We all know the feeling: A busy workday, endless tasks, thoughts racing nonstop – and suddenly your head starts to throb. Most of us rush to blame stress or mental tension, but the truth is that often the source of headaches lies in the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and upper back – areas that work overtime without us even noticing.
The neck is a crowded and complex transition area: “The shoulder muscles, trapezius, scapular muscles, and spinal erectors carry the weight of the head and control every small movement. The upper back muscles, which seem ‘far’ from the head, actually affect posture, head position, and the ability of the neck muscles to bear load.”
Prolonged sitting in front of a computer or phone, combined with shallow breathing, creates continuous strain on the muscles. This leads to reduced blood and oxygen flow to the tissues, which causes the muscles to tighten. The result? A headache that climbs from the shoulder blades to the nape.
In addition, according to Chinese medicine approaches, there are energetic blockages along the meridians (energy pathways) of the neck, shoulders, nape, and liver. When the flow of qi (the body’s energy) is blocked, a person will feel tension and irritability. This does not contradict the anatomical explanation but rather complements it.
How can you identify a headache that originates from the neck and shoulders?
• Tension that starts in the nape or upper back and radiates to the temples or forehead
• Tenderness when pressing certain points in the neck and shoulder muscles
• Worsening after prolonged sitting or driving, and relief with light movement or warmth
• Limited range of motion when turning the head, and sometimes a slight feeling of dizziness or fogginess
• Pain that intensifies after a day of working in front of a computer
What can help relieve the pain?
• Breathing: Two minutes of inhaling through the nose and exhaling longer through the mouth to relax the nervous system.
• Gentle heat: A heating pad or warm shower on the nape and shoulders to increase blood flow.
• Self-release: Gentle massage with the thumb pads along the nape line, the base of the skull, and the trapezius muscles.
• Stretching and movement: Slowly bending and tilting the head to both sides, rolling the shoulders and arms backward, and gentle stretching to open the shoulders.
• Smart breaks: Every half hour, stand up for a minute, move your shoulders and neck, and change position.
Complementary medicine treatments that may help
The common feature of complementary medicine methods is their ability to reduce muscle tone, improve blood and energy flow, and balance the nervous system.
Tui Na: A manual therapy from Chinese medicine, based on pressure, rolling, and stretching along energy channels and muscle tissues. Especially suitable for those who sit for hours in front of a computer. Patients report immediate relief, a feeling of “weights” being lifted from the head, and improved blood circulation.
Acupuncture: Insertion of thin needles into key points that help relax the nervous system, provide anti-inflammatory effects, and enhance the release of natural pain-relieving substances. After a series of treatments, the pain is significantly reduced and the frequency of attacks decreases.
Combination of osteopathy and shiatsu: Osteopathy focuses on gentle manual treatment of the neck and spine joints to improve movement and breathing. Shiatsu is based on pressure along meridians and energy points. The combination of the two methods allows for release on both the physical and energetic levels.
A new and very severe headache, pain accompanied by fever, repeated vomiting, unusual neck stiffness, weakness or numbness in a limb, speech disorder, double vision, after trauma, or during pregnancy – all these require urgent medical evaluation. Even chronic or worsening headaches, even if they seem “muscle-tension” related, should be properly diagnosed.
A “tension-type” headache is sometimes a cry for help from the neck, shoulders, and upper back that are working overtime. When we release the muscles, restore movement, and balance blood and energy flow, the pain gives way to greater focus and fuller breathing.
In an era of constant mental overload, connecting body and mind, awareness, and maintaining the neck and back muscles is the small investment that brings back great peace.
Shai Shimshoni, Head of the Tui Na Department at Maccabi Tivi