Chiropractor for headaches and migraines in Anaheim

Headaches get treated as a single problem when they are really several. Tension headaches build as a band of pressure through the day. Cervicogenic headaches start at the base of the skull on one side and travel up and forward. Migraine is a neurological condition with its own pattern of aura, light sensitivity and nausea. Plenty of people have more than one type running at once.

The type that responds most reliably to chiropractic care is the cervicogenic one, because the source is upper cervical joint dysfunction and referred muscle tension, and both are directly treatable.

Headache patterns worth examining

• Pain that starts at the base of the skull and travels upward
• Headaches consistently on the same side of the head
• Pain triggered or worsened by neck movement or sustained posture
• Reduced neck rotation on the painful side
• Headaches that began after a car accident or a fall
• Daily afternoon headaches that build with screen work

What care looks like

First the type gets sorted out, because that decides whether this is the right care at all. History pattern, neck examination, trigger point mapping and a screen for the warning signs that mean a headache needs medical investigation rather than manual treatment.

For cervicogenic and tension patterns, care combines upper cervical and thoracic adjustment, targeted soft tissue work through the suboccipital and shoulder girdle muscles, and postural retraining. Most people track frequency and intensity in a simple log so change is visible.

For migraine specifically, the realistic position is that manual care can sometimes reduce frequency, particularly where a neck component is aggravating attacks, and it is not a replacement for neurological care. Anything that looks like a new or worsening headache pattern, a sudden severe headache, or a headache with neurological changes gets referred out the same day.