Why your neck hurts
Most neck pain builds slowly. Hours looking down at a phone or laptop, a monitor set too low, sleeping on a pillow that is too high, or carrying stress in your shoulders all load the same small joints and muscles day after day. Sometimes it arrives suddenly instead, after a whiplash injury, a bad night’s sleep or turning your head quickly.
The result is a stiff, sore neck that makes it hard to check your blind spot, pain that spreads across the shoulders or between the shoulder blades, and often a headache that starts at the base of the skull and wraps around to the forehead or behind the eyes.
Neck-related headaches
Tension-type and cervicogenic headaches are among the most common problems we see. They tend to build through the day, feel like a band or pressure, and are often worse after long periods at a screen. Tight muscles and stiff joints in the upper neck can refer pain into the head, which is why treating the neck often reduces how often and how badly these headaches come.
How we assess it
We ask about when your pain started, what your work and sleep look like, and what your headaches feel like and how often they come. Then we check how your neck and upper back move, test the strength and sensation in your arms, and look at the joints and muscles that might be involved.
We also screen carefully for warning signs that need a doctor instead of a chiropractor. If anything concerns us, we say so and help you get seen quickly.
How we treat it
Your plan depends on the exam and on what you are comfortable with. It usually combines:
- Gentle joint mobilization or, if you prefer, a traditional neck adjustment
- Soft tissue work for the muscles at the base of the skull, the shoulders and the upper back
- Upper back adjustments to free up the stiff area that often sits under a sore neck
- Exercises to strengthen the deep neck muscles and improve posture over time
- Workstation and sleep advice that makes a real difference between visits
We never push a neck adjustment on anyone. Many of our patients never have one, and still get better.
How long it takes
Recent neck pain often eases within a few visits. Headaches that have been part of your week for months usually take longer, and we track how often they come and how long they last so you can see the change. Most people finish active care within six to eight visits and keep things in check with their home exercises.
What you can do at home
Set your screen so the top of it sits at eye level, and take a short break to roll your shoulders and look away every half hour. Sleep on a pillow that keeps your head level with your spine, and use gentle heat on tight shoulders in the evening.
When to see us
Book a visit if neck pain is making it hard to work, drive or sleep, if you are reaching for painkillers several times a week for headaches, or if a sore neck keeps coming back. No referral is needed.
