Head and Neck Pain
Muscle knots in muscles located in the neck and upper back/shoulder area can cause headaches, neck, and head pain. Muscle knots can cause headaches on the side of the head, the top of the head, behind the eye, and over the eye. Muscle knots can also cause jaw pain, tooth pain, TMJ symptoms, and pain within the ear. Muscle knots in the muscle responsible for shrugging the shoulders or bringing the shoulders towards the ear (the upper trapezius) can create a “question mark” headache pattern around the ear.
Causes
I Feel
Headaches
When the large muscle covering your upper back and neck, the Trapezius, is tight, it is a very common source of headaches. You’ll typically feel the pain begin as a deep ache in the top of your shoulder and the base of your neck, which then travels straight up the back of your head, often presenting as a tension headache or pressure behind the eye. This muscle helps support your head and shoulders, so it gets overworked from things like poor posture (hunching over a screen), carrying heavy bags, or constantly holding psychological stress and tension. It can be super tender to press on the muscle between your neck and shoulder. When this muscle is stiff, it pulls on the surrounding connective tissue and nerves, making movement feel restricted and leading to that throbbing, unrelenting head pain.
Pain Around the Eye
When the large muscle covering your upper back and neck, the Trapezius, is stiff, it’s a known source of pain that feels deceptively like it’s in your head. You’ll typically feel a deep ache beginning at the top of your shoulder and the base of your neck, which then shoots forward and often settles as intense pressure or pain right behind your eye or along the temple. This muscle helps support your head and shoulders, so it gets overworked from things like poor posture (hunching over a screen), carrying heavy bags, or constantly holding psychological stress and tension. It can be super tender to press on the muscle between your neck and shoulder. When this muscle is stiff, it pulls on the surrounding connective tissue and nerves, making neck movement restricted and leading to that alarming pain felt around the orbital area.
I Feel
Stiff and Achy Neck
When the large muscle covering your upper back and neck, the Trapezius, is tight, the result is the familiar feeling of a stiff and achy neck. You’ll typically feel a deep, burning ache right at the top of your shoulders and where your neck meets your head, making it difficult to turn or tilt your head. This muscle helps support your head and control your shoulder blades, so it gets overworked from things like poor posture (hunching over a screen), carrying heavy bags, or constantly holding psychological stress and tension. It can be super tender to press on the muscle between your neck and shoulder. When this muscle is stiff, it severely limits your neck’s range of motion, leaving you with that classic, tight feeling that just won’t seem to relax.
I Feel
Pain on Top of Head
When the large muscle covering your upper back and neck, the Trapezius, is stiff, the pain it refers can be strangely focused on your scalp. You’ll typically feel a deep ache beginning at the top of your shoulder and the base of your neck, and this discomfort often travels straight up the back of your skull to settle as intense pressure right on the very top of your head. This muscle helps support your head and control your shoulder blades, so it gets overworked from things like poor posture (hunching over a screen), carrying heavy bags, or constantly holding psychological stress and tension. It can be super tender to press on the muscle between your neck and shoulder. When this muscle is stiff, it pulls on the surrounding connective tissue, making neck movement restricted and leading to that alarming sensation of pain or pressure on your scalp.
I Feel
Pain at the Back of the Head
When the Rhomboids muscles, which run between your spine and your shoulder blades, are stiff, the discomfort can surprisingly reach your head. You’ll typically feel a deep, persistent ache right between your shoulder blades, which often radiates up into the neck and settles as a heavy pressure or pain at the back of the head. This muscle’s primary job is to pull your shoulder blades together, so it gets overworked and fatigued from things like slouching for long periods at a desk or carrying a heavy backpack. When they seize up, they create tension that travels right up the back of your neck. It can be super tender to press on the muscle near the spine, leaving your upper back tight and contributing to nagging headaches that start low down and travel upward.
I Feel
Cheek Pain
When the large, fan-shaped Temporalis muscle, which covers the side of your head and temple, is tight, the pain it generates can be surprisingly concentrated elsewhere. You’ll typically feel a persistent, deep ache right in your temple and a confusing, dull pain that settles in the upper cheekbone and teeth. This muscle’s primary job is to close your jaw (clench) and pull it backward, so you’ll notice the discomfort gets significantly worse when you chew tough food, clench your teeth during stress, or wake up after grinding your teeth at night. It can be super tender to press on the muscle right above your ear and along your temple. When this muscle is tight, it severely restricts jaw movement, contributing to headaches and making even simple eating tasks painfully stiff.
Pain Around the Eye
When the Temporalis muscle, the large, fan-shaped muscle on the side of your head, is stiff, the resulting pain can be alarmingly focused near your eye. You’ll typically feel a strong, aching discomfort right in your temple, but this pain frequently travels forward and settles as an intense pressure or sharp pain behind or right above your eye. This muscle’s job is to elevate and retract your jaw (closing the mouth), so you’ll notice the pain gets significantly worse during activities that involve clenching, chewing hard or chewy foods, or grinding your teeth at night. It can be super tender if you press on the side of your head while clenching your jaw. When this muscle is stiff, it severely contributes to jaw stiffness and tension headaches, making simple actions like eating painfully restricted.
