Headaches
Not all headaches are the same, and not all of them are something a chiropractor should be looking at.
The ones we work with have a musculoskeletal component: headaches that start at the base of the skull, come with a stiff or sore neck, or follow long hours in one position, and migraine where the neck is contributing.
What it is
Cervicogenic headache is pain felt in the head that comes from the joints and muscles of the upper neck. Tension-type headache often involves tight muscles around the neck, shoulders and jaw. Both can be aggravated by posture, screen time, stress and poor sleep.
Migraine is a neurological condition in its own right, and it stays your GP’s or neurologist’s to diagnose and manage. Many people with migraine also have neck pain and stiffness, and for some of them the neck contributes to how often attacks come and how they start. That neck contribution is what we assess and care for; we make no claims about migraine itself. Sinus headache is a different problem again: see your GP or pharmacist.
What we assess
- Your history: where the headache sits, how it starts, what it comes with, and how often. This is the part that tells us whether it is one we should be looking at.
- Neck and upper-back movement, posture, jaw and shoulder muscle tension, and the movement of the upper neck joints.
- Joint, muscle and nerve testing, with hands-on examination. On-site X-rays only if clinically indicated.
Your initial consultation is $49 and includes the examination, on-site X-rays if clinically indicated, an adjustment if clinically indicated, and the planning session where we go through what we found. What to expect →
What care looks like
If the neck is involved: adjustments to the upper neck and upper back joints, hands-on work for the surrounding muscles, and at-home mobility and posture work.
A plan with a number of visits, reviewed as you go, and a frank conversation if the headaches are not behaving like a neck problem. Like all treatments, chiropractic care can have side effects; the common ones are mild and short-lived, such as soreness after an adjustment. We discuss this with you before care starts.
When to see your GP first
Some symptoms need a doctor before anyone else. See your GP, or emergency care, if you have:
- A sudden, severe headache unlike any you have had: call 000.
- Headache with fever and a stiff neck, after a head injury, or with confusion, weakness, vision or speech changes.
- A new headache if you are over 50, pregnant, or have a history of cancer or a weakened immune system.
If you are unsure, call us and ask. We would rather send you to the right person than have you guess.
Questions
Do you see people with migraine?
Yes, where the neck is contributing: neck pain or stiffness alongside the migraine, attacks that start with neck tension, or pain at the base of the skull. We assess and care for the neck component. We make no claims about migraine itself, and your GP or neurologist stays in charge of its diagnosis and treatment.
How quickly would I know if the neck is the cause?
Usually within the first few visits, from how the headache responds and what the examination shows. If it is not responding the way a neck problem should, we say so.
Related: Neck pain · Posture · All conditions
Ready when you are.
Your initial consultation is $49 and includes the examination, on-site X-rays if clinically indicated, an adjustment if clinically indicated, and the planning session where we go through what we found.