It’s not unusual for people to experience headaches, and neck pain is not unknown to most of us either. These issues typically only occur infrequently, and they don’t tend to last for more than a few days. However, some people could be dealing with chronic headaches and neck pain, which is a more serious matter.
What makes headaches and neck pain chronic?
The term “chronic” is used to describe a medical issue that affects the body for a long time, and it can also refer to an issue that comes back over and over. Headaches are considered to be chronic when they happen for 15 or more days a month for at least six months in a row. The definition of chronic is slightly different for neck pain. Neck pain can be called chronic when it lasts for at least 12 consecutive weeks.
Three factors that can cause chronic headaches and neck pain
Chronic neck pain and headaches are often linked together for several reasons. For one thing, there are nerves that run out of the neck and into the head. The occipital nerves are examples of this. Also, muscles like the suboccipital muscles connect the neck and the base of the skull. Common nerves and muscles often play a major role in factors that can cause chronic headaches and neck pain, and some of these factors are:
- Occipital neuralgia — This issue is when the occipital nerves are irritated. Misalignment in the neck vertebrae or inflamed neck muscles can lead to this irritation. Occipital neuralgia commonly leads to pain and tenderness in the top and back of the head and in the neck, which can trigger headaches.
- Suboccipital muscle tightness — Tight suboccipital muscles can easily cause frequent neck pain and headaches. Often, stiffness in these muscles is related to daily stress from work or situations at home, but it can also be caused by neck injuries from a car accident or playing sports.
- Facet joint issues — Facet joints are found at the rear of the neck vertebrae. Injury-related damage to these joints can lead to chronic neck and head pain. Osteoarthritis can also wear away at these joints, making them painful and difficult to move.
Get help for chronic headaches and neck pain at SOL Physical Therapy
SOL Physical Therapy is proud to have a clinic in Oakland, California, that can assist you with headaches and neck pain. Our team uses free screenings designed to pinpoint the source of your pain. We also build treatment plans that are personalized to the need of each patient, and these plans make use of beneficial therapy techniques such as:
Are ready to start getting our help with your chronic pain? Contact our team today for more information about how we can help or to schedule an initial appointment.
