Where do headaches start? It sounds like a trick question, but the answer is actually more complicated than you realize. Though the pain hangs around your head, that doesn’t mean your head is actually to blame. In many cases, your neck is the culprit.
And because neck-related headaches can mimic other types of headaches, they can go undiagnosed for a long time — until you meet with Dr. David Wu and our team at CurePain.
We specialize in getting to the bottom of a wide range of pain conditions, including headaches (no matter where they come from), and setting you on a customized path to relief.
Here’s a closer look at what it means when your head pain stems from a neck issue.
A neck-related headache (also called a cervicogenic headache) occurs when structures in the neck send pain signals that your brain perceives as head pain.
Your cervical spine contains joints, muscles, discs, ligaments, and nerves that all work together to support movement and stability. When one or more of those structures becomes irritated, inflamed, or injured, pain can travel upward into your head.
Unlike migraines, which originate from neurological processes in the brain, cervicogenic headaches originate in the neck and radiate to the head.
Many of our headache patients are surprised to learn that what they thought was a headache problem is actually an underlying neck issue.
Several conditions can trigger headaches that originate in the cervical spine.
One common cause is arthritis in the neck’s facet joints. These small joints help guide movement between the vertebrae. As they become irritated or degenerate with age, they can generate pain that radiates into the head.
Disc degeneration, muscle tension, whiplash injuries, poor posture, and nerve irritation can also contribute to cervicogenic headaches.
In today’s world, prolonged screen time has become another major factor. Hours spent looking down at phones or working at computers can place significant stress on the muscles and joints in your neck.
Over time, that strain can translate into recurring headaches.
Fortunately, cervicogenic headaches often have a “tell” — some symptom that sets them apart from a typical headache and alerts us to a neck problem. The pain usually:
You may also notice a reduced range of motion in your neck or tenderness around the base of your skull. Because symptoms can overlap with migraines and tension headaches, a thorough evaluation with Dr. Wu is crucial.
Occasional headaches happen to almost everyone, but (regardless of what’s actually causing them) you shouldn’t ignore headaches that:
Persistent symptoms may indicate an underlying condition that requires treatment.
The longer the neck dysfunction continues, the more likely surrounding muscles and joints become involved, potentially creating a cycle of chronic pain.
The best treatment depends on the underlying cause of your symptoms, your health status, and other important factors. If you have cervicogenic headaches, you’ll likely benefit from a combination of:
At CurePain, the goal isn’t simply to mask symptoms — it’s to address the source of the pain.
If recurring headaches are interfering with your quality of life, an evaluation with our pain management specialist can help determine whether the problem is actually starting in your neck and help you get the treatment you need.
Get started with your pain relief journey by calling our friendly staff or using our online booking tool to schedule a consultation.
