HEADACHES & MIGRAINES 

If you're reaching for painkillers most weeks, it's worth asking why the headaches keep coming back. Medication manages the symptom, but in many cases, the neck is driving the problem, and that's something we can treat.

Three types of headache respond particularly well to chiropractic care:

Tension-type headaches feel like a band of pressure around the head. They're usually triggered by stress, fatigue, posture or muscle tightness in the neck and shoulders.

Cervicogenic headaches start in the upper neck joints and refer into the head. They're often one-sided, spreading to the temples, forehead or behind the eye. They're frequently mistaken for migraines because the pain can be severe. The giveaway is neck stiffness and pain that worsens with head movements or sustained positions.

Migraines are neurological, involving changes in brain chemistry and blood flow. They're typically throbbing, one-sided and accompanied by nausea or light sensitivity. Even with migraines, neck dysfunction is a contributing factor in many people, and treating it can reduce the frequency and severity of attacks. A 2019 meta-analysis found that spinal manipulation reduced both migraine pain and the number of migraine days.

Clinical guidelines recommend spinal manipulation for cervicogenic and tension-type headaches, and the 2024 VA/DoD headache guideline recognises manual therapy as part of a multimodal migraine approach.

We carry out a thorough neck and upper-back examination to determine the type and source of your headaches, then treat accordingly: gentle cervical adjustments, soft tissue work, and practical advice on posture, ergonomics and stress management.