Headaches & Your Neck: How Physio Can Help
We all get headaches sometimes—but did you know that some headaches actually come from your neck? As physiotherapists, we often see people who’ve been living with nagging, recurring headaches that no one could quite figure out... until they looked at their neck, posture and movement.
Let’s break it down.
Could Your Headache Be Coming from Your Neck?
Not all headaches are migraines or sinus-related. Some are what we call cervicogenic headaches—which means, from your neck.
These types of headaches often:
Start at the base of your skull and spread to one side
Feel like a dull ache or pressure
Get worse with neck movement or poor posture
Often show up after long hours at a desk, driving, or looking down at your phone
Sound familiar?
What We Look for
When you come in for a physio assessment, we don’t just treat the pain—we look for the root cause. Common causes can be:
Tight or overworked neck muscles
Stiff joints in the upper spine
Poor posture from sitting or working habits
Muscle imbalances or weakness
We’ll do some gentle tests to see how your neck and upper back are moving, and how your muscles are working together.
How Physiotherapy Can Help
We use a mix of hands-on therapy and movement coaching to ease your symptoms and prevent headaches from coming back. That might include:
Manual therapy (gentle joint and muscle work)
Posture training (yes, it matters!)
Stretching and strengthening exercises
Advice on your desk setup or sleep positions
And the best part? You’re in control. We work with you to build a plan that fits your lifestyle and goals.
The Takeaway:
If your headaches are stubborn and keep coming back, they might be linked to your neck or posture—and that’s something physiotherapy can help with. You don’t have to just “live with it.”
If you have any questions regarding your headache, or are interested in seeing if we can help you, please give us a call at (02) 8411 2050. Here at Thornleigh Performance Physiotherapy, we can give you an accurate diagnosis and treatment, to help you get back in action as soon as possible. We have expertise in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and are conveniently located near Beecroft, Cherrybrook, Hornsby, Normanhurst, Pennant Hills, Wahroonga, Westleigh, West Pennant Hills, and West Pymble.