Stiff Neck and Headache Causes and Solutions

 Stiff Neck and Headache Causes and Solutions 颈部僵硬和头痛的原因和解决方案 Jǐng bù jiāng yìng hé tóu tòng de yuán yīn hé jiě jué fāng' àn

Neck pain and headaches are often mentioned at the same time, as a stiff neck can cause a headache. 颈部疼痛和头痛经常被同时提及，因为颈部僵硬会导致头痛。Jǐng bù téng tòng hé tóu tòng jīng cháng bèi tóng shí tí jí, yīn wèi jǐng bù jiāng yìng huì dǎo zhì tóu tòng.

In fact, many neck problems can irritate, strain, or compress the nerves in the neck, which could trigger a headache.

Often, neck pain is caused by poor posture, neck strain, or injury.

In other cases, it could be caused by medical conditions, including a pinched nerve or herniated cervical disk.

颈部疼痛和头痛经常被同时提及，因为颈部僵硬会导致头痛。Jǐng bù téng tòng hé tóu tòng jīng cháng bèi tóng shí tí jí, yīn wèi jǐng bù jiāng yìng huì dǎo zhì tóu tòng.

 事实上，许多颈部问题会刺激、拉伤或压迫颈部神经，从而引发头痛。

 通常，颈部疼痛是由不良姿势、颈部拉伤或受伤引起的。

 在其他情况下，它可能是由医疗状况引起的，包括神经受压或颈椎间盘突出。

Jǐng bù téngtòng hé tóutòng jīngcháng bèi tóngshí tí jí, yīnwèi jǐng bù jiāngyìng huì dǎozhì tóutòng.

Shìshí shàng, xǔduō jǐng bù wèntí huì cìjī, lā shāng huò yāpò jǐng bù shénjīng, cóng'ér yǐnfā tóutòng.

Tōngcháng, jǐng bù téngtòng shì yóu bu liáng zīshì, jǐng bù lā shāng huò shòushāng yǐnqǐ de.

Zài qítā qíngkuàng xià, tā kěnéng shì yóu yīliáo zhuàngkuàng yǐnqǐ de, bāokuò shénjīng shòu yā huò jǐng chuíjiānpán túchū.

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Stiff Neck and Headache Causes and Solutions

Medically reviewed by Nicole Leigh Aaronson, MD, MBA, CPE, FACS, FAAP — By Scott Frothingham — Updated on December 10, 2021

Causes

Headaches

Neck problems

Treatment

Prevention

See a doctor

Takeaway

Why does my neck pain cause headaches?

Neck pain and headaches are often mentioned at the same time, as a stiff neck can cause a headache.

In fact, many neck problems can irritate, strain, or compress the nerves in the neck, which could trigger a headache.

Often, neck pain is caused by poor posture, neck strain, or injury.

In other cases, it could be caused by medical conditions, including a pinched nerve or herniated cervical disk.

Causes of neck pain

There are several factors that can contribute to neck pain, including injuries, strains, and certain medical conditions.

Some common causes of neck pain include:

stiff neck muscles

phone use

computer use

poor posture

sleeping positions

injury

herniated disc

A herniated cervical disc occurs when one of the soft discs between one of the seven vertebrae in your neck becomes damaged and bulges out of your spinal column. If this presses on a nerve, you can feel pain in your neck and head.

A pinched nerve occurs when a nerve in your neck is irritated or compressed. With so many sensory nerve fibers in the spinal cord in your neck, a pinched nerve here can result in a number of symptoms, including:

stiff neck

throbbing headache in the back of your head

headache caused by moving your neck

Other symptoms can include shoulder pain along with muscle weakness and numbness or tingling sensations.

Headaches that may cause neck pain

Some types of headaches can contribute to neck pain, which may be caused by issues with certain muscles or nerves.

The source of a tension headache is often traced back to a buildup of:

stress

anxiety

lack of sleep

These conditions can result in tightened muscles at the back of your neck and the base of your skull.

A tension headache is often described as mild to moderate pain that feels like a band tightening around your head. It’s the most commonTrusted Source type of headache.

Migraine

Migraine is often associated with moderate to severe, throbbing pain in the head or neck.

