Headaches and Migraines: Can a Chiropractor Help?

You’ve had a headache for three days straight. Or maybe you get migraines so bad you have to lock yourself in a dark room and wait for them to pass. You’ve tried over-the-counter painkillers, prescription medications, cutting out caffeine, and drinking more water—nothing really works for long.

Someone mentions seeing a chiropractor for headaches, and you’re skeptical. Aren’t chiropractors just for back pain? How would adjusting your spine help a headache?

Here’s what most people don’t know: a huge percentage of headaches—especially tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches—originate in your neck and upper back. When the joints and muscles in your cervical spine aren’t working right, they can cause referred pain that shows up as a headache. And that’s exactly what chiropractors are trained to fix.

At Twin Cities Chiropractic in St. Paul, we’ve been treating headaches and migraines for over 20 years. Let me explain which types of headaches respond to chiropractic care, how treatment works, and why so many people who’ve suffered with chronic headaches finally find relief through adjustments.

Not all headaches are the same, and not all of them will respond to chiropractic care. But several types respond incredibly well.

Tension headaches are the most common type, and they’re often caused by muscle tension in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. You know that tight, squeezing feeling around your head like someone’s put a band around your skull? That’s a tension headache. These respond really well to chiropractic treatment because we’re addressing the actual source—the tight muscles and restricted joints in your neck.

Cervicogenic headaches literally means “headaches that come from the neck.” These start in your cervical spine and refer pain up into your head. You might feel pain at the base of your skull, or it might radiate to your forehead or behind your eyes. The headache itself is real, but the problem is in your neck. This is where chiropractic care really shines because we’re treating the root cause.

Migraines are more complex, but many migraine sufferers get relief from chiropractic care. Research shows that spinal manipulation can reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines for many people. We can’t cure migraines, but if we can help you have fewer of them or make them less severe, that’s life-changing.

Cluster headaches sometimes respond to chiropractic treatment, though they’re trickier. These are the severe headaches that come in groups—you might get them daily for weeks, then have months without them. Upper cervical adjustments can help some people with cluster headaches.

Stress headaches from jaw clenching, poor posture, and muscle tension respond well when we address the structural issues contributing to the stress your body’s holding.

Your neck and head are connected by nerves, muscles, blood vessels, and joints. When something goes wrong in your neck, it can absolutely cause pain in your head.

Muscle tension in your neck and shoulders is a huge trigger. When these muscles stay tight for hours—from sitting at a computer, looking down at your phone, stress, poor sleep position—they develop trigger points. These trigger points refer pain up into your head, creating headaches.

Joint dysfunction in your cervical spine happens when the vertebrae in your neck aren’t moving properly. Maybe you slept wrong, maybe you were in a car accident years ago, maybe it’s just accumulated wear and tear. When these joints get stuck or misaligned, they irritate the nerves and muscles around them, which can cause headaches.

Nerve irritation is common with cervicogenic headaches. The nerves that exit your upper cervical spine go right up into your head. If a misaligned vertebra or tight muscle is putting pressure on these nerves, you’ll feel it as a headache.

Poor posture is probably the biggest contributor to chronic headaches that nobody talks about. When your head juts forward—which happens when you’re hunched over a computer or looking down at your phone—it puts enormous strain on your neck muscles. Your head weighs 10-12 pounds, and for every inch it moves forward from proper alignment, it adds an extra 10 pounds of force on your neck. That constant strain creates muscle tension and joint dysfunction that leads to headaches.

Jaw tension from TMJ problems or teeth grinding creates muscle tension that radiates up into your temples and head. The muscles of your jaw connect to muscles in your neck, so jaw problems often contribute to headaches.

When you come to Twin Cities Chiropractic with chronic headaches, Dr. Sorum doesn’t just start adjusting your neck. He does a thorough evaluation to figure out what’s actually causing your headaches.

Dr. Sorum will ask detailed questions about your headaches. Where do they hurt? When do they start? What makes them better or worse? How long do they last? Do you get any warning signs before they start? What have you already tried?

Then comes the physical examination. He’ll check your neck for areas of restricted movement, muscle tension, and misalignment. He’ll assess your posture and see how your head sits relative to your shoulders. He’ll palpate your neck and upper back to find tender spots and trigger points.

Sometimes the connection is obvious—your upper cervical spine is locked up, and you’ve got textbook cervicogenic headaches. Other times it’s more subtle. Maybe your mid-back is stiff, which is causing compensatory tension in your neck, which is causing headaches.

The actual treatment involves gentle chiropractic adjustments to your cervical spine and upper back. These aren’t aggressive, forceful manipulations. For headaches, the adjustments are typically very specific and gentle, focusing on the upper cervical vertebrae.

Upper cervical adjustments target the top two vertebrae in your neck (C1 and C2), which are right at the base of your skull. Dysfunction in these joints is a common cause of headaches. The adjustment restores proper movement and takes pressure off the nerves.

Mid-cervical and lower cervical adjustments address restrictions further down your neck that might be contributing to muscle tension and poor posture.

Thoracic adjustments to your upper back help correct the postural issues that create neck strain. When your upper back is properly aligned, your neck doesn’t have to work as hard to support your head.

Many patients notice relief during or immediately after the first adjustment. The tight feeling in your neck releases, and the pressure in your head decreases. For others, it takes a few treatments before the headaches start to improve.

Adjustments address the joints, but we also need to deal with the tight muscles. That’s where massage therapy comes in.

