If you experience headaches around the back of your head, temple, forehead or behind the eye, the area where you feel the pain may not always be where the problem begins.
For some people, structures in the upper cervical spine, particularly C1, C2 and C3, can contribute to their headache presentation. The important part is working out whether the neck is actually relevant in your case rather than assuming every headache with neck pain is cervicogenic.
The upper neck shares headache pathways
Sensory information from the upper cervical spine and the trigeminal nerve converges within an area of the nervous system known as the trigeminocervical complex.
upper neck
head + face
Pain can be referred forward
Upper cervical input may be experienced in several different parts of the head. Common referral areas can include:
Neck pain does not automatically mean your headache is coming from your neck
Migraine, tension-type headache and other headache disorders can also include neck pain, stiffness and tenderness. That is why a proper headache assessment matters.
The question is not simply “is my neck sore?” It is whether the cervical findings appear to match your familiar headache pattern and whether they seem clinically relevant.
We look for evidence, not just a sore neck
Your history and headache behaviour guide the examination. We look at whether specific findings from your cervical assessment appear to match your familiar headache.
Understand the pattern
We review where the headache is felt, how it begins, what aggravates it and what has already been tried.
Assess the upper neck
We may examine cervical movement, joint function and whether selected testing reproduces your familiar symptoms.
Explain what it means
We discuss whether the neck appears relevant and what the next step should be. If it does not appear relevant, we tell you.
Does this mean C1–C3 are causing your headache?
Not necessarily. The upper cervical spine may be the primary source in a cervicogenic headache , one contributing factor within a more complex presentation, sensitive alongside migraine, or completely unrelated.
Treatment should be based on what the assessment finds
If the upper neck appears relevant, management can be directed towards that contributing factor rather than simply treating the location where the headache is felt.
For someone with migraine , identifying a cervical contribution does not mean the migraine diagnosis disappears. It may simply identify an additional modifiable factor worth addressing.
Could your neck be contributing to your headaches?
If your headaches keep returning, particularly alongside neck pain, stiffness or symptoms around the upper neck and base of the skull, a structured assessment can help clarify what may be contributing.
Williamstown, Melbourne