Cervicogenic headache treatment in Manchester
If your headaches start in your neck, treating the neck can stop them. Find out what's driving yours and get a plan that works.
Headache physio in Manchester city centre
Reviewed by Nick Chatziviltsos, PgDip, HCPC-registered physiotherapist (PH114351), November 2026
At a glance
Who gets it: desk workers, drivers, people after whiplash, and adults aged 30 to 50.
Main symptom: a one-sided headache that starts at the back of the head or neck and spreads forward, brought on by neck movement or posture.
What helps most: hands-on treatment for the upper neck combined with neck and shoulder strengthening.
Sessions: most people need 4 to 6 over 6 to 8 weeks.
Avoid: taking painkillers on more than 10 to 15 days a month, which can cause rebound headaches.
Get urgent help: a sudden, severe "worst ever" headache, or headache with confusion, weakness, slurred speech, fever and stiff neck: call 999.
A cervicogenic headache is a headache caused by a problem in your neck. The pain is felt in your head, usually on one side, but the source is the joints, discs and muscles at the top of your neck.
It's often mixed up with migraine or tension headaches, and many people try painkillers for months before anyone looks at their neck. When the neck is the cause, physiotherapy is one of the best-supported treatments.
What a good physio adds is a clear answer to three questions. Is your neck really the cause? What's irritating it? And what do you need to do so the headaches stop coming back?
🛠️ How we treat neck headaches
Step 1. Confirm the neck is the cause
What's irritated: usually the joints at the top of your neck (C1 to C3), sometimes with tight muscles at the base of the skull
What's overloading it: long hours looking at screens, driving, sleeping position, or an old whiplash injury
What's keeping it going: stress, poor sleep, clenching your jaw, or frequent painkiller use
We use specific tests, such as the flexion-rotation test, to check whether your upper neck reproduces or changes your headache. If it doesn't, we'll tell you and point you towards the right help.
Step 2. Treat the neck
Hands-on treatment for the upper neck joints, plus soft tissue work for the muscles at the base of the skull.
Self-treatment you can do at home, such as a self-SNAG with a towel, to ease a headache as it starts.
Changes to your day, from screen height to sleeping position.
Step 3. Build a neck that lasts
Deep neck flexor training, which research supports for neck-related headaches.
Shoulder blade and upper back strength, with rows, pull-aparts and carries.
Rehab on the gym floor at F45 NQ, so training doesn't trigger headaches.
A headache plan: what to do at the first sign of one.
Want to know whether your headaches really start in your neck? Your first 60-minute session tests it properly and starts treatment the same day. Book your assessment →
🔍 What is a cervicogenic headache?
The nerves from the top three joints of your neck share a pathway with the nerves that supply your head. That's why a problem at the top of your neck can be felt as a headache behind the eye, in the temple or across the forehead.
How it compares with other headaches
Cervicogenic: one-sided, starts in the neck, brought on by neck movement or posture. Neck involved? Yes, it's the cause.
Tension-type: both sides, band-like pressure, often with stress. Neck involved? Sometimes, as a contributor.
Migraine: throbbing, often with nausea, light sensitivity or aura. Neck involved? Neck pain is common during attacks, but it's not the cause.
Many people have more than one type. We'll help you work out which is which.
⚠️ Cervicogenic headache symptoms
Headache on one side that doesn't switch sides
Pain starting at the back of the head or neck and spreading forward
Headache brought on by neck movement, awkward postures or pressing on the neck
Neck stiffness, especially turning your head
Sometimes pain into the shoulder or arm on the same side
🔍 What causes headaches from the neck?
Common triggers we see in Manchester
Long hours on laptops and phones, with the head pushed forward
Driving and commuting for long periods
An old whiplash or knock to the head and neck
Sleeping on your front with the head turned
Stress and jaw clenching, which tighten the muscles at the base of the skull
🧪 How we assess headaches from the neck
Your headache story. Where it starts, how often, what triggers it, and what you take for it. A headache diary helps.
Safety screen. We check for warning signs that need a doctor.
Neck movement tests, including the flexion-rotation test for the upper neck.
Joint assessment of the top of the neck to see if pressure reproduces your headache.
Muscle endurance tests for the deep neck flexors.
Shoulder, upper back and jaw checks.
Your diagnosis and plan, including whether we think the neck is the main cause.
🛠️ Cervicogenic headache treatment at Athos Physio
Settle (weeks 0 to 2). Fewer, milder headaches. Upper neck mobilisation, soft tissue work, self-SNAGs, daily habit changes.
Control (weeks 2 to 4). Better neck control. Deep neck flexor training, chin tucks, posture endurance.
