Cervicogenic headaches are headaches caused by disorders of the neck specifically the vertabrae and discs of the neck. The causes of these disorders include: chronic tension, acute whiplash, intervetebral disc disease,and arthritis. These disorders can refer pain to the head, causing headaches. The pain will usually start in the back of the head and work its way upward and forward. Headache treatment of these types of headaches has to start with pain relief at the neck level. Patterns of headaches relating to trigger points in the neck, as well as to discs and joints in the upper cervical spine are well mapped out Even headaches located predominantly in the forehead, or behind, in and around the eyes are very often "referred" pain zones for pathology located in the back of the neck and at the base of the skull. The suboccipitgal region is the area of the skull below the occipital part of the head. The joints connecting the top two or three levels of the cervical spine to the base of the skull handle almost 50% of the total motion of the entire neck and head region, thus absorbing a continuous amount of repetitive stress and strain, in addition to bearing the primary load of the weight of the head. Issues such as fatigue, poor posture, injuries, disc problems and prior neck surgeries can compound the wear and tear on this part of the body. One may also develop a narrowing of the spinal canal itself, through which runs the spinal cord and all of its exiting nerve roots, leading to a condition termed spinal stenosis, also a possible source of headaches, among other symptoms.

Cervicogenic headaches originate from disorders of the neck, including the anatomical structures innervated by the cervical roots C1-C3. Cervical headache is often brought on by neck movement and/or sustained awkward head positioning. Many patients also have restricted cervical range of motion and one-sided neck, shoulder, or arm pain of a vague nature. Headache treatment of these types of headaches is directed at treating the causal factor in the neck area.