Neck Tension and Headaches: Why Do They So Often Happen Together?
Have you ever noticed that a headache often starts with a tight neck?
Maybe you feel tension building across your shoulders. Your neck starts to feel stiff. You notice an ache at the base of your skull—and sometime later, you're dealing with a headache.
Neck pain and headaches commonly occur together. But that doesn't mean every headache comes from your neck. Headaches have many possible causes, and sometimes more than one factor is involved.
So why does the neck seem to be part of the picture for so many people?
Your head and neck don't work independently
Your head is supported by a remarkably mobile part of your spine - your neck. Throughout the day, your neck is constantly responding to what you're doing—looking at a computer, driving, reading, exercising, carrying things and, of course, looking down at your phone.
The joints and muscles of your neck also contain sensory receptors that continually provide your brain with information about movement and position.
In other words, your neck isn't simply holding up your head. It's part of an ongoing conversation between your body and your brain.
Sometimes the headache really can involve the neck
There is actually a recognized type of headache called a cervicogenic headache, where pain originates from structures in the neck but is perceived as pain in the head.
Other headache types—including migraine and tension-type headache—can also occur alongside neck pain or muscle tension. That's one reason it's important not to assume that every headache that begins with a sore neck has the same cause.
When I'm assessing someone who experiences recurring headaches, I'm interested in the headache itself—but I'm also looking at what's happening around it.
How well does the neck move? Is rotation limited in one direction? Are certain movements uncomfortable? What's happening through the upper back and shoulders? Are there patterns in when the headaches occur?
Those pieces can help us understand whether the neck may be contributing to the overall picture.
What about posture and screens?
It's tempting to blame headaches on “bad posture,” but it's rarely that simple.
The bigger issue may sometimes be how long we stay in one position.
Your body was designed to move. Spending hours sitting at a computer or looking down at a phone means your neck and upper back are being asked to tolerate relatively little variation in movement for a long time.
Changing positions, taking movement breaks, looking away from the screen and regularly moving your neck and upper body through comfortable ranges can all help introduce more movement into the day.
And sometimes the answer isn't finding the one “perfect” posture.
It's simply having more postures.
Where does chiropractic fit?
When I assess someone with headaches, my first goal isn't to assume the headache is coming from the spine. It's to understand the pattern and determine whether there are findings suggesting that the neck or surrounding musculoskeletal structures may be involved.
If chiropractic care is appropriate, adjusting the spine introduces movement into joints and sensory input to the nervous system. Depending on the person, care may also include advice about movement, exercise or other factors that could be contributing to the problem.
And sometimes what I find tells me that a headache needs to be evaluated by another healthcare provider instead.
That's an important part of assessment too.
Pay attention to the pattern
If you experience headaches, start noticing what happens before the headache arrives.
Does your neck become tight first? Have you spent an unusually long time at a screen? Did you sleep differently? Have you been moving less? Does turning your head feel different on headache days?
Those observations don't necessarily tell you what's causing the headache—but they can provide useful clues.
If headaches are recurring, changing, becoming more frequent or regularly accompanied by neck pain or stiffness, it's worth having them properly assessed rather than simply continuing to manage each headache as it arrives.
At Elevate Women's Health Centre in Port Perry, Ontario, that's where I start:
Understanding the pattern, looking at how your neck and spine are functioning, and determining whether chiropractic care may be appropriate for you.
If you've been managing your headaches one at a time without ever looking more closely at the pattern behind them, it may be time to take a closer look.
Live Workshop - Strong for Life
When? Thursday, November 5th, 2026 - 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Where? Port Perry United Church, 294 Queen St.
How we move and care for our bodies matters at every age. Whether you're in your 20s and thinking about the future, noticing changes in your 40s or 50s, or determined to stay active and capable well into your later years, you need to understand what your body needs to stay strong.
This workshop is a small, in-person workshop for women of all ages who want to better understand how strength and movement help us build and maintain capable, resilient bodies throughout our lives.