This can cause neck pain and other migraine symptoms, like nausea and increased sensitivity to sound or light.

Some of the most common triggers for migraine headaches includeTrusted Source:

stress

hormone fluctuations

skipping meals

changes in weather

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders

TMJ disorders affect the jaw and the muscles and ligaments that surround it.

Although it can be difficult to determine the specific cause of TMJ disorders, they may be due to a combination of factors, includingTrusted Source:

genetics

jaw injury

arthritis of the jaw

grinding teeth

jaw clenching

TMJ can affect the jaw bone and muscles around the jaw joint. This can be worsened by chewing gum, eating ice, and eating crunchy or chewy foods. This may lead to pain and swelling in the surrounding tissues, including the neck.

It may also cause other symptoms, like jaw popping, ear pain, and tooth sensitivity.

Headaches caused by a neck problem

Some types of headaches could be caused by certain neck problems, including injury, inflammation, and chronic neck tension.

Cervicogenic headache (CGH)

Cervicogenic headaches are considered secondary headaches, meaning that they’re caused by other issues, like neck problems.

Some of the potential causes of cervicogenic headaches include:

inflammation

neck injury or trauma

malformations of the cervical vertebrae

neck strain

Because the cervical nerves are responsible for relaying pain signals, neck problems can trigger cervicogenic headaches, which could cause pain, stiffness, nausea, blurred vision, and increased sensitivity to light or sound.

Occipital neuralgia is a type of headache characterized by throbbing pain, which usually begins in the neck and moves upwards.

This type of headache may also cause pain in the back of the head, scalp, forehead, and behind the ears or eyes.

It’s usually caused by injury, irritation, or inflammation of the occipital nerves, which are a type of nerve found in the scalp.

This could be due to issues like:

chronic neck tension

cervical disc disease

osteoarthritis of the upper cervical spine

nerve compression

Treating neck pain and headache

Treatment for neck pain and headache can vary based on many factors, including the cause, severity, and type of issue that you’re experiencing.

Treating headaches

Your doctor might recommend any of a variety of treatments, depending on the specific type and cause of your headaches.

Several medications are commonly used to treat headaches, including:

Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. These include ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). But overuse of Tylenol could cause more headaches.

Prescription pain relievers. Examples include naproxen (Naprosyn), ketorolac tromethamine (Toradol), or indomethacin (Indocin).

Triptans. These drugs treat migraines and would be prescribed for someone experiencing tension headaches along with migraines. An example is sumatriptan (Imitrex).

Steroid injections. This treatment is often recommended for headaches to help calm the nerves and decrease swelling. It may be especially useful for occipital neuralgia, migraines, and TMJ disorders.

Muscle relaxers. Some types of muscle relaxers, like tizanidine (Zanaflex), can help reduce tension and stiffness in the muscles to treat headaches, occipital neuralgia, and TMJ disorders.

Ditans. These medications may be used to relieveTrusted Source nausea or increased sensitivity to light or sound associated with certain types of headaches, like migraines. One of the most common types is lasmiditan (Reyvow).

Tricyclic antidepressants. This class of medications is sometimes prescribed to prevent migraine and occipital neuralgia.

Anticonvulsants. These drugs may help reduce symptoms caused by migraine or occipital neuralgia.

Blood pressure medications. One 2015 reviewTrusted Source found that beta-blockers like propranolol, atenolol, and metoprolol may help decrease migraine symptoms.

Botox injections. Botox is an FDA-approved treatment for chronic migraines. One 2017 reviewTrusted Source found that it’s been shown to reduce migraine severity and frequency.

Your doctor might also recommend a massage to help relieve the tension in your neck and shoulders.

If your headache is caused by other factors like jaw or neck problems, treatment may focus on addressing underlying issues. It may involve a combination of exercise, physical therapy, medications, cold/heat therapy, or rest.

In severe cases, surgery may also be recommended for issues like TMJ disorders or occipital neuralgia if other treatment methods don’t help. But in the case of TMJ, a doctor may recommend using a mouthguard at night to prevent teeth grinding (which can contribute to headaches).

Treating a pinched nerve in your neck