If you’re experiencing headaches that begin at the base of your skull and wrap upward into your head, you’re not alone. These headaches are incredibly common, especially in people who sit often, work at a computer, lift weights, or carry chronic tension in the neck and shoulders.
At Highland Spine + Sport, many patients come in thinking they have “migraines,” when what they’re actually experiencing is something called a cervicogenic headache, a headache caused by the joints, muscles, or nerves in the upper neck.
Understanding the source of the pain is the first step toward lasting relief.
Headaches that begin at the base of the skull are most often caused by issues in the upper cervical spine — specifically the C1–C3 region. When these joints become irritated or when the surrounding muscles tighten and guard, the nerves in the area can refer pain into the head.
Common contributors include:
Long hours sitting, looking down at your phone, or leaning over a laptop create:
This is one of the most common causes of base-of-skull headaches.
Muscles like the suboccipitals, upper traps, and levator scapulae can develop knots or trigger points that radiate pain into:
When the upper neck isn’t moving well, the small joints can become irritated. This sends pain upward toward the temple or forehead.
Tension, grinding, and shoulder tightening all increase cervical muscle activity and can kick off headache patterns.
Even old injuries can create long-term stiffness or nerve irritation that leads to headaches.
If your headaches:
…they may be coming from the neck, not the brain.
At Highland Spine + Sport in Roanoke, we take a structural and movement-based approach to correcting the root cause of these headaches — not just masking the symptoms.
Precise adjustments help restore motion to the stiff upper cervical joints that commonly trigger these headaches. We avoid forceful techniques and focus on restoring natural movement patterns.
We treat the tight muscles that drive pain:
Techniques may include Active Release, IASTM, and personalized soft-tissue work.
Dry needling is one of the most effective tools for releasing deep muscle tension and reducing nerve irritation in the neck and skull base.
We teach simple exercises to:
Small changes at your desk, in the gym, or throughout your day can significantly reduce strain on the upper neck.
If your headaches are:
…it’s time to be evaluated. Headaches coming from the neck respond extremely well to conservative care.
You deserve a life that isn’t controlled by neck tension or base-of-skull pain.
At Highland Spine + Sport, we help active individuals in Roanoke:
If you’re ready to get rid of headaches at the base of your skull, we can help.