Could Your Headache Be Coming From Your Neck?
Did You Know? Your Headache May Not Start in Your Head
If you experience frequent headaches, you may assume the problem starts inside your head. But for some people, headaches can be associated with neck pain, muscle tension, and restricted movement in the upper cervical spine.
The neck and upper back play an important role in supporting and positioning your head. When the joints and surrounding muscles aren't moving or functioning well, increased tension and irritation can develop throughout the area.
In some cases, this may contribute to headache symptoms - particularly headaches that seem to start around the neck, base of the skull, or back of the head.
How Can Neck Problems Contribute to Headaches?
Your cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae that support your head and allow your neck to move.
The upper portion of your cervical spine has a particularly close relationship with the muscles and tissues surrounding the base of your skull. When these joints become restricted or the surrounding muscles become excessively tense, it can affect how your head and neck move.
For some people, this may contribute to headache symptoms.
This is one reason we don't believe in simply focusing on the location where you feel pain. The source of a symptom and the location of the symptom aren't always the same.
Of course, headaches can have many different causes. Not every headache is related to the neck, which is why an individual evaluation is important.
Where Could the Tension or Irritation Be Coming From?
Several structures around your neck and upper back may play a role in headache-related symptoms.
Upper Cervical Spine
The upper cervical spine includes the joints closest to the base of your skull. These joints contribute to head and neck movement and work closely with the surrounding muscles.
Restricted movement or irritation in this area may contribute to increased muscular tension and altered movement patterns.
Suboccipital Muscles
The suboccipital muscles are a group of small muscles located beneath the base of the skull.
These muscles help control and stabilize the head. Spending long periods looking at a computer, phone, or other device can place sustained demands on the muscles surrounding the neck and skull.
When these muscles become tense or sensitive, they may contribute to discomfort around the base of the skull and neck.
Neck and Upper-Back Muscles
Your neck and upper-back muscles work together to support your head and shoulders.
Activities common to everyday life - including prolonged sitting, computer work, driving, repetitive movements, and looking down at a phone - can contribute to muscular tension.
Stress can also cause many people to unconsciously tighten their neck and shoulder muscles.
Connective Tissues
Muscles, joints, and connective tissues work together rather than functioning independently.
Restrictions or sensitivity in the soft tissues surrounding the neck and upper back may affect movement and contribute to muscular tension.
That's why our approach doesn't focus exclusively on the spine.
Why We Look Beyond the Headache
When you're experiencing a headache, it's natural to want the pain to stop as quickly as possible.
But if your headaches keep coming back, it can be helpful to look at the factors that may be contributing to them.
During an evaluation, we may assess:
Cervical spine mobility
Upper-back mobility
Neck and shoulder muscle tension
Soft-tissue restrictions
Posture and movement patterns
How your neck, shoulders, and upper back work together
Activities or habits that may be contributing to your symptoms
This bigger-picture approach can help determine whether the neck and surrounding tissues may be contributing to your headaches.
Chiropractic Care and Soft-Tissue Therapy for Headaches
Our approach combines chiropractic care with hands-on manual and soft-tissue therapy.
Chiropractic care may be used to address areas of restricted joint movement, while targeted soft-tissue techniques can address muscular tension and restrictions in the surrounding tissues.
Combining these approaches allows us to work with both the joints and the soft tissues rather than relying exclusively on adjustments.
Depending on the individual, this approach may help:
Improve joint mobility
Reduce muscular tension
Improve movement
Address soft-tissue restrictions
Support healthier movement patterns
Our goal isn't simply to chase the location of your pain.
We want to understand the bigger picture.
A Different Approach to Headache Relief
If you're searching for a chiropractor for headaches in Maui, you may be looking for more than a quick adjustment.
Our approach emphasizes a comprehensive evaluation and individualized treatment that can combine chiropractic care, manual therapy/soft-tissue work, and movement recommendations when appropriate.
Rather than assuming every headache has the same cause, we look at the individual.
Because your headache may be a symptom - not the source of the problem.
When Should You See a Chiropractor for Headaches?
Chiropractic evaluation may be worth considering if your headaches are:
Recurring or frequent
Associated with neck stiffness or tension
Beginning around the base of your skull
Associated with prolonged computer or phone use
Accompanied by upper-back or shoulder tension
Interfering with work, exercise, sleep, or daily activities
However, chiropractic care isn't appropriate for every type of headache.
A new, sudden, severe, or unusual headache should be medically evaluated. Seek urgent medical attention for a severe headache accompanied by symptoms such as weakness, confusion, fainting, significant vision changes, difficulty speaking, fever, or other concerning neurological symptoms.
If headaches are affecting your quality of life, you don't have to simply accept them as something you have to live with.
Understanding why your symptoms may be occurring is an important first step.
Dr. Fortune’s approach combines chiropractic care with targeted soft-tissue manual therapy to address the joints, muscles, and movement patterns that may be contributing to your discomfort.
If you're experiencing recurring headaches or headaches associated with neck tension, contact our office to schedule an evaluation.
Let's take a closer look at what's contributing to your symptoms and determine whether our approach may be appropriate for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a chiropractor help with headaches?
Some headaches may be associated with musculoskeletal factors such as neck pain, restricted cervical movement, and muscular tension. Chiropractic care may be appropriate for some people depending on the type and cause of their headaches. A proper evaluation is important because headaches can have many different causes.
Can neck tension cause headaches?
Neck tension may contribute to certain types of headaches. Muscles and joints in the upper cervical region have close relationships with structures involved in head and neck movement. When these tissues become irritated or excessively tense, they may contribute to headache symptoms.
What is the best treatment for headaches?
There isn't one treatment that is best for every headache. Treatment depends on the type, cause, severity, and individual circumstances. For headaches associated with musculoskeletal factors, an approach that addresses both joint mobility and surrounding soft-tissue tension may be appropriate.
Can soft-tissue therapy help with headaches?
For some people, targeted soft-tissue therapy may help address muscular tension and restricted movement in the neck and upper back. It may be particularly useful when combined with an individualized assessment and other appropriate treatments.
Should I see a chiropractor for a headache?
It depends on the type and cause of the headache, and the style of the chiropractor. If your headaches are recurring or associated with neck stiffness and muscular tension, a chiropractic evaluation may be appropriate. However, sudden, severe, unusual, or rapidly worsening headaches should be medically evaluated.
Where can I find a headache chiropractor in Kihei?
Right here at Fortune Chiropractic.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any specific medical condition. Headaches can have many causes. Always seek appropriate medical evaluation for new, severe, unusual, or concerning symptoms.
