Headaches: A Pain in the Neck?

We’ve all experienced that dull, throbbing ache behind the eyes or at the base of the skull. Headaches are one of the most common health complaints in the world — affecting nearly everyone at some point — and they can range from mildly annoying to completely disabling. But what if your headaches aren’t just "in your head"? What if your neck and surrounding muscles are part of the problem?

A Common but Debilitating Issue

Headaches rank among the leading causes of lost work time and reduced quality of life worldwide. They can be deeply frustrating, especially when medication offers only partial relief. While migraines stem from neurological and vascular changes in the brain, two other common headache types — tension-type headaches and cervicogenic headaches — are often linked to muscle tension, joint stiffness, and posture.

Tension-Type and Cervicogenic Headaches: A Neck Connection

Tension-type headaches (TTH) are the most common headache subtype. They often feel like a tight band or pressure around the head and can be triggered by stress, fatigue, or — importantly — poor posture and muscle tension in the neck and shoulders.

Cervicogenic headaches, on the other hand, occur when dysfunction in the upper cervical spine refers pain to the head. These headaches frequently start at the base of the skull or behind one eye and worsen with certain neck movements or positions.

While their mechanisms differ slightly, both tension-type and cervicogenic headaches share one thing in common: they’re often rooted in the musculoskeletal system — and that means physical therapy can help.

Posture, Device Use, and "Text Neck"

Modern life doesn’t do our necks any favors. Hours spent looking down at phones, laptops, and tablets place enormous strain on the muscles and joints that support the head. This "text neck" posture can lead to tightness, fatigue, and stiffness that contribute to headache symptoms over time.

Simple changes can make a big difference:

• Keep screens at eye level
• Take frequent movement breaks
• Strengthen postural and neck stabilizer muscles

How Physical Therapy Can Help

Physical therapy targets the root cause of neck-related headaches. At Maven, our therapists perform a detailed assessment of your posture, mobility, and movement patterns to understand what’s driving your pain. Treatment may include:

• Manual therapy to reduce neck and upper back stiffness
• Strengthening exercises for deep neck flexors and shoulder stabilizers
• Postural retraining to improve alignment and endurance
• Ergonomic education to reduce strain during work and device use

By addressing muscular tension and joint dysfunction, physical therapy can significantly reduce both the frequency and intensity of headaches — often providing relief that medications alone can’t achieve.

When to Seek Help

If your headaches seem to start in your neck, worsen with movement or long periods at a desk, or don’t respond to medication, it might be time to look deeper. Whether it’s tension-type or cervicogenic, physical therapy can help you move better, feel better, and get back to living without that constant ache.

Ready to take the next step?

If headaches have become a pain in your neck (literally), our team at Maven Physical Therapy can help you find lasting relief through personalized movement and hands-on care.

‍