Having a tension headache? Do you feel the pulse in the back of your neck at the base of your head? Do you feel your muscles that attach at the base of you head (skull) too tight? All of these symptoms are related to the suboccipital muscles. Suboccipital muscles are attached from the back of your head to your neck. When these neck muscles are tight they can cause neck pain and headaches. Tension headaches are treatable with neck exercises.

For best results, a combination of neck exercises, neck massage and ice can help reduce the headache. The suboccipital muscles need to be stretched out to relieve the neck tension. Here I will describe a stretch exercises technique for the suboccipitals that you can do at home while lying in bed. This is the easiest to do and the best place since you can rest afterwards. The neck exercises will be similar to the lying down chin tuck.

Prior to the neck exercises, be sure to get a cold pack with a cover (pillow case or towel) and remove the pillow from underneath your head. Start by lying down on the bed, be comfortable and be sure that your back is touching the mattress. Place both your hands behind your head. With your thumbs, feel the base of your head and find two bony spots. These bony spots should be in the middle back of your head. Rest your head on your thumbs. Be sure to be looking straight up at the ceiling. Perform a chin tuck.

Now, keep your mouth closed and open the bottom jaw. Breathe in and tilt your chin towards your chest while you press your thumbs in and up towards the top of your head. Hold and breathe out for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times. 

Eventually, you want to hold the position 30 to 60 seconds. These neck exercises will reduce the tension in your head which then will help your headache. Afterwards, support your head with the pillow and put the ice pack with cover under your head. The ice should be where your thumbs were placed. Leave the ice on for 15 minutes. 

There should be no increase in pain. You control the pressure of your thumbs to be tolerable. By doing both the chin tuck and the suboccipital stretch should help reduce the tension within the day. Other headache relieving techniques and neck exercises will be described at a later time.