I Feel
Pain Around the Eye
When the Suboccipital muscles, that small group of tiny, deep muscles right at the base of your skull where your neck begins, are stiff, they are a frequent source of tricky headaches. You’ll typically feel a deep, intense ache and pressure right at the back of your head, just under the skull, but the pain often shoots forward and settles as an uncomfortable ache behind or above your eye. These muscles are responsible for fine-tuning your head posture and movement. They become stiff from activities like forward head posture (looking down at a screen) or after whiplash-type injuries. It can be super tender if you press directly into that spot where the neck meets the skull. When these muscles are tight, they irritate nerves in the area, leading to that common tension-style headache felt right in the front of your face.
I Feel
Pain Around the Eye
When the Masseter Superficial muscle, which is the big, powerful muscle on the side of your jaw used for chewing, is stiff, the referred pain can be surprisingly misleading. You’ll typically feel a strong, deep ache in the lower jaw and cheek, but this discomfort frequently travels upward and settles as a diffuse pressure or ache right above the eye or along the eyebrow. This muscle’s primary job is to powerfully close your jaw, so you’ll notice the pain gets significantly worse during activities that involve clenching, aggressively chewing gum or tough food, or grinding your teeth at night. It can be super tender if you press on the muscle near the corner of your jawbone. When this muscle is stiff, it contributes heavily to TMJ discomfort, making jaw movement painful and causing that strange, dull headache felt near the eye.
I Feel
Pain Around the Eye
When the Semispinalis Capitis muscle, a thick muscle deep in the back of your neck that helps extend your head, is stiff, the pain it refers can be intensely focused in your face. You’ll typically feel a persistent, deep ache concentrated in the base of your neck and back of your skull, but this discomfort frequently shoots forward to settle as a sharp, intense pressure behind or around your eye. This muscle is heavily involved in maintaining upright posture and keeping your head balanced. It becomes stiff from activities like forward head posture (slouching while looking at screens) or after whiplash. It can be very tender to press on the muscle near the spine in the upper neck. When this muscle is stiff, it irritates nerves that run into the head, causing a severe, concentrated headache felt in the orbital area.
I Feel
Pain at the Back of the Head
When the Semispinalis Cervicis muscle, a deep layer muscle running along the back of your lower neck, is strained, the pain it refers can be intensely annoying. You’ll typically feel a persistent, deep ache concentrated in the base of your skull and radiating slightly to the side of the head. This discomfort often presents as a dense pressure or headache felt at the very back of your head. This muscle’s job is to help extend and rotate your neck, so it becomes stiff from activities like holding your head tilted (like holding a phone between ear and shoulder) or from repetitive neck motions. It can be very tender to press on the muscle next to the spine in the lower neck. When this muscle is stiff, it affects the larger structures, making your neck feel rigid and contributing to that pervasive, hard-to-shake head pain.
I Feel
Headaches
When the large Splenius Capitis muscle, a key mover on the back of your neck and upper spine, is stiff, the resulting headache can feel pervasive and deep. You’ll typically feel a strong, aching discomfort right at the back of your head, often wrapping forward like a tight band or a helmet of pressure. This pain can sometimes settle in the temple area as well. This muscle’s job is to extend and rotate your head, so it becomes stiff from things like forward head posture (spending hours looking at screens) or after a neck strain. It can be super tender to press on the muscle along the side of the upper neck. When this muscle is stiff, it limits your head movement and contributes to that annoying, constant tension that makes the whole scalp and head feel constricted.
Pain on Top of Head
When the large Splenius Capitis muscle, a key mover on the back of your neck and upper spine, is stiff, the resulting head pain can be oddly specific. You’ll typically feel a strong, aching discomfort right at the back of your head, near the base of the skull, and this pressure often climbs straight up to settle right on the very top of your head. This pain can sometimes feel like a heavy weight or intense pressure on your scalp. This muscle’s job is to extend and rotate your head, so it becomes stiff from things like forward head posture (spending hours looking at screens) or sleeping without proper neck support. It can be super tender to press on the muscle along the side of the upper neck. When this muscle is stiff, it limits your ability to fully move your neck and contributes to that annoying, constant pressure felt across your entire skull.
I Feel
Neck Pain at the Base of the Neck
When the Lower Splenius Cervicis muscle, a deep layer muscle running along the lower part of your neck, is stiff, the pain is specifically felt at the base of your neck, right where it transitions into your upper back. You’ll typically feel a persistent, deep ache or heavy pressure that can sometimes feel like a sharp pull when you move. This muscle’s job is to help extend your neck and rotate your head, so it becomes stiff from activities like holding a forward head posture (looking down for too long), sleeping awkwardly, or performing repetitive twisting motions. It can be very tender to press on the muscle next to the spine in that lower neck region. When this muscle is stiff, it severely limits your ability to fully bend your head back, leaving your entire neck feeling rigid and painfully resistant to movement.
I Feel
Pain Around the Eye
When the Upper Splenius Cervicis muscle, a deep layer muscle running along the upper part of your neck, is stiff, the pain it refers can be intensely misleading. You’ll typically feel a persistent, deep ache concentrated in the side of your neck and near the base of your skull, but this discomfort frequently shoots forward to settle as a sharp, intense pressure behind or around your eye. This muscle’s job is to help extend and rotate your head. It becomes stiff from activities like holding your head awkwardly (like cradling a phone) or from sustained forward head posture. It can be very tender to press on the muscle along the upper side of the neck. When this muscle is stiff, it irritates local nerves, causing that common, severe tension felt right in the orbital area of the face.
