Chiropractic care is one of the most effective treatments for chronic headaches and migraines, especially when the cause is tension, spinal misalignment, or muscle dysfunction in the neck and upper back. At Family Tree Chiropractic, Dr. Micah Carter has helped hundreds of patients in Nichols Hills and the surrounding Oklahoma City area find lasting relief without relying on daily medication.
Why Most Headache Treatments Don’t Work Long-Term
If you’ve dealt with recurring headaches or migraines, you’ve probably tried the usual approaches. Over-the-counter pain relievers. Prescription medications. Maybe even Botox injections. These treatments can provide temporary relief, but they share a common problem: they don’t address why the headaches keep happening.
Pain medication blocks the signal. It doesn’t fix the source.
What we see at our clinic is that most chronic headache sufferers have something going on structurally. Vertebrae in the upper neck that aren’t moving properly. Muscles in the shoulders and base of the skull that have been locked tight for months or years. Nerve irritation from poor posture or old injuries that never fully healed.
Until those underlying issues get corrected, the headaches keep coming back. And you keep reaching for the pill bottle.
The Spine-Headache Connection
Your cervical spine—the seven vertebrae in your neck—has a direct relationship with headache patterns. When these vertebrae are misaligned or restricted in their movement, several things happen.
First, the muscles surrounding the spine tighten up to compensate. These muscles, particularly the suboccipital muscles at the base of your skull, can refer pain directly into your head. That tight band across your forehead or the pressure behind your eyes? Often it’s coming from your neck, not your head.
Second, misalignment can irritate the nerves that exit the spine in this region. The greater occipital nerve, for example, runs from the upper cervical spine up and over the back of the head. When it’s compressed or irritated, you get that classic pattern of pain starting at the neck and wrapping up toward the temples.
Third, restricted vertebrae affect blood flow. The vertebral arteries pass through openings in the cervical vertebrae, and when those vertebrae aren’t positioned correctly, circulation to the brain can be compromised.
Research published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics has shown that spinal manipulation can be effective for cervicogenic headaches—headaches that originate from the neck—as well as tension-type headaches and migraines.
How Chiropractic Care Addresses Headaches
At Family Tree Chiropractic, treating headaches starts with figuring out exactly what’s causing them. This isn’t a guessing game. We take digital X-rays on-site, assess range of motion, evaluate posture, and identify specific areas of dysfunction.
For me personally, this approach changed everything. Before I became a chiropractor, I dealt with frequent migraines. Medication helped in the moment but never stopped them from coming back. When I finally got my spine evaluated and adjusted, the migraines dropped dramatically. That experience is a big part of why I do what I do today.
Chiropractic Adjustments
The core of headache treatment is restoring proper alignment and movement to the cervical spine. Adjustments are precise, controlled movements that target specific vertebrae. Patients often describe immediate relief of pressure and tension after their first few visits.
For headache patients, we pay particular attention to the upper cervical region—C1 and C2—as well as the junction where the neck meets the upper back. These areas have the most direct impact on headache patterns.
Addressing the Muscular Component
Spinal alignment is only part of the equation. The muscles have to be addressed too.
Our massage therapy team works directly with headache patients to release chronic tension in the neck, shoulders, and upper back. The suboccipital muscles, upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalenes are common culprits. When these muscles stay locked up, they can pull vertebrae back out of alignment and keep the cycle going.
Combining adjustments with targeted massage produces better results than either approach alone. The adjustment restores alignment; the massage releases the muscular tension that was holding things in the wrong position.
Cold Laser Therapy for Inflammation
For patients with significant inflammation or nerve irritation, cold laser therapy can accelerate healing. This FDA-cleared treatment uses specific wavelengths of light to reduce inflammation at the cellular level and promote tissue repair.
Cold laser is particularly helpful for patients whose headaches have a strong inflammatory component or those recovering from injuries like whiplash that triggered their headache pattern.
Types of Headaches That Respond to Chiropractic Care
Not every headache has a spinal cause, but a significant percentage do. The types we see respond best to chiropractic treatment include:
Tension headaches are the most common type, characterized by a dull, aching pain and tightness around the forehead or back of the head. These almost always have a muscular and postural component that chiropractic care addresses directly.
Cervicogenic headaches originate specifically from the neck. The pain typically starts at the base of the skull and radiates forward. Movement of the neck often triggers or worsens the pain. These respond exceptionally well to chiropractic treatment because we’re addressing the actual source.
Migraines are more complex, but many migraine sufferers have cervical dysfunction as a contributing factor or trigger. While we can’t claim to cure migraines, many patients report significant reductions in frequency and intensity when their spine is properly aligned and maintained.
Post-traumatic headaches following car accidents or other injuries often have a structural cause. Whiplash, in particular, creates misalignments and muscle damage that can trigger headaches for months or years after the initial injury. Dr. Carter holds advanced certifications in whiplash and auto accident injuries from the Spine Research Institute of San Diego.
What to Expect During Treatment
Your first visit includes a thorough evaluation. We’ll discuss your headache history—when they started, how often they occur, what triggers them, what makes them better or worse. Then we’ll examine your spine, posture, and muscle tension patterns.
If X-rays are warranted, we take them on-site. This gives us a clear picture of what’s happening structurally before we begin treatment.
Based on the findings, Dr. Carter will explain exactly what’s contributing to your headaches and outline a treatment plan. Most headache patients see improvement within the first few visits, though lasting correction typically requires a series of treatments to retrain the muscles and stabilize the spine.
The R.E.S.T.O.R.E. method we use focuses not just on pain relief but on correcting the underlying problem so headaches don’t keep coming back. This includes:
- Reducing pain as quickly as possible
- Releasing tight muscles
- Strengthening weak muscles
- Retraining proper movement patterns
- Preventing recurrence through maintenance care
Living Without Constant Headaches
Patients often tell us they forgot what it felt like to go a full week without a headache. They’d been living with the pain so long it became normal. That’s not how it has to be.
If you’re in Nichols Hills or anywhere in the Oklahoma City area and you’ve been dealing with chronic headaches or migraines, getting a proper spinal evaluation could be the first step toward real relief. Not just masking the pain—actually fixing what’s wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly will I notice improvement?
Many patients feel some relief after the first adjustment, particularly a reduction in tension and pressure. Lasting improvement typically develops over several weeks as the spine stabilizes and muscles release their chronic holding patterns.
Is chiropractic safe for migraine sufferers?
Yes. Chiropractic adjustments for headache patients are gentle and controlled. Dr. Carter will evaluate your specific condition and use techniques appropriate for your situation. Many migraine patients report fewer and less severe episodes with regular care.
Do I need X-rays for headache treatment?
Not always, but imaging helps us see exactly what’s happening structurally. This is especially important if you’ve had trauma, if your headaches are severe, or if you haven’t responded to other treatments. We have digital X-ray on-site for convenience.
Can children receive chiropractic care for headaches?
Yes. We see pediatric patients with headaches, often related to posture issues from heavy backpacks or screen time. Techniques are modified appropriately for younger patients.
Ready to find out what’s really causing your headaches? Schedule your $49 new patient consultation with Dr. Carter or call (405) 340-4400.
