Headaches That Might Actually Be Coming From Your Neck

Headaches. So many options, right? Stress. Hormones. Not enough water. Too much screen time.

And most of us just accept it…take something, push through, and keep going.

But here’s something I want you to think about:

What if your headache isn’t actually starting in your head?

What if it’s coming from your neck?

Let’s talk about the suboccipitals

These are tiny muscles that sit right at the base of your skull, where your head meets your neck.

Small? Yes. Quiet? Not at all.

They connect your skull down to your top two neck bones (C1 and C2), and their job is to help control how your head moves and balances.

But when they get tight… they don’t just stay local.

They refer pain.

And this is where it gets interesting

Because when these muscles get irritated, the pain doesn’t always feel like “neck pain.”

It shows up as:

• that dull ache at the base of your skull
• pressure that creeps into your temples
• that deep “behind the eyes” feeling
• headaches that seem worse after screens or sleep

So you end up treating your head…when the problem is actually sitting right underneath it.

Why these muscles get so tight

Honestly? Life. We live in a world that constantly pulls our head forward:

Looking down at phones
Working at computers
Holding tension in our shoulders and jaw
Sleeping in positions that aren’t always supportive

And over time, those little muscles take on way more than they’re meant to.

And then pregnancy adds another layer

If you’re pregnant and thinking, “this is me lately…”, you’re not alone.

Your body is shifting fast.

Your posture changes.
Your ribcage moves differently.
Your sleep isn’t quite the same.
And your nervous system is doing a LOT more work.

All of that can make the C1–C2 area (right where these muscles live) more sensitive. So those headaches? They’re not random. They’re your body trying to adapt.

Why we look beyond the headache

This is something I talk about a lot in the office. We’re not just asking, “where does it hurt?” We’re asking, “why does it keep happening?”

Because most of the time, it’s a combination of:

• muscle tension
• joint restriction
• a nervous system that’s a little too “on”

And if you only treat one piece… it keeps coming back. When we address all of it together? That’s when things actually start to feel different.

A simple place to start

If you’re reading this and thinking “yep, that’s exactly what mine feels like,” try this:

Gently place your fingers right at the base of your skull
Apply light pressure (not digging)
Add small chin tucks
Slow your breathing down

Nothing aggressive. Just giving your body a chance to settle.

You don’t have to just deal with it

Headaches might be common…but they’re not something you have to live with.There’s usually a reason your body keeps going back to that same pattern.And once you understand it, everything starts to make a little more sense.

If you’ve been dealing with headaches and you’re ready to figure out what’s actually driving them, we’ll walk through it with you.

Book online HERE or call 724-822-1828 to dive into what is causing your headaches.