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Migraine Headaches That Start from Neck Muscle Tension
Struggling with relentless migraines that start as a dull ache in your neck? Many people are surprised to learn there’s often a connection between neck muscle tension and migraine headaches.
Relieving pain is our goal at Pain Care, a multispecialty pain management practice with six locations in Georgia. We achieve that by uncovering the cause of your discomfort and developing a comprehensive, evidence-based, non-surgical treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
Understanding what’s triggering or exacerbating a migraine is essential to managing these challenging headaches. Explore these insights from our team regarding migraine headaches linked to neck muscle tension.
How neck tension triggers migraine pain
The muscles in your neck and upper back play a crucial role in supporting your head and posture. When these muscles become tight, strained, or imbalanced, they can compress nearby nerves and restrict blood flow to the head.
This can lead to tension-type headaches and even trigger migraine episodes. Common causes of neck muscle tension include:
- Poor posture from long hours at a computer or on your phone
- Stress and anxiety that cause involuntary tightening of neck and shoulder muscles
- Previous neck injury or whiplash
- Sleep positions that strain neck muscles
When these factors are left unaddressed, the tension builds and can radiate upward, creating pain that feels like a migraine but actually originates in the neck.
Signs that your migraine headache is linked to neck pain
Migraines that start from neck tension often have a distinct pattern. You may notice:
- Stiffness or soreness at the base of the skull
- Pain that begins in the neck or shoulders and spreads to the head
- Headaches that worsen with neck movement or stress
- A dull, throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head
These headaches are sometimes called cervicogenic headaches, meaning “originating from the cervical spine (neck).” The symptoms can mimic a migraine, but the source of pain is musculoskeletal rather than neurological.
How pain management specialists can help
At Pain Care, we take a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating migraine headaches, including those caused by neck muscle tension. Our goal is to relieve pain at its source, not just mask symptoms.
We start with a comprehensive assessment of your symptoms, medical history, and therapies you’ve tried in the past.
Should your Pain Care specialist suspect a problem in the neck, we may also recommend X-rays or other diagnostic studies. These help us identify whether arthritis, herniated discs, or other structural issues contribute to your symptoms.
Depending on evaluation results, treatment options may include:
- Physical therapy to stretch, strengthen, and rebalance neck and shoulder muscles
- Botox therapy to relax overactive muscles
- Manual therapy to improve neck alignment and mobility
- Stress management techniques, such as relaxation training or massage therapy
- Ergonomic guidance to correct posture and reduce daily strain
When necessary, we may also recommend injection-based therapies, nerve blocks, or other non-surgical treatments to address pain related to arthritic changes, inflammation, nerve compression, and other issues of the cervical spine.
Don’t let neck tension keep you trapped in a cycle of migraines
We can help pinpoint the root cause of your headaches and create a personalized treatment plan for lasting relief. Schedule your Pain Care consultation today and take the first step toward living pain-free.
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