension in this area.

Levator Scapulae

This muscle connects the neck and shoulder blade. It commonly contributes to:

  • stiffness along the side of the neck
  • pain at the base of the skull
  • tension between the neck and shoulder

These muscles often become overloaded from prolonged sitting, stress, jaw clenching, shallow breathing, poor sleep, or long periods without movement variation.

Treatment may include manual therapy, IMS/dry needling, exercises, and movement retraining depending on what is contributing to your symptoms.

Stress, Posture, and Load Matter

Headaches are often influenced by the total load on the neck and surrounding muscles.

That load may come from:

  • long hours at a computer
  • prolonged sitting
  • stress-related muscle tension
  • jaw clenching
  • poor sleep
  • sustained driving
  • lack of movement during the day
  • upper back stiffness
  • holding tension through the shoulders and neck

This does not mean the pain is “just stress.” It means the neck and surrounding muscles may be spending too much time under load without enough recovery.

For many people, headaches build gradually throughout the day as the neck, shoulders, jaw, and upper back become increasingly tense or fatigued.

why neack pain can lead to headaches

Different Types of Headaches

There are many different types of headaches, and not all of them are treated the same way.

Tension-Type Headaches

Tension-type headaches are one of the most common headache types.

People often describe them as:

  • a dull ache
  • pressure around the head
  • tightness around the temples
  • heaviness in the forehead or scalp

Neck and shoulder tension commonly contribute to these headaches, and physiotherapy often helps when muscle tension, posture, or neck stiffness are part of the problem.

Cervicogenic Headaches

Cervicogenic headaches are headaches that come from structures in the neck.

These headaches are often:

  • one-sided
  • associated with neck pain or stiffness
  • aggravated by neck movement or sustained posture
  • felt around the base of the skull, temple, forehead, or eye

Cervicogenic headaches are also common after whiplash injuries and prolonged neck irritation.

Physiotherapy can be very effective for cervicogenic headaches because treatment focuses on the neck joints, muscles, mobility, posture, and movement control.

Migraine

Migraines are more neurological in nature and may involve:

  • throbbing pain
  • nausea
  • light sensitivity
  • sound sensitivity
  • visual symptoms

Physiotherapy is not a “cure” for migraine, but treatment may still help when neck tension, jaw tension, posture, or movement limitations are contributing to the overall picture.

When Medical Assessment Is Important

Seek medical attention promptly if you experience:

  • a sudden severe headache
  • new neurological symptoms
  • significant dizziness
  • weakness or numbness
  • fever
  • unexplained weight loss
  • changes in speech or vision
  • headaches after significant trauma
  • headaches that feel very different from usual

What Does Physiotherapy for Neck-Related Headaches Involve?

the connection between headaches and neck pain

A good physiotherapy assessment looks beyond just the painful area.

Your physiotherapist may assess:

  • upper neck mobility
  • neck range of motion
  • headache triggers
  • jaw tension or clenching
  • posture and head position
  • deep neck flexor control
  • upper back mobility
  • shoulder mechanics
  • breathing patterns
  • muscle tenderness and referral patterns

Treatment depends on what is contributing to your symptoms.

It may include:

  • manual therapy to the neck and upper back
  • IMS or dry needling when appropriate
  • exercises for deep neck control
  • mobility exercises
  • postural endurance work
  • breathing and relaxation strategies
  • education around headache triggers and load management

The goal is not simply to “fix posture.” The goal is to improve movement, reduce unnecessary strain, improve tolerance, and help the neck function more comfortably.

Why the Deep Neck Muscles Matter

neck pain and headaches connection

The deep muscles at the front of the neck help provide stability and control for the head and neck.

When these muscles are not providing enough support, larger muscles around the neck and shoulders may start working harder than they need to. Over time, this can contribute to tension, stiffness, fatigue, and headaches.

This is especially common in people who spend long hours sitting, working at a computer, driving, or carrying stress through the shoulders, jaw, and neck.

The Bottom Line

Not all headaches come from the neck, but the neck is often an overlooked contributor.

Upper neck joints, muscles, posture, jaw tension, stress, and sustained positions can all play a role in headaches. A good physiotherapy assessment helps determine whether the neck is contributing to your symptoms and what treatment approach is most appropriate.

If headaches are being influenced by neck tension, jaw clenching, posture, or upper cervical stiffness, physiotherapy may help.

Need Help With Neck Pain or Headaches?

At Avenue Physio, our physiotherapists assess the neck, jaw, posture, muscles, and movement patterns that may be contributing to headaches.

We take a one-on-one, whole-system approach to help you better understand your symptoms and build a clear treatment plan.

Book your assessment to get started.

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