Headaches don't always originate in the head. In some cases, muscles and joints in the neck can contribute to headache symptoms, particularly when headaches are accompanied by neck pain, stiffness, or tightness.
One muscle that often doesn't get much attention is the semispinalis capitis. This deep muscle runs along the back of the neck and attaches near the base of the skull. When it becomes tight, irritated, or overworked, it may contribute to discomfort in the upper neck and head.
The good news is that treatment doesn't always have to focus solely on releasing a tight muscle. A combination of mobility, muscle release, strengthening, and addressing the underlying cause may provide a more complete approach.
What Is the Semispinalis Capitis?
The semispinalis capitis is a deep muscle located along the back of the cervical spine. It travels upward from the cervical and upper thoracic region and attaches to the occipital bone at the back of the skull.
Its primary functions include helping to:
- Extend the head and neck
- Rotate the head
- Stabilize the cervical spine
- Control the position of the head during movement and prolonged postures
Because this muscle is constantly working to help support the head, it can become overloaded—especially if you spend long periods sitting at a computer, looking down at a phone, driving, or maintaining other sustained positions.
How Can a Neck Muscle Contribute to a Headache?
When the semispinalis capitis becomes tight or irritated, it can produce discomfort around the upper neck and base of the skull. In some individuals, pain originating from structures in the cervical spine can also be perceived as pain traveling into the head.
This is partly related to an area of the nervous system known as the trigeminocervical complex. Sensory information from the upper cervical region interacts with pathways responsible for sensation in the head. This helps explain why irritation originating in the neck can sometimes be experienced as a headache.
These types of headaches are often referred to as cervicogenic headaches, meaning the headache originates from structures within the cervical spine.
Why Does the Semispinalis Capitis Become Tight?
There isn't always one specific cause. The muscle may become overworked due to prolonged sitting, forward-head positioning, repetitive activities, poor cervical endurance, previous neck injuries, or simply spending too much time in one position.
This is why treatment should involve more than simply finding a tight muscle and releasing it. We also want to understand why that muscle is working so hard in the first place.
Self-Release for the Semispinalis Capitis
A gentle self-release technique can be used to help decrease muscular tension around the back of the neck.
VIDEO: Semispinalis Capitis Self-Release
In this exercise, we target the muscular tissue along the posterior neck while avoiding excessive pressure directly over the cervical spine.
The goal isn't to aggressively dig into the muscle. Gentle, controlled pressure is usually more appropriate. You should feel pressure or mild muscular tenderness—not sharp pain.
After releasing the muscle, neck movement may temporarily feel easier or more comfortable.
Don't Just Release It—Strengthen It
If a muscle continually becomes tight, repeatedly stretching or releasing it may not address the entire problem.
Sometimes a muscle feels tight because it is working harder than it should or lacks sufficient endurance for the demands being placed on it.
That's where strengthening can become important.
Semispinalis Capitis Isometric Exercise
One simple way to begin strengthening the posterior cervical muscles is with an isometric exercise.
Semispinalis Capitis Isometric Exercise
Isometric exercises create muscular contraction without requiring significant movement of the neck. This allows you to work on cervical muscular strength, endurance, and control while keeping the head relatively stationary.
The goal is not maximal force. Instead, apply gentle resistance while maintaining good head and neck positioning.
Over time, improving the endurance of the muscles supporting the cervical spine may help the neck better tolerate prolonged sitting, computer work, exercise, and everyday activities.
Release + Strengthen
One of the biggest mistakes people make when dealing with a chronically tight muscle is only stretching or releasing it.
If the semispinalis capitis is irritated, we may initially work on decreasing excessive muscular tension. But we also want to improve how the cervical spine moves and how well the surrounding muscles stabilize the head and neck.
A simple approach may include:
Release → Restore Movement → Strengthen → Build Endurance
The specific approach depends on what's actually contributing to your symptoms.
Are Your Headaches Coming From Your Neck?
If your headaches frequently occur along with neck pain, stiffness, reduced neck movement, or tenderness around the base of your skull, your cervical spine may be contributing to your symptoms.
That doesn't mean every headache is coming from the semispinalis capitis—or even from the neck. Headaches can have many different causes, which is why recurring, severe, new, or unusual headaches should be appropriately evaluated.
At New Path Chiropractic – Wellness & Sports Rehab, we evaluate the muscles, joints, movement patterns, and function of the cervical spine to help determine whether the neck may be contributing to your headaches.
Instead of simply asking, “Where does it hurt?”, we want to determine why it hurts and what we can do to improve it.
New Path Chiropractic – Wellness & Sports Rehab
Jupiter, Florida
www.newpathhealth.com
This information is provided for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose or treat a specific medical condition. Stop any exercise that increases your symptoms and consult an appropriate healthcare professional if you have concerns about your headaches or neck pain.
Dr. Steve Muscari
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