A Root-Cause Approach to Headaches, Migraines, and Neck Pain

Have a headache that just won’t go away? You’re not alone. Roughly 40% of adults worldwide experience at least one headache every year, according to the World Health Organization, and here in Victoria BC, headache relief is one of the most common reasons patients come to see me at my chiropractic clinic.

Many headache and migraine symptoms actually stem from problems in the neck, often caused by spinal misalignment. Understanding this connection is the first step toward lasting headache relief instead of just masking the pain.

Key Takeaways

Headaches Are Common – roughly 40% of adults worldwide experience at least one headache every year, and many cases trace back to neck problems.
Spinal Misalignment Is Often the Root Cause – poor posture, screen time, and old injuries can all throw the spine out of alignment and refer pain to the head.
Not All Headaches Are the Same – primary headaches, like tension and migraine, and secondary headaches triggered by something else call for different approaches.
Chiropractic Care Can Target the Root Cause – rather than only masking symptoms with medication, chiropractic adjustments aim to correct the underlying issue for lasting headache relief.
Local Care Is Available in Victoria BC – Dr. Louie at Mind Body Spine has advanced training in treating headaches and TMJ disorders.

Why Spinal Misalignments Lead to Headaches

Spinal misalignment can occur in a number of different ways, including poor posture, deterioration of the joints in the neck, impact trauma, and even improper footwear. More people are hunched over their desks than ever, working longer and longer hours and putting significant strain on their neck and shoulders. Of course, the proliferation of hand-held devices is also a well-documented contributor to headaches because of the inevitable “text neck.”

Research shows that forward head posture and weakness in the neck muscles can refer pain to the head. For cervicogenic headaches specifically, spinal manipulation has moderate-quality evidence behind it for reducing headache frequency and intensity. Some patients find they rely less on over-the-counter medication once the underlying neck issue is addressed, though results vary from person to person.

Let’s take a closer look at how I can help you find headache relief, starting with a brief reminder of what headaches actually are:

Types of Headaches

Headache is the common term for pain in the head, face, and neck. People can experience many types of headaches, grouped into two categories: primary and secondary.

Primary headaches, including migraines, tension headaches, and cluster headaches, are caused by problems with, or the overactivity of, the structures in the head itself. The headache is not caused by other medical conditions because the issue stems from the head, neck, or shoulders. Some primary headaches, like tension headaches caused by staring at the computer screen for too long, are more easily preventable, while others, such as cluster headaches, are often out of a person’s control.

Secondary headaches are symptoms caused by an underlying condition. Some self-inflicted conditions include hangovers, caffeine withdrawal, brain freeze, elevated stress levels, or not drinking enough water throughout the day. Examples of things that might cause non-self-inflicted secondary headaches include blood clots, sinus problems, teeth grinding, concussion, stroke, insomnia or lack of sleep, glaucoma, cold and flu, and panic attacks.

Most Common Headache Symptoms

A headache can be much more than just “My head sure is killing me today!” or “Ow, my head really hurts right now.” Headache symptoms vary depending on the type of headache. For instance, a person experiencing a tension headache (by far the most common type of primary headache out there) usually describes feelings of:

Having a tight band around their head
A dull ache on both sides that remains constant
Pain radiating to or from the neck

Whereas a person experiencing a migraine often reports feeling:

A pulsing, throbbing pain on only one side of the head.
Blurred vision
Light-headedness
Nausea
Sensory disturbances (auras)

Headaches range in severity. They can either cause sharp, throbbing pain or dull, constant pain. Headaches may appear suddenly or gradually over time. They are unpredictable and can be debilitating, lasting anywhere from less than an hour to several days.

Treatment for Headaches

The majority of headache sufferers resort to over-the-counter pain medication as a first line of defence against a debilitating headache. This relieves the pain, but it is not sustainable. After a while, many headache sufferers seek help from a chiropractor to identify the root cause and prevent headaches in the first place.

Treating headaches, beyond taking a painkiller, starts with understanding the cause.

Dehydrated? Drink more water.
Caffeine withdrawal? Try weaning yourself off slowly instead.
Hair pulled back too tight? Let it loose!
Hat on too tight? Take it off!
Sleep-deprived? Go to bed.
Dry eyes? Eye drops!
Hangover? Rest up.
And so on.

If none of these are options, to treat a headache right then and there, try:

Neck and shoulder massage
Essential oil blends
Hot or cold compresses
Low light levels or darkness
Moving to a quiet room if possible
Sleeping if possible
Seeing a chiropractor for persistent headaches

The Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Headaches

As I mentioned earlier, neck and shoulder pain commonly lead to headaches. Pain radiates! Therefore, for anyone experiencing frequent headaches, chiropractic care can be an effective solution and a good way to avoid having to take too many painkillers (which ultimately lead to something called rebound headaches).

Chiropractic Treatments for Headaches in Victoria BC: What to Expect

During your visit, I’ll begin with an overall wellness exam and ask a series of questions to help pinpoint the potential causes of your headaches.

Something that can help before your first visit, or even after, is starting a headache journal where you document your headaches for 1 to 6 months to see if there are any common themes.

Are they only happening in the morning? Only at night? Only after certain foods? Only on the weekends? Only when it’s cloudy outside?

Chiropractic treatments for headaches include manual adjustments to realign the spine, restore proper spinal curves, reduce nerve interference, and stimulate joint movement. Correcting neck problems should also be paired with specialized exercises we teach at our office to reduce the chance of recurrence.

I’ll also assess your posture and suggest a few things you can do to help prevent headaches in the future:

Ergonomic adjustments at your workstation
Sleep aids and pillows that support proper neck alignment
Diet changes to help reduce inflammation
Relaxation techniques, especially if your headaches are stress-related

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a chiropractor really help with headaches, or is that just for back pain?
Chiropractors treat a lot more than back pain. Since many headaches are linked to neck and spine alignment, chiropractic care can address the root cause rather than just the symptom.
How many chiropractic visits does it take to notice a difference with headaches?
This varies from person to person depending on the cause and how long you’ve been dealing with it. I’ll give you a realistic estimate after your first assessment.
Can chiropractic care help with migraines specifically, or just tension headaches?
Chiropractic care can help with several headache types, including tension and cervicogenic headaches. Migraines are more complex, so I’ll assess your specific triggers and history before recommending a treatment plan.
Does ICBC cover chiropractic treatment for headaches after a car accident?
Yes, ICBC coverage can apply to chiropractic care for headaches related to whiplash or other injuries from a motor vehicle accident. I can walk you through how that works at your first visit.

At the end of the day, there are many ways to ease a headache, but there’s also a simple way to help prevent them: address the root cause. If your neck and shoulder issues seem to be behind that Friday-afternoon headache, I’d encourage you to get it checked out.

If you’re ready to find real headache relief in Victoria BC, I’d love to help. I’m Dr. Stephanie Louie, and I have advanced training in treating headaches and TMJ disorders at Mind Body Spine. Call 250-885-2320 to book your visit.