Reviewed by the Functional Chiropractic team · 2026
Headaches are common, but they aren't all the same. Three of the most frequent kinds are tension-type headaches, migraines, and cervicogenic (neck-related) headaches, where irritation in the upper neck refers pain into the head. Telling them apart matters, because what helps one may do little for another.
You can't diagnose a headache from a checklist, but noticing a few patterns, where it sits, how it feels, what triggers it, and whether your neck is involved, can help you and your clinician find the likely driver faster.
What to check before you call
Where is the pain, and how does it feel?
Tension headaches often feel like a band of pressure on both sides. Migraines are frequently one-sided, throbbing, and more intense. Neck-related headaches often start at the base of the skull and spread forward.
Are there other symptoms?
Nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, or a visual “aura” lean toward migraine. Tension and cervicogenic headaches usually lack these.
Is your neck involved?
Stiffness, reduced neck motion, or pain triggered by certain neck positions and postures points toward a cervicogenic (neck-related) component.
What are your triggers, and how often?
Note patterns, screen time and posture, stress, sleep, skipped meals. Occasional headaches differ from frequent or clearly worsening ones, which are worth having looked at.
Get care promptly if
- A sudden, severe “worst headache of your life”, seek emergency care
- Headache with fever, stiff neck, confusion, weakness, vision loss, or trouble speaking, seek urgent care
- A headache that follows a head injury
- A new or clearly different headache pattern, especially after age 50
- Headaches that keep worsening despite care
How we help
Because the upper neck is a common, under-recognized contributor to headaches. We examine how the top of your spine moves and refers pain. If your headaches have a neck-related component, gentle upper cervical care may help, and if they don't, we'll tell you honestly and point you toward better options.