Joy Vang, our licensed massage therapist, works on the muscles of your neck, shoulders, and upper back. She releases trigger points, reduces muscle tension, and improves blood flow to the area. This combination of adjustments and soft tissue work gives better results than either one alone.

If your headaches are coming from sitting at a computer all day with your head jutted forward, we need to fix that. Dr. Sorum will give you specific advice on how to set up your workstation properly, how to position your monitor, how to sit, and what breaks you need to take.

He’ll also show you exercises and stretches to do throughout the day that counteract the forward head posture and reduce muscle tension before it builds up into a headache.

This isn’t just anecdotal—there’s solid research backing up chiropractic care for headaches.

Studies show that spinal manipulation is as effective as common migraine medications for reducing migraine frequency and intensity, but without the side effects. For cervicogenic headaches, chiropractic care is one of the most effective treatments available.

Research on tension headaches shows that chiropractic adjustments combined with soft tissue therapy significantly reduce headache frequency and severity compared to medication alone.

The key is that we’re treating the cause, not just masking the symptoms. Pain medication can help you get through a headache, but it doesn’t fix the neck dysfunction causing the headache in the first place.

You should consider chiropractic care if:

Your headaches start in your neck or the base of your skull. This is a clear sign of cervicogenic headaches, which respond really well to chiropractic treatment.

You get tension headaches frequently. If you’re reaching for ibuprofen multiple times a week, that’s not normal and you shouldn’t have to live like that.

Your headaches are worse after sitting at a desk or computer. This tells you that posture and neck strain are contributing factors that chiropractic care can address.

Medication isn’t working or you don’t want to rely on it. Some people don’t respond well to headache medications. Others just don’t want to take pills every day. Chiropractic offers a drug-free alternative.

You’ve been in a car accident or had neck trauma. Auto accident injuries often cause neck problems that lead to chronic headaches months or years later.

Your migraines are becoming more frequent. Even if chiropractic care doesn’t eliminate your migraines completely, reducing their frequency or intensity makes a huge difference in your quality of life.

Your first visit will take about 30-45 minutes. After the evaluation and first adjustment, follow-up visits are usually 15-20 minutes.

Initial phase: You’ll probably come in 2-3 times per week for the first couple of weeks. This intensive phase is about breaking the cycle of chronic muscle tension and joint dysfunction.

Improvement phase: As your headaches decrease, you’ll space out visits to once a week, then every other week. We’re reinforcing the improvements and making sure the changes stick.

Maintenance phase: Some people find that coming in once a month or every few months prevents headaches from coming back. Others graduate from care completely once their neck is functioning properly and they’ve corrected the postural issues.

How long treatment takes depends on how long you’ve had the problem. If you’ve had chronic headaches for years, it’s going to take longer to correct than if this just started a few months ago.

At Twin Cities Chiropractic, we’ve helped hundreds of people reduce or eliminate chronic headaches without relying on medication.

Dr. Sorum has over 20 years of experience treating headache patients. He understands the different types of headaches, knows how to find the source of the problem, and uses gentle, effective techniques to provide relief.

Our location at 506 N. Lexington Parkway is convenient when you’re dealing with a headache and don’t want to drive across town. We work with your schedule to get you in quickly, and we offer same-day appointments when you’re in severe pain.

The combination of Dr. Sorum’s adjustments and Joy’s therapeutic massage gives you comprehensive treatment that addresses both the structural and muscular components of your headaches.

Chiropractic care works best when combined with good self-care:

Stay hydrated. Dehydration is a common headache trigger. Drink water throughout the day.

Manage stress. Easier said than done, but stress creates muscle tension that contributes to headaches. Find what helps you decompress.

Sleep properly. Your pillow matters. If you’re waking up with headaches, your pillow might be too high, too flat, or just worn out. Dr. Sorum can recommend proper sleeping positions.

Take breaks from screens. Set a timer to remind yourself to look away from your computer every 20 minutes and move your neck around.

Watch your caffeine intake. Too much caffeine can trigger headaches. So can caffeine withdrawal if you’re used to it and suddenly stop. Keep your intake consistent.

Pay attention to triggers. Keep track of when your headaches happen. Is it always after certain foods? After poor sleep? During your menstrual cycle? Knowing your triggers helps you avoid them.

Chiropractic care is great for most headaches, but some headaches need medical attention:

A sudden, severe headache that comes on like a thunderclap could be something serious. Go to the ER.

Headache with fever, stiff neck, confusion, or vision changes needs immediate medical evaluation.

A headache after a head injury should be checked by a doctor first.

Progressive headaches that keep getting worse over weeks need a medical workup to rule out serious causes.

New headaches after age 50 should be evaluated by your doctor before trying chiropractic care.

Dr. Sorum will ask screening questions during your evaluation. If he thinks your headaches need medical evaluation first, he’ll tell you and refer you to the appropriate provider.

You Don’t Have to Live with Chronic Headaches

If you’ve been dealing with frequent headaches or migraines, you know how much they affect your life. Missing work, canceling plans, spending days in a dark room, relying on medication that doesn’t always work—it’s exhausting.

Chiropractic care offers a drug-free approach that addresses the underlying cause of many headaches. It’s not a quick fix, but for people with neck-related headaches, it can be life-changing.

The only way to know if your headaches will respond to chiropractic care is to get evaluated. Dr. Sorum will be honest with you about whether he thinks he can help.

Suffering from chronic headaches or migraines? Call Twin Cities Chiropractic at 651-224-1921. Dr. Sorum provides drug-free headache relief through gentle chiropractic care at 506 N. Lexington Parkway in St. Paul. Over 20 years of experience treating headache patients. Call today or book online.