9 Out of 10 Headaches: The Hidden Causes You Need to Know

Headaches are often blamed on stress or emotional tension, but the reasons they develop can be much more complex. The phrase “9 out of 10 headaches” comes from historical research by Dr. Max Murray Braff, director of New York’s Stuyvesant Polyclinic Headache Clinic. After studying thousands of patients, Dr. Braff reported that cervical spine dysfunction appeared to play an important role in many cases. Headache research has advanced considerably since then, so this historical observation should not be interpreted to mean that 90% of headaches today are known to originate from the neck. The lasting message is that recurring head pain should not automatically be attributed to stress, and problems involving the neck may be an important contributor for some people.

The neck can play a significant role in certain headache disorders, particularly cervicogenic headaches. Irritation or dysfunction involving the joints, muscles, and nerves of the cervical spine can produce referred pain, meaning discomfort is felt in the head even though the source is elsewhere. Symptoms may begin near the base of the skull and travel toward the forehead, temples, or eyes and may occur alongside stiffness, reduced range of motion, or muscle tenderness.

Previous head or neck injuries, whiplash, prolonged computer work, repetitive activities, restricted movement, and persistent muscle tension may contribute to this pattern. Headaches can also have many other origins, including migraine, tension-type headache, medication overuse, disrupted sleep, dehydration, illness, and other medical conditions. Because symptoms can overlap, the location or sensation of a headache alone cannot reliably identify its cause.

This distinction matters because temporarily reducing discomfort does not necessarily explain why it keeps returning. Pain-relieving medications can be useful when appropriate, but frequent or persistent symptoms may warrant a closer look at medical history, previous injuries, daily habits, and physical findings. Understanding the pattern can help determine whether a musculoskeletal problem is involved or whether another type of medical care is needed.