Strengthen (weeks 4 to 8). Strength for neck and shoulders. Rows, pull-aparts, carries, neck strengthening with bands.
Prevent (week 8 onwards). Keep headaches away. Desk routine, gym programme, headache plan.
Most people need 4 to 6 sessions over 6 to 8 weeks, with a home programme of about 10 minutes a day.
What actually works for cervicogenic headache?
A well-known trial by Jull and colleagues (2002) found that manual therapy and specific neck exercise, alone or together, reduced cervicogenic headaches, with benefits lasting a year.
Recommended: manual therapy for the upper neck joints; deep neck flexor and shoulder strengthening; advice on posture, screen set-up and pacing.
Less useful on its own: massage alone, which helps short term but rarely fixes the cause; regular painkillers, which can cause rebound headaches if taken too often.
⏱️ How long do neck headaches take to settle?
Many people notice fewer or milder headaches within 2 to 4 weeks. Most see a clear change by 6 to 8 weeks. Long-standing headaches, or those after whiplash, can take longer.
✅ Neck headaches at work and at home
At your desk
Screen at eye level, with your keyboard close
Move your neck every 30 to 45 minutes
Do 10 chin tucks twice a day
At night
Sleep on your back or side, not your front
Use one pillow that keeps your neck level
When a headache starts
Use your self-SNAG or chin tucks early
Heat on the back of the neck
Keep a diary to spot triggers
Related conditions
Neck pain: a stiff, sore neck without headaches
Trapped nerve in the neck: neck pain with pins and needles down the arm
Upper back pain: pain between the shoulder blades
Sports massage: hands-on relief for tight neck and shoulder muscles
❓ Headaches from the neck FAQs
🚨 Physio, GP or A&E?
Most headaches that start in the neck are safe to manage with a physio. Some need a doctor first, and a few need help straight away.
Book a physio (no GP referral needed): a one-sided headache that starts in the neck and changes with neck movement; headaches with neck pain after desk work or driving.
See your GP: headaches that are new, getting more frequent, or different from usual, especially over 50; headaches on most days when you're taking painkillers on most days, as rebound headaches are possible.
Call 999 or go to A&E now: a sudden severe headache, or headache with confusion, weakness, slurred speech, vision loss, fever or a rash.
If you're ever unsure, ring us on 07475 433300 and we'll tell you honestly whether you should see us or someone else first.
Not sure whether to see a physio or your GP about your headaches? Book a free 15-minute call and we'll tell you honestly. Book a free call →
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Yes, when the neck is the cause. Research shows manual therapy and neck exercise reduce cervicogenic headaches.
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It's usually one-sided, starts at the back of the head or neck, and is triggered by neck movement or posture. We test this at your first session.
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Migraines often throb and come with nausea or light sensitivity. Neck pain is common in migraine too. We'll help you tell them apart.
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Long periods with your head forward can load the upper neck. Changing position often helps more than holding a perfect posture.
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It can ease them short term. Lasting results usually need joint treatment and exercise too.
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Most people need 4 to 6 over 6 to 8 weeks.
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Usually not. Your GP will arrange one if anything suggests another cause.
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No. You can book directly with us.
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Your first 60-minute assessment and treatment is £95. Follow-up sessions are £55 for 30 minutes, £95 for 60 minutes or £135 for 90 minutes.
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Yes. Book a free 15-minute consultation and we'll tell you honestly whether physio is the right next step.
📍 Book headache physio in Manchester city centre
Athos Physio is inside F45 NQ, 77 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2BU, a two-minute walk from Piccadilly station and Piccadilly Gardens. We're open 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.
Your first appointment is a 60-minute assessment and treatment (£95). Follow-ups are £55 for 30 minutes, £95 for 60 minutes or £135 for 90 minutes. We work with Bupa, WPA, Vitality and Aviva, and you can see all our fees on the price list.
Can't get into town? We also offer home physio visits and online physiotherapy. Not sure physio is right for you? Book a free 15-minute call and we'll talk it through.
Call or WhatsApp 07475 433300, or book online.
Other services: Physiotherapy and active rehab · Sports massage · Pregnancy and postnatal physio · Home visits · Online physio
Written by Nick Chatziviltsos, physiotherapist and founder of Athos Physio, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, HCPC registered. Last reviewed: November 2026.
Insurance providers we are affiliated with
Athos Physio is a full-service physiotherapy clinic
We offer injury rehabilitation, post-surgery functional strengthening, deep tissue massage and pain relief, and strength training expertise. We support you in becoming pain-free so that you can achieve a limitless life experience. If you want to speak with us before booking a session you reach out via WhatsApp, call us or email us.
We are based in Manchester city centre a couple of minutes walk from Piccadilly train station and Piccadilly Gardens Square