Headaches and migraines
Care path: Chiropractic
Recurring headaches can wear you down. Many people notice a pattern: a stiff neck, long days at a screen, poor sleep, skipped meals or stress.
Dr. Nick looks at how your neck and upper back are moving, and at the habits around your headaches, so you can understand what may be contributing. He will also tell you when a headache needs a medical evaluation.
Common questions
Can a headache start in the neck?
Yes. Some headaches are linked to the joints and muscles of the upper neck, and are sometimes called cervicogenic headaches. They often come with neck stiffness, or pain that starts at the base of the skull and spreads forward.
A hands-on evaluation of your neck and upper back helps show whether that may be part of your picture.
What is the difference between a tension headache and a migraine?
Tension-type headaches often feel like a band of pressure on both sides of the head. Migraines are often throbbing, may be on one side, and can come with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound. Some people see visual changes, called an aura, beforehand.
Migraine is diagnosed by a physician. If you have never been evaluated for your headaches, start there.
Can chiropractic care help with headaches?
Dr. Nick evaluates how your neck and upper back are moving. If he finds joint dysfunction that may be contributing, he explains what he found and whether specific adjustments are appropriate for you.
Not every headache is a chiropractic problem, and he will say so if yours needs another kind of care.
Could my desk, phone or sleep position be part of it?
They can be. Long hours looking down at a screen or phone, driving, and sleeping in an awkward position all load the neck. Part of each visit is talking through the habits that may be adding to your headaches and what to change between visits.
What else can trigger headaches?
Common triggers include poor or short sleep, skipped meals, not drinking enough water, alcohol, stress and changes in routine. Some people also notice a link with hormonal changes.
If your headaches come with other ongoing symptoms, such as fatigue, digestive problems or sleep trouble, a functional medicine conversation may help you see the bigger picture.
Should I keep a headache diary?
It helps. Note when each headache starts, how long it lasts, where you feel it, what you were doing, how you slept and what you took for it. Bring it to your first visit.
How the practice approaches headaches
Your headache history
When your headaches happen, what they feel like, what seems to trigger them and what you have already tried.
A detailed evaluation
Plan for at least 60 minutes for your first chiropractic visit, with a focus on your neck and upper back: palpation, thermal analysis of the spine, and orthopedic and neurological testing.
Specific care when it is indicated
When the evaluation identifies joint dysfunction, Dr. Nick adjusts that area specifically and adds hands-on soft-tissue work where it helps.
Habits between visits
Practical changes to screen setup, sleep position and daily movement, so you are not relying on visits alone.
A broader look when you need it
If your headaches seem tied to sleep, nutrition, stress or hormones, Dr. Nick can talk through a functional medicine consultation.
When to seek emergency care
Call 911 or go to an emergency department for a headache that:
- Comes on suddenly and severely, like the worst headache of your life
- Comes with fever, a stiff neck, confusion or a rash
- Follows a blow to the head, a fall or an accident
- Comes with weakness, numbness, vision loss, trouble speaking or confusion
See a physician promptly if your headaches:
- Are a new pattern for you after age 50
- Keep getting worse over days or weeks, or wake you from sleep
Other things we help with
Start with an evaluation
Request a first chiropractic visit, and bring your headache diary if you have one.
This page is general education, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Individual needs and outcomes vary.