Understanding “Referred Pain” — Why Neck Issues Can Feel Like a Headache

A question we get all the time is: “Can my neck really be causing my headaches?”

Many people are surprised to learn that the answer is often yes. Headaches can sometimes stem from problems in the neck.

This phenomenon is an example of “referred pain,” where you feel discomfort in a different area from its actual source.

In this blog, we explain that:

• Referred pain occurs when you feel discomfort in an area different from its source
• Neck problems can manifest as headaches through interconnected nerve pathways
• Understanding this connection is key to finding effective treatment
• Chiropractic care may provide a useful tool in finding some relief

What Referred Pain Means

Referred pain is essentially a mix-up in the body’s pain signals. It means the pain you feel in one spot is actually originating from another location. A classic example is when someone having a heart problem experiences pain in the left arm or jaw—the arm hurts, but the real issue is the heart. Similarly, a pinched nerve in your lower back might cause pain down your leg (sciatica) even though nothing is wrong with the leg itself. Your nervous system can sometimes confuse the pathways, causing this kind of disconnected sensation.

When it comes to headaches and neck issues, the same idea applies. You might have a problem in your neck like tight muscles, joint strain, or a nerve under pressure and yet you feel the pain as a headache. The discomfort is “referred” to your head because the nerves in your neck are interconnected with those in your scalp and face. In short, your body may be sounding the alarm in the form of a headache, even though the underlying source of the pain is actually in the neck.

How Neck Tension Can Contribute to Headaches

The neck is a complex structure of muscles, bones, and nerves. If any of these components become stressed or irritated, they can trigger pain signals that travel upward into your head. A common culprit is muscle tension. Think about how you might feel after staring down at your phone or working at a computer for hours—your neck becomes stiff or sore. This prolonged poor posture (often dubbed “tech neck”) puts strain on the neck muscles and joints. Over time, tight muscles and joint strain in the neck can irritate nearby nerves, and your body might interpret some of those irritated nerve signals as pain in the head.

In fact, there is even a type of headache known as a cervicogenic headache, which means a headache originating from the cervical spine (neck region). In such cases, the headache isn’t due to a problem in your brain or head at all, but rather due to an issue in the neck like a strained muscle, inflammation, or a misalignment in the spine. Chiropractors often refer to these small misalignments of the vertebrae as subluxations. A subluxation in your neck can put pressure on spinal nerves or cause surrounding muscles to tighten up. Because the nerves in the neck also travel into the head, pressure or irritation there can lead to pain that feels very much like a regular headache. The key takeaway is that addressing neck tension and alignment issues may be crucial in alleviating certain kinds of headaches.

Recognising Neck-Related Headaches

How can you tell if your headaches might be coming from a neck problem? Here are some common signs that a headache could be neck-related:

• Pain that starts in your neck or at the base of your skull and then spreads up into your head (often to the back of the head, temple, or behind the eyes)
• Headache worsens with certain neck movements or postures, such as looking down at a screen or turning your head
• Neck stiffness or soreness along with the headache, with tight or knotted muscles in the neck and shoulders
• Pressing on or moving your neck changes the headache intensity or location

Not everyone will have all these symptoms, but if you notice a pattern where your headaches seem linked with neck pain or certain neck positions, it’s quite possible you are experiencing referred pain from the neck.

Where Chiropractic Care May Fit

So, how can chiropractic care help in this situation? Chiropractors are health professionals who focus on the spine and the nervous system, with a goal of ensuring everything is aligned and functioning optimally. When you visit a chiropractor for headaches that might be related to neck issues, they will typically start by examining your neck and upper spine. They look for things like tight muscles, areas of restricted movement, or spinal misalignments (subluxations) that could be contributing to your pain.

If a subluxation or alignment issue is found, a chiropractor can perform specific chiropractic adjustments to address it. An adjustment is a gentle, controlled force applied to a joint (in this case, the joints of your cervical spine) to help restore proper alignment and motion. By correcting these misalignments, the pressure on irritated nerves may be reduced and muscle tension may start to ease. Many patients report that relieving a tight joint or nerve in the neck leads to their headaches diminishing in intensity or frequency. Essentially, chiropractic care aims to fix the root cause of the pain (the neck issue) rather than just treating the headache symptoms.

Beyond adjustments, chiropractors may also offer advice on posture and lifestyle to help prevent neck-related headaches. They might suggest ergonomic changes for your workstation, exercises to strengthen your neck and upper back, or stretches to keep your neck flexible. The idea is to address any contributing factors such as that forward head posture from smartphone use or long hours driving so that your neck is under less strain in daily life. By improving spinal alignment and taking care of the neck, chiropractic care may not only help reduce existing headaches but also may help prevent future episodes by keeping your neck and nervous system healthy.

Understanding that a headache might actually be stemming from a neck issue is the first step toward effective relief. When pain is referred, as in the case of neck-related headaches, treating the neck may help alleviate the hurting in your head. If you find yourself regularly suffering from headaches accompanied by a stiff or painful neck, it’s worth considering that the two could be connected.

Chiropractic care offers a natural, holistic approach to this problem by focusing on correcting spinal issues and improving nervous system function. By addressing misalignments and muscle tension in the neck, chiropractors strive to resolve the underlying cause of certain headaches—helping you feel better without relying solely on pain medications or temporary fixes.

You don’t have to simply put up with recurring headaches that might originate from your neck. Relief may be possible by targeting the true source of the pain. If neck-related headaches are affecting your daily life, consider reaching out to the team at Total Health Chiropractic for an evaluation. They can determine whether your neck could be contributing to your headaches and guide you on the appropriate care. Taking action on the root cause may put you on the path to fewer headaches and a better quality of life.

References:

• Usen A, Gunduz MD. Cervicogenic headache in forward head posture: frequency and associated factors in a cross-sectional study. J Oral Facial Pain Headache. 2025;39(3):191-199jofph.com.
• Nambi G, et al. Comparative effectiveness of cervical vs thoracic spinal-thrust manipulation for cervicogenic headache: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2024;19(3):e0300737journals.plos.orgjournals.plos.org.
• Bryans R, et al. Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011;34(5):274-289pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
• Chaibi A, Knackstedt H, Tuchin PJ, Russell MB. Chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for cervicogenic headache: a single-blinded, placebo, randomized controlled trial. BMC Res Notes. 2017;10(1):310pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
• Maltese PE, et al. Molecular foundations of chiropractic therapy. Acta Biomed. 2019;90(10-S):93-102mattioli1885journals.com.
• Bolton PS. Reflex effects of vertebral subluxations: the peripheral nervous system. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2000;23(2):101-103pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
• Welch A, Boone R. Sympathetic and parasympathetic responses to specific chiropractic adjustments of the cervical and thoracic spine. J Chiropr Med. 2008;7(3):86-93pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
• Haavik H, et al. Neuroplastic responses to chiropractic care: broad impacts on pain, mood, sleep, and quality of life. Brain Sci. 2024;14(11):1124mdpi.commdpi.com.
• Haas A, et al. Vertebral subluxation and systems biology: an integrative review of chiropractic care on the neuroendocrine-immune system. Cureus. 2024;16(3):e56223pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
• Verma S, Tripathi M, Chandra PS. Cervicogenic headache: current perspectives. Neurol India. 2021;69(Suppl 1):S194-S198journals.lww.com.