Neck Pain and Headaches: Why They're Usually Connected
If you suffer from regular headaches, there's a good chance your neck is involved — even if it doesn't feel sore. It's one of the most common patterns we see at Touchpoint Chiropractic in Revesby, and it's also one of the most misunderstood.
Here's what's actually going on, and what you can do about it.
The Neck-Headache Connection
The upper part of your neck — particularly the top three vertebrae (C1, C2 and C3) — shares nerve pathways with the nerves that supply your head and face. When there's tension, stiffness or misalignment in this area, it can refer pain upward into the head, mimicking a headache.
This type of headache even has its own name: cervicogenic headache — meaning a headache that originates from the cervical spine (neck).
How Do You Know If Your Headache Is Coming From Your Neck?
Cervicogenic headaches tend to have a few tell-tale signs:
Pain that starts at the base of the skull and spreads forward
Headaches that worsen with certain neck movements or prolonged sitting
Stiffness or reduced movement in the neck
Headaches that come on after long periods at a desk or screen
One-sided head pain that doesn't fully respond to pain medication
Sound familiar? You're not alone — and the good news is this type of headache responds very well to chiropractic care.
Why Painkillers Often Don't Work
If your headaches are coming from your neck, taking pain relief is essentially masking the symptom without addressing the cause. The tension and misalignment in the spine is still there — the headache will keep coming back until the underlying issue is resolved.
This is exactly why our approach at Touchpoint focuses on finding the root cause, not just managing the pain.
What We Do Differently
When you come in with headaches, we don't just treat your head. We do a thorough assessment of your entire cervical spine — including posture analysis, physical examination, and where appropriate, imaging — to understand exactly what's driving your symptoms.
From there, we build a personalised care plan that addresses the structural cause of your headaches, not just the pain.
Many of our patients are surprised by how quickly their headache frequency reduces once the neck is properly addressed.
Common Causes We See
Desk and screen posture — forward head posture places enormous load on the upper neck
Old whiplash injuries — even minor ones from years ago can cause ongoing dysfunction
Stress and muscle tension — emotional stress often accumulates in the neck and shoulders
Poor sleep position — the wrong pillow or sleeping on your stomach can strain the cervical spine overnight
Ready to Get to the Bottom of Your Headaches?
If you're tired of managing headaches with painkillers and want to actually fix the problem, we'd love to help. Touchpoint Chiropractic is located in Revesby, serving patients from Bankstown, Padstow, Panania and surrounding suburbs.
Same-day appointments available. No GP referral needed.
Book online today or call us on 0405 550 525.
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Our friendly chiropractors are dedicated to helping you achieve your health and wellness goals. Simply book your first appointment online to get started.