Headaches can be secondary disorders which originate in the neck due to joint dysfunction or injury. This type of headache is known as a ‘Cervicogenic Headache’. These headaches usually present to one side of the skull and radiate into the back of the head and/or side of the face. Cervicogenic headaches often start as intermittent episodes of pain before progressing to a more constant state. The pain is usually mechanical in nature exacerbated by certain neck movements and/or positions.

Your ‘neck headache’ can originate from a variety of musculoskeletal or neurovascular structures in the neck. Dysfunctional muscles, ligaments, and joints in the neck all have the potential to refer painful signals back up the brainstem where it is sometimes interpreted as a headache. A Chartered Physiotherapist will assess the structures of your neck for dysfunction or injury, once the problem areas have been identified they may use any of the following treatment methods to help restore function in the neck: joint mobilisation, joint manipulation, massage, myofascial release techniques, dry needling, acupuncture, corrective exercises, heat therapy, TENS.