Stiff Neck and Headache Causes and Solutions

Stiff Neck and Headache Causes and Solutions

Many things can irritate or strain the nerves in the neck, which could trigger a headache. This includes poor posture, neck strain, injury, or medical conditions like a pinched nerve or herniated cervical disk.

Causes of neck pain


There are several factors that can contribute to neck pain, including injuries, strains, and certain medical conditions.


Some common causes of neck pain include:

• stiff neck muscles
• phone use
• computer use
• poor posture
• sleeping positions
• injury
• herniated disc

A herniated cervical disc occurs when one of the soft discs between one of the seven vertebrae in your neck becomes damaged and bulges out of your spinal column. If this presses on a nerve, you can feel pain in your neck and head.


A pinched nerve occurs when a nerve in your neck is irritated or compressed. With so many sensory nerve fibers in the spinal cord in your neck, a pinched nerve here can result in a number of symptoms, including:

• stiff neck
• throbbing headache in the back of your head
• headache caused by moving your neck

Other symptoms can include shoulder pain along with muscle weakness and numbness or tingling sensations.

Headaches that may cause neck pain


Some types of headaches can contribute to neck pain, which may be caused by issues with certain muscles or nerves.


The source of a tension headache is often traced back to a buildup of:

• stress
• anxiety
• lack of sleep

These conditions can result in tightened muscles at the back of your neck and the base of your skull.