![[Motion Wellness Chiropractoc Logo 1]_ed](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/60308a_b058d25614e34bb3b1f8de12f87d4081~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_131,w_1536,h_728/fill/w_203,h_121,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BMotion%20Wellness%20Chiropractoc%20Logo%201%5D_ed.png)
Common Types of Headache
There are many different types of headaches, but migraines, tension-type headaches, and cervicogenic headaches are among the most common headache presentations encountered in primary care. Although these headaches can share some similarities, they often differ in their symptoms, associated features, and contributing factors.
1. Migraine
-
Common Symtoms
- Pain on one side or both sides of the head
- Pulsating or throbbing pain
- Moderate to severe intensity
- Symptoms that may worsen with physical activity
- Episodes that typically last between 4 and 72 hours
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light and/or sound
- Visual changes or aura in some people
- Neck pain or stiffness in some people
- Genetic and family history factors
- Hormonal changes
- Poor Sleep
- Stress
- Irregular meals or dehydration
- Caffeine changes
- Environmental factors
- Physical activity patterns
-
Common Influencing Factors
- Exercise
- Education
- Sleep Intervention
- Stress management
- Identifying individual triggers
- Medication when appropriate
-
Recommended Management from research
2. Tension-Type Headache
-
Common Symtoms
- Pain on both sides of the head
- Tight, pressing, or band-like sensation
- Mild to moderate intensity
- Symptoms that are not usually worsened by normal physical activity
- Episodes lasting from 30 minutes to several days
- Tenderness around the temples, scalp, neck, or shoulders
- Increased sensitivity around the head, neck, jaw, or shoulder muscles
- Occasional sensitivity to light or sound, but usually not both
- Usually no nausea or vomiting
- Poor sleep
- Stress
- Prolonged postures
- Reduced movement
- Neck and jaw sensitivity
- Work or study demands
- General health and wellbeing factors
-
Common Influencing Factors
- Education
- Relaxation strategies
- Sleep intervention
- Stress management
- Manual therapy & Exercise targeting the head, neck, and jaw region may help reduce headache intensity and frequency in some people.
-
Recommended Management from research
3. Cervicogenic (Neck-related) Headache
-
Common Symtoms
- Headache associated with neck pain or stiffness
- Pain that may begin in the neck and spread toward the head
- Pain at the base of the skull, forehead, temple, or behind the eye
- Symptoms that are often one-sided
- aggravated by neck movement or sustained neck positions
- Reduced neck mobility
- Tenderness around the upper neck
- Upper neck joints (neck function)
- Neck muscles, ligaments and connective tissues
- Reduced cervical movement control
- Trigeminocervical convergence mechanisms
- Activity demands
- Poor sleep
- Stress
-
Common Influencing Factors
- Education
- Self-management strategies​
- Manual therapy & Exercise (Cervical mobility & Strengthening) that may help reduce pain intensity, headache frequency, and disability in some people with cervicogenic headache.
-
Recommended Management from research
Common Questions About Headache
1. Can Headaches Come From The Neck?
Yes. Some headaches may be influenced by structures in the neck. These are often referred to as cervicogenic headaches.
Research suggests that structures in the upper neck can contribute to headache symptoms in some people. These headaches are commonly associated with neck pain, neck stiffness, reduced neck mobility, or symptoms that are aggravated by certain neck movements or sustained positions. However, neck pain can also occur in other headache types, including migraine, which is why a thorough assessment is important.
2. Can Jaw Problems Cause Headaches?
Yes. Jaw-related disorders, including temporomandibular disorders (TMD), may contribute to headaches in some individuals. This is particularly relevant when headaches are associated with jaw pain, jaw clicking, clenching, grinding, facial discomfort, or chewing-related symptoms. Because the jaw, head, and neck are closely connected, symptoms can sometimes overlap and influence one another.
3. Are Headaches Always Caused By Stress?
No. Headaches are usually influenced by multiple factors rather than a single cause. Sleep, physical activity, neck and jaw function, general health, hormonal factors, and lifestyle habits may also contribute. Understanding the factors that may be influencing your symptoms is often more helpful than searching for a single cause.
4. Does Poor Posture Cause Headaches?
Not necessarily. Current research suggests that posture alone is rarely the sole cause of headaches.
However, prolonged positions, reduced movement, physical deconditioning, sleep quality, stress, and overall physical capacity may influence how symptoms are experienced. For many people, improving movement habits, physical capacity, and overall health is often more important than trying to maintain a "perfect posture."
