Treating Your Headaches: Is It from the Neck?

Are you used to having headaches and a stiff neck? Are the muscles underneath the base of your skull constantly aching and tender when you poke them? Let’s look into how neck pain and headaches can be connected!

Cervicogenic headaches (aka headaches sourced from neck structures) make up a fair number of headaches, roughly 15-20% in our literature. While tension headaches and migraines can overlap with some of these pains, I think it’s helpful for my patients when we identify a couple key patterns that suggest some role of the neck in their headaches. 

Things I look for:

• Generally one-sided headache to neck pain, especially looping over the ear

• Headaches related to specific neck moves or to sustained postures

• Tender suboccipital muscles (under base of the skull)

• Limited upper neck rotation during one of the tests I use in my exam

  
  

What treatments do I like to bust out in this case?

• Upper Cervical Manipulations: A quick and safe way to provide a window of relief to improve range of motion while we do exercises.

• Neck Mobilizations: A combo of hands-on distraction and other neck stretches to get everything pumping around.

• Neck Rotations: This is a great way to mobilize the upper neck into rotation daily.

  
  

Seeing some changes but still want a more individualized approach to your rehab? Looking for physical therapists in Long Beach who understand what it takes to make fitness a daily part of your life? If you want to learn how to take control with some expert guidance and treatments to optimize your performance and longevity, then that’s exactly what we provide at Zenith Performance Physical Therapy. Call or text us at 562-502-1767 to schedule a free phone consultation and come in for an evaluation! 

Thomas Bilodeau, PT DPT, USAW-L1

Zenith Performance Physical Therapy 

ICE Certified Specialist: Orthopedics, Fitness Athlete, Older Adult