Understanding Migraines and Headaches: How Chiropractic Care Can Bring Relief
Headaches and migraines affect millions of people every day — but not all head pain is the same. While headaches are often caused by stress, tension, or posture issues, migraines are a neurological condition that can completely disrupt daily life. I have been told by my patients a migraine is a headache times 10! Knowing the difference can help you find lasting relief — and fortunately chiropractic care offers a safe, natural way to address the root cause of both.
Headache vs. Migraine: What’s the Difference?
Both cause pain in the head, but the type, intensity, and symptoms differ:
Headaches usually produce a steady, dull ache that can affect both sides of the head. Common triggers include stress, dehydration, eye strain, or muscle tension.
Migraines, on the other hand, are often one-sided and can cause intense, throbbing pain. They’re frequently accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and sometimes visual disturbances known as “auras.” Certain foods like chocolate, cheese, caffeine, or alcohol can trigger a migraine.
Migraines are more complex because they involve nerve pathways and blood vessels in the brain. They can last for hours or even days and often require a more comprehensive approach to care.
Common Types of Headaches
Tension Headaches: The most common type, caused by tight neck and shoulder muscles, often linked to stress or poor posture.
Cervicogenic Headaches: Originating from misalignments or restricted movement in the neck joints, these headaches often radiate from the neck to the head or behind the eyes. Oftentimes I will notice this type of headache with patients who suffered a recent car accident, or whiplash injury.
Cluster Headaches: Severe, sharp pain occurring in clusters, often around one eye.
Sinus Headaches: Caused by inflammation in the sinuses, leading to facial pressure and pain.
Common Types of Migraines
Migraine Without Aura: The most frequent type, marked by intense throbbing and nausea.
Migraine With Aura: Includes warning signs like flashing lights or tingling sensations before the headache begins.
Vestibular Migraine: Causes dizziness or balance problems.
Chronic Migraine: Occurs 15 or more days a month — often disabling.
What Causes Headaches and Migraines?
Triggers vary but often include:
Stress and neck muscle tension
Poor posture or spinal misalignment
Hormonal changes
Sleep disturbances
Certain foods or dehydration
Sensory overload (bright lights or loud noises)
In many cases, tension and misalignment in the cervical spine (neck region) can irritate nerves or restrict blood flow, contributing to recurring head pain.
How Chiropractic Care Helps
At Lopez Health Center in Maple Grove, we focus on finding and correcting the cause of your headaches and migraines, not just masking symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments help improve spinal alignment, reduce muscle tension, and restore healthy nerve communication.
Here’s how chiropractic care can make a difference:
Spinal Adjustments: Gentle adjustments correct misalignments (subluxations) in the neck and upper back. Research shows that spinal manipulation can significantly reduce the frequency, duration, and intensity of migraines. In one randomized controlled trial, patients receiving two months of chiropractic spinal manipulation reported fewer migraines, shorter episodes, and less medication use compared to controls.
Improved Posture and Muscle Balance: Poor posture, especially from hours at a desk or looking down at a phone, strains neck muscles and joints. Correcting alignment can relieve this tension and help prevent future headaches.
Soft Tissue Therapy: Techniques like trigger point therapy and stretching help relax tight muscles that often contribute to tension-type headaches. Adjunct therapies such EMS (electrical muscle stimulation), US (ultrasound), moist hot packs are also beneficial and are provided at our clinic.
Reducing Cervicogenic Headaches: Studies show chiropractic adjustments are particularly effective for headaches that originate in the neck. One large trial found that patients who received regular spinal manipulation experienced a significant reduction in headache hours per day and less reliance on pain medication.
Lifestyle Guidance: Chiropractors also provide advice on ergonomics, hydration, nutrition, and stress management — helping you take control of your headache triggers naturally.
What Does the Research Say?
Evidence continues to grow in support of chiropractic care for certain headache types.
A 12-month clinical trial found that chiropractic care significantly reduced migraine frequency, intensity, and medication use over time.
A 2018 dual-center study on cervicogenic headaches showed that patients receiving more spinal manipulation visits experienced greater reductions in headache days — a clear dose-response relationship.
Clinical guidelines also recommend spinal manipulation as an effective option for cervicogenic headaches and a potentially beneficial approach for migraines.
While research is ongoing, the consensus among many studies is that chiropractic care can help reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches and migraines, particularly when combined with posture correction and lifestyle changes.
When to See a Chiropractor
If you experience frequent headaches or migraines that disrupt your work, sleep, or daily activities, chiropractic care may be the solution. Headaches are often dismissed as normal, but they’re like a car’s check engine light—a sign that something’s wrong. It’s crucial to catch them early and address them to prevent worsening. A thorough evaluation can help determine whether neck misalignment, tension, or posture issues are contributing to your pain — and personalized care can bring long-lasting relief.
Find Relief at Lopez Health Center in Maple Grove
At Lopez Health Center, we help patients from Maple Grove, Osseo, Brooklyn Park, and Brooklyn Center find relief from chronic headaches and migraines naturally. Our gentle, personalized chiropractic approach is designed to restore balance and comfort — so you can live pain-free and get back to doing what you love.
Schedule your appointment today and take the first step toward lasting headache relief.
Sources
Footnotes
Tuchin PJ, Pollard H, Bonello R. A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2000;23(2):91–95. PubMed
Jull G, et al. Cervical manipulation and mobilization for cervicogenic headache: a randomized controlled trial. Spine. 1997;22(15):1746–1752. PubMed
Haas M, et al. Dose-response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a randomized controlled trial. Spine J. 2018;18(10):1741–1754. PubMed
Tuchin PJ, Pollard H. A prospective study of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008;31(7):445–453. PubMed
Bronfort G, et al. Effectiveness of manual therapies: the UK evidence report. Chiropr Osteopat. 2010;18:3. PubMed
