Understanding Migraines and How Chiropractic Care May Help

Much more than severe headaches, migraines are debilitating events that can sideline you from your daily life. While regular headaches often involve localized pain in the back of the head or forehead, migraines affect the entire head and come with additional symptoms like vision issues, light and sound sensitivity, and overwhelming fatigue. Some people describe feeling as though their head is in a vice, with intense pressure building throughout.

Even looking at a computer can become unbearable for those with jobs that involve screen time. Moreover, migraine sufferers sometimes have to retreat to dark, quiet spaces until the episode passes.

So, what exactly triggers migraines? And could chiropractic care offer relief?

Common Triggers and Causes

Migraine triggers and causes can be distinct yet interconnected. Triggers like red wine, chocolate, and strong perfumes can set off a migraine, especially if a person’s cervical spine or cranial bones are misaligned.

“If someone has forward head posture or misalignment of the upper cervical vertebra, a lot of those nerves that come out of the top part of the neck go right back up into the head. That can be one of the causes,” said Dr. Don.

Misalignment in these areas can heighten sensitivity to environmental triggers, leading to frequent and severe migraines.

The Role of Cranial Adjusting

Cranial adjusting is a specialized chiropractic technique that addresses the alignment and movement of the bones that make up the cranium. As a chiropractor, Dr. Don palpates the direction where the cranial bone is out of alignment, then uses gentle, consistent pressure—rhythmic with the patient’s breathing—to release tension.

This approach can significantly relieve migraine sufferers by reducing the overall sensitivity and tension in the cranial area. While results vary, many patients experience a reduction in frequency and intensity after consistent care.

A Patient Success Story

One of our patients—a woman in her 70s—had suffered from migraines since age 14. After enduring these debilitating headaches for decades, she sought chiropractic care at our practice. The results were remarkable:

“After three months under care, we decreased those migraines by about 80% … she’d still get a headache maybe once or twice a month, but it wouldn’t be as intense … she would have weeks go by where she wouldn’t have a migraine,” said Dr. Don.