Constant headaches and neck pain

Constant headaches and neck pain are the common complaints of many people around the world. Even though these two medical issues may develop due to incorrect body posture while working or sleeping, in some cases constant headaches and neck pain may also indicate a serious underlying condition.

What Causes Constant Headache and Neck Pain?

Many times these two problems can be closely related to maintaining an incorrect posture of the neck, and the entire spine. People whose jobs require prolonged sitting and spending many hours in front of the computer frequently complain about the mentioned ache.

The neck muscles may be excessively strained. This can consequently put too much pressure on the occipital nerve, a nerve that passes through the neck muscles. As a result, people start to feel headaches accompanied by neck pain of different intensities.

Another potential cause of constant headache and neck pain is poor lightening. Working under poor working conditions, when the light is not sufficient enough for one to see properly may eventually lead to eye strain and strain of the muscles of the forehead.

Neck pain is a frequent complaint among patients with migraine and seems to be correlated with the headache frequency. Neck pain is more common in patients with chronic migraine compared to episodic migraine. However, prevalence of neck pain in patients with migraine varies among studies.

The search identified 2490 citations of which 30 contained relevant original population based and clinic-based data. Among these, 24 studies provided data eligible for the analysis.
The meta-analysis for clinic-based studies demonstrated that the pooled relative frequency of neck pain was 77.0% (95% CI: 69.0–86.4) in the migraine group and 23.2% (95% CI:18.6–28.5) in the non-headache control group.
Neck pain was more frequent in patients with chronic migraine (87.0%, 95% CI: 77.0–93.0) compared to episodic migraine (77.0%, 95% CI: 69.0–84.0).
Neck pain was 12 times more prevalent in migraine patients compared to non-headache controls and two times more prevalent in patients with chronic migraine compared to episodic migraine. The calculated heterogeneity (I2 values) ranged from 61.3% to 72.0%.

✓ Fact confirmed: Prevalence of neck pain in migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis Haidar Muhsen Al-Khazali, Samaira Younis, Zainab Al-Sayegh, Sait Ashina, Messoud Ashina, Henrik W. Schytz; February 15, 2022

One medical condition called temporomandibular joint disorder is in almost all cases characterized by neck pain and stiffness and may be additionally a source of headaches. Finally, the two problems affect people suffering from more complex conditions. For instance, constant headaches and neck pain are characteristic of migraines, cluster headaches, meningitis, etc. Head injury or head trauma also induces pain in the neck as well as prolonged headaches.

Can Constant Headaches and Neck Pain be Prevented and How to deal with It?

The answer to this question is yes, but only in some cases.

Namely, a headache that stems from neck problems generally does not last more than several days. It can be prevented in the future if one pays close attention and try to change the position of his/her head frequently during working hours. By doing so he/she will reduce pressure on the neck muscles and prevent the occurrence of pain.

Furthermore, people whose job is problematic may benefit from appropriate neck exercises some of which can be even performed at work while others should be done on regular bases when one is at home.

Regular exercises are particularly good because they make the neck muscles stronger and less prone to become stiff or strained.

In individuals in whom the problems originate from stress and anxiety, the major benefit is achieved with relaxation techniques.

Normally, if one has had a recent head injury and headaches do not stop or neck muscles remain painful, he/she should consult a health care provider as soon as possible.