Neck pain with a headache

Tired businessman working in his office rubbing neck

Neck pain with a headache

Neck pain comes in different classifications

In our previous blog post about neck pain, we mentioned the increasing prevalence of neck pain in todays society. Cervicogenic headache or neck pain with headache is one of the most common types of neck pain. The headache can present as tension behind the eyes or around the side of the head. It’s associated with aching of the neck which radiates into the head.

Headaches

As if neck pain wasn’t enough, why does it sometimes result in a headache? The neck is a complex and sensitive construct. It performs a lot of rotation, encapsulates the spinal cord, and has a lot of interlacing nerve pathways. With neck pain, the local nerve signals from the painful area can  mismatch with pathways to the head. As the nerve fibers responsible for the head and neck are in such a close vicinity, this  crossover of pain signals can cause increased pain in the wrong region. Essentially, the pain felt in the neck is a signal that has taken the wrong turn and has ended up as a headache.

What to do about headaches

Tired businessman working in his office rubbing neck

Tired businessman working in his office

Although there is still lot’s to discover about why we end up with headaches from neck pain. There are techniques and strategies to intercept your neck pain before it presents as a headache. Active range of motion exercises such as chin tuck, looking up to the sky, and rotation can improve mobility. Gentle massage and stretching is always a good way to relax the neck muscles that can contribute to neck pain and stiffness. A heat pack is also a great way to soothe and relax the neck muscles, especially through winter.

Don’t let neck pain stop you in your tracks! If you would like to learn more about how to alleviate your headaches and neck pain, come and see our Physio’s at Pivotal Motion. Book online or call 073352 5116.

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