Have you ever found yourself rubbing your temples after a long day, reaching for water when a headache starts, or retreating to a dark room when the pain becomes overwhelming?

Headaches are a common experience, but not all headaches are the same. Some are associated with muscle tension or neck-related problems, while others, such as migraines, involve more complex neurological processes.

Understanding the different types of headaches, recognising potential triggers and knowing when to seek help can make it easier to manage your symptoms and make informed decisions about your health.

Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, a migraine is not simply a severe headache.

Tension-type headaches

Tension-type headaches commonly cause mild to moderate pain, often described as a pressing or tightening sensation around both sides of the head.

They may be associated with tenderness in the muscles around the head and neck. Unlike migraines, tension-type headaches generally aren’t accompanied by nausea or vomiting, and routine physical activity doesn’t usually make the pain worse.

Cervicogenic headaches

Cervicogenic headaches originate from structures within the neck, with pain referred into the head.

Symptoms may include:

• Headache associated with neck pain or stiffness.
• Pain aggravated by particular neck movements or sustained positions.
• Reduced neck movement.
• Pain that may begin in the neck and spread towards the head.

Because several headache conditions can involve neck discomfort, a thorough assessment is important to identify whether the neck is contributing to the symptoms.

Migraines

Migraine is a neurological condition that can involve recurring episodes of moderate to severe headache, often accompanied by other symptoms.

Common features include:

• Throbbing or pulsating head pain, sometimes affecting one side.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Sensitivity to light, sound or smells.
• Symptoms that worsen with routine physical activity.
• Visual or sensory disturbances, known as aura, in some individuals.

Migraine attacks can last from several hours to several days and may significantly interfere with everyday activities.

Importantly, not everyone experiences migraines in the same way, and some migraine episodes occur without significant head pain.

Headaches can have a range of contributing factors, and identifying individual patterns can be helpful.

Stress and Muscle Tension

Periods of emotional or physical stress can contribute to muscle tension and may be associated with tension-type headaches. Stress is also a commonly reported migraine trigger, although the relationship is complex and varies between individuals. Regular relaxation, movement and stress-management strategies may help some people manage their symptoms.

Sleep and Routine Changes

Inconsistent sleep schedules, insufficient sleep and changes to usual routines may contribute to headaches or migraine attacks in susceptible individuals. Maintaining consistent sleep and wake times can be a useful starting point.

Dehydration and Irregular Meals

Not drinking enough fluids can contribute to headaches, particularly during hot weather or physical activity. For some people, missing meals or going long periods without eating may also be associated with headache episodes. However, not every headache is caused by dehydration or low blood sugar, and individual triggers can differ.

Neck Discomfort and Sustained Positions

Long periods at a desk, driving or using digital devices may contribute to neck discomfort and muscle fatigue. For individuals with neck-related headaches, sustained positions or certain neck movements may aggravate symptoms. Changing positions regularly and maintaining comfortable movement throughout the day can help reduce prolonged physical loading.

While there is no single strategy that prevents every headache or migraine, these practical habits may help manage common contributing factors.

1. Stay Hydrated: Drink water regularly throughout the day, particularly during warmer weather or physical activity. Individual fluid needs vary depending on activity, health and environmental conditions.

2. Keep a Consistent Sleep Routine: Aim for adequate, good-quality sleep and maintain relatively consistent bedtimes and wake times.

3. Eat Regular, Balanced Meals: Avoid routinely skipping meals if you’ve noticed that long gaps between eating are associated with your headaches.

4. Take Movement Breaks: If you spend long periods sitting or working at a screen, change positions regularly. Gentle neck and shoulder movements may help relieve stiffness associated with sustained postures.

5. Make Time for Stress Management: Consider relaxation techniques such as slow breathing, mindfulness, enjoyable physical activity or taking regular breaks throughout a busy day.

6. Keep a Headache Diary: Record when headaches occur, how long they last, associated symptoms and possible contributing factors.

Tracking sleep, meals, hydration, menstrual cycle changes and medication use may help identify patterns worth discussing with a healthcare professional.

Remember, a suspected trigger isn’t always the cause. For example, food cravings, thirst or neck discomfort can sometimes be early symptoms of a migraine attack rather than the event that triggered it.

For some people, headaches occur alongside neck pain, stiffness or reduced cervical mobility. Chiropractors are trained to assess musculoskeletal complaints involving the spine, joints and surrounding muscles. This may include examining neck movement, muscle tenderness and other findings relevant to certain headache presentations.

Where a musculoskeletal contribution is identified, chiropractic management may include manual therapy, exercise recommendations, movement advice and strategies to manage physical loading. Some research suggests that manual therapies may benefit selected individuals with cervicogenic headaches. However, treatment suitability depends on the headache diagnosis, clinical findings and individual circumstances. 

Chiropractic care should not be presented as a universal treatment for headaches or as a replacement for evidence-based migraine management. People experiencing migraines may benefit from medical assessment and treatments specifically directed at migraine. A thorough assessment is particularly important when headache symptoms are new, changing or difficult to explain.

Although many headaches are not caused by serious conditions, some symptoms require prompt medical attention.

Seek urgent medical assessment if you experience:

• A sudden, extremely severe headache that reaches maximum intensity within seconds or minutes.
• Headache accompanied by weakness, difficulty speaking, confusion or other new neurological symptoms.
• Headache with fever, marked neck stiffness or a new rash.
• A new severe headache following a head injury.
• New headache with visual disturbance or jaw pain, particularly in adults over 50.

 Regular, worsening or increasingly disruptive headaches should also be assessed by an appropriate healthcare professional, even when no emergency symptoms are present.

Headaches can be frustrating, particularly when they interfere with work, family life or activities you enjoy.

Understanding your headache pattern, recognising possible contributors and maintaining supportive daily habits can help you take a more informed approach to managing your health.

Small steps—such as drinking enough water, prioritising sleep, moving regularly and managing stress—may make a meaningful difference for some people.

If you’re experiencing headaches alongside neck pain, stiffness or reduced mobility, book an appointment with one of our Chiropractic Life chiropractors to discuss whether a musculoskeletal assessment and appropriate chiropractic care may be helpful.

For recurring migraines, unexplained headaches or changing neurological symptoms, seek assessment from your GP or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

World Health Organization. (2016). Headache disorders. World Health Organization.
– Supports the overview of common headache disorders, migraine characteristics and their impact on everyday life.

Bryans, R., Descarreaux, M., Duranleau, M., et al. (2011). Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 34, 274–289.
– Supports discussion of manual therapy approaches for selected headache presentations, including cervicogenic headaches. This older guideline should not be interpreted as establishing effectiveness for all headache or migraine types.

Bryans, R., Decina, P., Descarreaux, M., et al. (2014). Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with neck pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 37, 42–63.
– Supports discussion of multimodal musculoskeletal management for neck pain, which may be relevant when neck discomfort accompanies headache symptoms.