Still Dealing with Chronic Headaches?
Book a free 15-minute phone call with a Doctor of PT. We'll identify the source of your headaches and build a movement-based plan to eliminate them.
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Most headaches aren't just "in your head" — they're driven by neck dysfunction, muscle tension, or joint restrictions. Our fellowship-trained Doctors of PT diagnose cervicogenic headaches, tension-type headaches, and sub-occipital pain, then build a movement-based plan to eliminate them.
Common Diagnoses
Not all headaches are the same. Click each section below to learn about the three most common types we treat — and how physical therapy can fix them at the source.
A cervicogenic headache originates from dysfunction in the upper cervical spine (C1-C3 joints) and refers pain into the head. It's a musculoskeletal headache — meaning the pain comes from your neck, not your brain. These headaches are highly treatable with manual therapy and targeted exercise.
Cervicogenic headaches are caused by joint restrictions, muscle dysfunction, or nerve irritation in the upper cervical spine. Common triggers include:
We use hands-on treatment to loosen the stiff joints at the top of your neck, then teach you specific exercises to strengthen the muscles that hold your head up properly — so the headaches stop coming back.
Tension-type headaches (TTH) are the most common type of headache, characterized by a dull, band-like pressure around the head. They're often stress-related but are also driven by muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, and jaw. Physical therapy can address the muscular and postural drivers of TTH.
Tension-type headaches are multifactorial but often involve sustained muscle contraction in the neck and shoulders. Contributing factors include:
We address muscle imbalances through soft tissue work, postural retraining, and stress-reduction strategies like diaphragmatic breathing. You'll learn how to release trigger points in the neck and shoulders and build resilience against future flare-ups.
Sub-occipital myofascial pain refers to tight, overworked muscles at the base of your skull — the small muscles connecting your head to the top of your neck. These muscles stabilize the upper neck and are prone to overuse in people with forward head posture or high stress.
Sub-occipital muscles become overactive and develop trigger points when forced to compensate for poor posture or weak deep neck stabilizers. Common causes include:
We use manual therapy (dry needling, trigger point release) to calm overactive sub-occipital muscles, then retrain movement patterns to prevent recurrence. You'll learn chin tucks, deep neck flexor strengthening, and posture correction to eliminate the root cause.