Do you think my headache could be coming from my neck?
This is a very common question we are asked and one that has increased since many people commenced working from home. The answer is usually pretty straight forward though initially non-committal: possibly!
Headaches have many causes and some of them are very serious so in return for your question about your headache, you will need to answer a lot of questions before we can give you a better answer than “possibly”. The good news is though, that the vast majority of headaches aren’t serious, many are associated with neck pain and stiffness, and can often be helped with treatment, exercise and education.
All health professionals should ask you a lot of questions about your headache:
your history of headaches
whether the current headache is familiar or a new thing
where in your head do you feel it and how would you describe the pain
are there things you do or eat that aggravate or alleviate it
does medication help
do you have any neck pain
do you have any other symptoms like sensitivity to light or noise, nausea, vomiting
is there a family history of headaches or migraines
are there times of the day where the headache is worse
do you have any other symptoms like loss of smell, hearing or taste, altered sensation in the face, head, arms or hands
do you have a fever
have you had recent dental work or surgery and do you have any jaw pain
…….I think by now you get the picture? Headaches can be complex and some of them may be related to your neck and some of them definitely are not. You should see someone who can differentiate when it is related to your neck, or jaw, or whether your headache needs further investigation with some imaging or referral to a GP or specialist.
Our osteos and physios here at Eureka Health are all well trained in helping determine this and then can help treat, manage and refer if necessary for your headache. Often once we have determined that this is not a serious headache requiring referral, treatment can be a great reliever with minimal side effects. If treatment gives you great relief from your headache then it may be a clue that it is indeed neck related.
Please reach out if we can help you with headaches or neck pain.