Headaches: What a Pain in the…Neck?

A closer look at how neck function and headaches are linked   

Did you know that there are almost 200 different types of headaches?  

There are actually so many different headaches that it can be very difficult to determine the cause of a headache.  Because the severity of headaches can range from minor inconveniences to potentially life-threatening, it is important to get headaches properly assessed.  

Migraines and tension headaches are not life-threatening but can still cause a lot of pain and suffering.  A lot of the time, people experience neck pain when they get headaches.  Interestingly, the neck, in some cases, may actually be the culprit.

There is a specific type of headache that comes from the neck call a “Cervicogenic headache”. Cervico refers to the cervical or neck region of the spine, while Genic means producing symptoms. So, a Cervicogenic headache indicates a head pain that is generated by the neck.  

Cervicogenic headaches are very common after a neck injury like whiplash. Cervicogenic headaches are also caused by prolonged periods of stress or even bad posture.  The headache emerges when the small joints and muscles of the neck get irritated, effecting the nerves in the surrounding area that travel to the head. 

Because there are so many different types of headaches, even though many show similar symptoms, it becomes hard to identify what the cause or source is. Cervicogenic headaches share similar symptoms to those of migraines or tension types headaches, which include:

· Head pain – usually only on one side

· They are more common in females

· The pain can range from mild to severe

· The pain can be accompanied by nausea

· There may be associated sensitivity to light and/or sound

The defining feature of a Cervicogenic headache though, is the physical symptoms in the neck – most often pain and stiffness.  

Next time you have a headache, check out a few things:

1. Look side to side and up and down.  See if you have the same degree of motion in all directions.

2. Now gently squeeze your shoulders. Do you feel tension?

3. Find the top of your spine where your neck meets your head.   Gently push on either side of the spine and work your way down your neck until you reach your upper back.  Do you feel any areas of tenderness?

You are looking for tenderness, limited motion, or a change in the severity of your headache symptoms.  If these exercises affect your headache then it is quite possible that there is a relationship between your neck and your head pain. Your neck might actually be causing your headache.  

The best thing to do with any headache is to get it checked out. Thorough physical and neurological testing will rule out any serious pathology and can determine the cause of the headache. Also, if you do have a Cervicogenic headache, there is great treatment available to you. 

Chiropractors specialize in treating the muscles, joints and nerves of the body, especially the ones in the neck that are involved in Cervicogenic headaches. Treatment can include soft tissue and muscle work to reduce the tension in the muscles. Mobilizations and manipulations are used to regain motion in the joints and reduce irritation to the nerves that supply the head. Exercise and postural advice is also added to strengthen and prevent another episode.  Your practitioner may also recommend acupuncture, give you nutritional advice, or prescribe other relaxation techniques to reduce your symptoms.  

It is important to remember that sometimes neck pain and tenderness is a symptom of the common headache and other times it can be the actual root of the problem. Either way, I urge you not to ignore your symptoms. Get your headaches checked out, and enjoy your many options for helpful treatment.  

Dr. Lara Lever, DC

Winter Muscles!

by Julie O'Connor, RMT

It's January and the cold weather is upon us. As it settles in for the next few months let's take note of how our bodies respond.


Cold weather and in particular cold gusts of wind force our bodies into protection mode.

We react by curling up, contracting our muscles and stiffening our bodies. The expression 'wearing our shoulders up to our ears' never tires during this time of year. It's no surprise that with this comes more frequent muscle spasm, trigger points, stiff neck and shoulders, decreased mobility in our muscles and even tension headaches.

When our muscles get chilled they respond by tensing up and shortening. Over time this creates loss in muscle flexibility and what is known as 'Trigger Points'. So our muscles which were once flexible and able to stretch with ease, have now become more rigid and stiff with lack of mobility. A trigger point in it's most simply put description is a 'muscle knot'.

This means muscle fibres get stuck together and adhered creating little knots you can feel in your muscle tissue. Most of these knots actually refer pain to entirely different areas of the body then where they live. It's an odd phenomenon. This is why when we have tension in our shoulders and we press down on our upper trapezius we can actually feel the pain in our temples.

What can you do to avoid this from happening? Well, let's start with PREVENTION. Getting regular, consistent bodywork (such as a massage) every 4-6 weeks will help keep your muscles loose and flexible so that shortening does not occur. More specifically, during the cold winter months lets try these tips to prevent the chilly air from wrecking havoc on our neck and shoulders:


*Always protect your neck from the cold with a scarf.

*Use a heated neck wrap over the winter months. Deep Moist Heat is best and you can purchase bean bag wraps or heating pads are key! Noah's health food stores and Shopper's Drug Mart supply them.

*Stretch your neck and shoulders daily! Even better do so in the shower as Heat allows you to deepen your stretch and acts as a natural muscle relaxant.

* Keep hydrated with water and or herbal teas. Always useful for keeping our bodies and muscles working optimally.

Keep warm. Be kind to your body :)