Neck pain is increasingly common among people living and working in cities such as Petaling Jaya, especially with long hours spent at desks, in traffic, or using mobile devices. For many, neck pain doesn’t stay in the neck — it often leads to recurring headaches that affect daily life, focus, and sleep. Many individuals have seek different treatments including chiropractic care to help resolve their headache and neck pain.
Understanding why this happens can help you take the right steps toward long-term relief.
Did You Know?
- Up to 50% of people may experience neck pain in a given year, according to global musculoskeletal pain research. (Source: Archives of Medical Science)
- In clinical studies, up to 77% of people with migraine have neck pain — significantly higher than those without migraine. (Source: PubMed — clinical pain research)
- Headaches that originate from neck dysfunction — called cervicogenic headaches — represent 15–20% of headache cases in headache clinic populations. (Source: PMC — National Institutes of Health)
Why Neck Pain Happens?
Most neck pain is not caused by a single injury. Instead, it develops gradually due to everyday habits, such as:
- Long hours of desk work or screen use
- Poor posture, including forward head posture (“tech neck”)
- Stress-related muscle tension
- Reduced movement in the neck and upper back
- Repetitive daily activities and driving
Over time, these factors overload the joints and muscles in the neck (cervical spine), causing stiffness, muscle tightness, and restricted movement. In a busy urban environment like Petaling Jaya, these lifestyle stresses are common factors leading to persistent neck discomfort.
Your neck plays a direct role in head movement and nerve function.
Here’s how neck pain can trigger headaches:
- Stiff joints in the upper neck can irritate nearby nerves that refer pain into the head.
- Tight neck and shoulder muscles can pull on the base of the skull, leading to tension-type headaches.
- Poor posture increases strain on neck muscles throughout the day.
- Restricted spinal movement can contribute to prolonged muscle contraction and reduced blood flow.
Headaches that start in the neck — known as cervicogenic headaches — are recognized as a real and treatable condition when neck dysfunction is present. Because the pain is referred from the neck, taking medication alone may not provide lasting relief unless the underlying neck issue is addressed.
If your headaches are associated with neck stiffness, recurring neck pain, or poor posture, treating the root cause is essential.
Chiropractic care focuses on:
- Restoring normal movement to stiff or restricted neck joints
- Reducing muscle tension and imbalance
- Improving posture and spinal alignment
- Supporting long-term neck and spine health
A qualified chiropractor will assess how your neck moves, identify areas of restriction, and apply targeted, safe manual techniques to help improve function and reduce pain.
Book a Neck Pain & Headache Assessment in Petaling Jaya
If you’re experiencing ongoing neck pain or headaches that affect your work or daily life, early care can make a significant difference.
At Healthworks Petaling Jaya, our experienced chiropractors help identify the cause of your neck pain and provide personalised care to support recovery and prevent recurrence.
Book an appointment with Healthworks in Petaling Jaya today and take the first step toward lasting relief from neck pain and headaches.
Your neck supports you every day — taking care of it now can help you feel better long-term.
Jason Chia (Chiropractor)
References
- Global burden of neck pain: GBD 2019 Musculoskeletal Study — Archives of Medical Science — estimates prevalence of neck pain worldwide.
- Neck pain with migraine: PubMed clinical research showing high co-occurrence of neck pain among migraine sufferers.
- Cervicogenic headache prevalence: NIH / PMC article on the epidemiology and clinical significance of cervicogenic headache.
