There is a saying: the pain of the ancestors accompanies me. It is used in the context of physical pain, but also in situations where someone transfers their own psychological pain to others. On a physiological level, mass research provides more evidence that neck pain often leads to headaches.
Recent research
A recent study published in The Journal of Headache and Pain is the first to provide an objective marker for muscle involvement. Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine myofascial (muscle and surrounding connective tissue) involvement in tension headaches and migraines in 50 people.
Searching for causes
In addition to finding a link between neck pain and the presence of both types of headaches, MRI scans revealed subtle changes in the trapezius muscle, which extends from the mid-back into the neck and shoulders, that may stem from inflammation in those with these headache disorders.
Opposing opinions
Mark Green, a professor of neurology at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York City, disputes some of the findings. “You can’t assume from an MRI that it’s inflammation—the muscle could be tight or numb,” he says. What he doesn’t dispute is the link between neck pain and tension headaches or migraines.
Further research
Sollmann's research isn't the first to link neck pain and headaches. Another study in Neurology found that neck pain is very prevalent before, during, and after the onset of migraine pain.
The connections between neck muscles, the brain, and pain
Whether neck pain actually causes headaches, or whether the two painful conditions simply coexist, isn't fully understood. But this much is clear: "People with migraines are more likely to have neck pain even when they're not having a migraine attack," says Jessica Ailani, MD, a professor of clinical neurology and director of the Headache Center at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Who is prone to neck pain and why?
Based on these mechanisms, anyone with neck pain is potentially at risk of developing a tension headache or migraine attack (if they are prone to them).
Treatment procedures
Currently, there is no single treatment that is guaranteed to help with either form of pain. A variety of non-pharmacological therapies—including massage, acupuncture, stretching exercises, or applying heat or ice (whichever feels better)—may improve neck pain, Ailani says.
"If headaches are frequent, it's best to do something preventative," says Green. This way, you can potentially break the cycle of recurring neck and head pain.