5. Can Manual Therapy Help Headaches?
​Manual therapy may be helpful particularly for cervicogenic headache and tension-type headaches. At Motion Wellness, we provide hands-on cares including chiropractic care, joint mobilisation, and soft tissue techniques to help reduce pain and improve function
6. Can Exercise Help Headaches?
For many people, yes. Research suggests that regular physical activity may help reduce headache frequency, improve sleep quality, support stress management, and contribute to overall health and wellbeing. While exercise during an active migraine attack may sometimes aggravate symptoms, avoiding movement altogether is usually not recommended. At Motion Wellness, we provide personalised exercise programs, including movement-based rehabilitation, activity modification strategies, and practical guidance designed to help you move with greater confidence and gradually return to the activities that matter most to you.
7. Should I Take Medication For Headaches?
Medication can play an important role in headache management for some people. Depending on the type of headache, medications may be used to help relieve symptoms during an attack or reduce the frequency of headaches over time. The most appropriate medication varies between individuals and should be discussed with your GP, pharmacist, or medical specialist.
When Should I Seek Urgent Medical Attention?
Although most headaches are not caused by serious disease, urgent medical assessment is recommended if you experience:
A sudden severe headache that reaches maximum intensity within seconds or minutes
New weakness, numbness, or difficulty speaking
Loss of vision or significant visual disturbance
New headaches following head trauma
New headaches associated with fever, infection, or unexplained illness
Headaches triggered by coughing, sneezing, straining, or exercise
A new headache after the age of 50
Progressive worsening headaches that continue to deteriorate
New headaches in individuals with cancer, immune suppression, or significant medical conditions
How Can We Help With Headache?
Every person experiences headaches differently. A thorough assessment aims to understand both your symptoms and the factors that may be influencing them. Rather than focusing solely on identifying one damaged structure, assessment aims to understand the factors contributing to your headache experience and identify the most appropriate management strategies.
1. Thorough Assessment
Many headache symptoms overlap. Headache location alone cannot diagnose a condition, which is why a thorough assessment is important.
✔ Detailed history
✔ Movement assessment
✔ Static & Motion Palpation
✔ Orthopaedic test
✔ Neurological test
✔ X-ray if indicated
2. Understanding your condition & Making sense of your pain
At Motion Wellness Chiropractic, we focus on helping you understand why your headache developed and what can be done to improve it. The goal is not only to identify the type of headache, but also to understand the factors that may be influencing your symptoms and limiting your recovery.
3. Treatment
Our goal is not simply to reduce pain, but to help you move with greater confidence, improve function, and return to the activities that matter most to you.
Hands-on care
-
Chiropractic adjustment
-
Joint mobilisation
-
Stretching muscles
-
Soft tissue techniques
Manual therapy may be used when appropriate to help improve comfort, reduce pain sensitivity, and support movement.
Exercise
Individualised exercises designed to improve movement, physical capacity, and confidence.
-
Relaxation exercise
-
Stretching exercise
-
Strengthening exercise
Lifestyle Guidance
-
Sleep intervention
-
Stress management
-
Dietary guidance
Headache can be coming from various factors, including sleep, stress, diet and daily habits
Headache Diary
Keeping a headache diary may help identify symptom patterns, recognise potential triggers, monitor progress, and better understand how headaches respond to different management strategies
Reference
Bini, P., Hohenschurz-Schmidt, D., Masullo, V., Pitt, D. and Draper-Rodi, J., 2022. The effectiveness of manual and exercise therapy on headache intensity and frequency among patients with cervicogenic headache: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, 30(49).
Núñez-Cabaleiro, P. and Leirós-Rodríguez, R., 2022. Effectiveness of manual therapy in the treatment of cervicogenic headache: a systematic review. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 62(3), pp.271–283.
Piovesan, E.J., Utiumi, M.A.T. and Grossi, D.B., 2024. Cervicogenic headache – How to recognize and treat. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 38, 101931.
Puledda, F., Sacco, S., Diener, H.C., Ashina, M. and colleagues, 2024. International Headache Society global practice recommendations for the acute pharmacological treatment of migraine. Cephalalgia, 44(8).
Repiso-Guardeño, A., Moreno-Morales, N., Armenta-Pendón, M.A., Rodríguez-Martínez, M.C., Pino-Lozano, R. and Armenta-Peinado, J.A., 2023. Physical therapy in tension-type headache: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4466.
Robbins, M.S., 2021. Diagnosis and management of headache: a review. JAMA, 325(18), pp.1874–1885.
Sico, J.J., Antonovich, N.M., Ballard-Hernandez, J., Buelt, A.C., Grinberg, A.S., Macedo, F.J. and colleagues, 2024. 2023 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Headache. Annals of Internal Medicine.
