Hours at a desk, phone in hand, deadlines stacking up — it is no surprise that neck pain and tension headaches are two of the most common reasons people walk into our West Hampstead clinic. Both usually respond well to treatment.
The desk-neck-headache cycle
When the joints of the neck stiffen and the surrounding muscles tighten, pain does not always stay in the neck. It commonly refers into the shoulders and up into the head — a cervicogenic headache, meaning a headache arising from the neck. Releasing that restriction often brings lasting relief from both the neck pain and the headaches that ride on it.
What treatment involves
After a careful assessment — including making sure your headaches are the kind we should be treating — sessions typically combine gentle joint mobilisation, soft-tissue release of the neck, jaw and upper back, and advice that actually fits your working day: desk set-up, movement breaks, and simple exercises that take minutes, not hours.
When headaches need a doctor first
A sudden, severe "thunderclap" headache, a headache with fever and a stiff neck, new confusion or visual loss, or a headache after a head injury needs urgent medical care — call 999 or go to A&E. Screening questions like these are a standard part of every first consultation with us.
Visit us in West Hampstead
OsteoRise is at 51 Mill Lane, NW6 — minutes from West Hampstead station. Meet the team, browse all treatments, or book online. If your pain extends into your lower back, our back pain page covers what to expect — and shoulders that ache alongside the neck are covered in shoulder pain.
Desk neck? Tension headaches?
Same-day and evening appointments are often available at our West Hampstead clinic.
Book an appointment Call 020 4620 6458Common questions
Can osteopathy help with headaches?
Osteopathy can help with headaches that arise from the neck (cervicogenic headaches) and can help relieve the neck and shoulder tension that often accompanies them. If your headaches have another cause, we will tell you and point you to the right help.
Why does my neck hurt after working at a computer?
Long hours in one position load the small joints and muscles of the neck and upper back. They gradually stiffen and fatigue, which is felt as aching, restriction and sometimes headache. Treatment plus small changes to your set-up and habits usually makes a big difference.
Is neck manipulation safe?
Treatment is always tailored, and osteopaths use a wide range of techniques — many of them very gentle. Nothing is done without your consent, and if you prefer to avoid a particular technique we simply work another way.