Headaches and migraines that keep coming back

Migraine, tension-type headache and a headache that comes from a problem in the neck don't all call for the same care, so naming the type comes first. When neck symptoms are part of the picture, our chiropractors will examine your neck to see if it's part of the cause. Not every headache starts there, and we'll tell you if yours doesn't seem to.

A visit about headaches or migraines with our chiropractor in Clarksville TN starts with your headache history, then the exam.

When does a headache need urgent medical care?

Call 911 or go to an emergency room for a sudden, severe headache, especially with a stiff neck; a severe headache with a fever; or a headache with new weakness, confusion, double vision or loss of consciousness. These are among the headache warning signs NINDS lists. If it could be a stroke, call 911. A headache after a significant head injury also needs a prompt medical assessment.

Headaches that change their pattern, get steadily worse, or are new and unlike your usual ones need a medical review. Please don't wait for an appointment with us to look into that.

Is it a migraine, or a headache from your neck?

Migraine is more than a bad headache. An attack can bring moderate or severe throbbing pain, often on one side, and other symptoms. Medical care includes medicines for an attack and preventive options that reduce future attacks, so headache medicine isn't all short-term relief: some of it is meant to head off the next attack.

Cervicogenic headache is head pain that comes from a problem in the neck. For this one, some research suggests manual therapy and exercise may help, but study quality and results vary. That doesn't mean a misaligned spine explains migraine or every tension-type headache.

Our guides to different types of headaches and neck pain go deeper.

What should a headache diary include?

A headache diary makes the pattern easier to see. NINDS suggests recording when it starts, how long it lasts, how bad it gets, other symptoms, medicines taken, and your sleep and activities around it. For things to try on your own, our headache self-care tips are a good place to start.

It helps to note what the headaches cost you. If what you want is fewer missed workdays or more predictable evenings with your family, that's the goal we'll build the plan around once we've gone over what we found. And if the plan isn't getting you there, we want to hear that.

Can chiropractic care help migraines?

The research on spinal manipulation for migraine isn't conclusive. We don't promise prevention, permanent relief or a percentage reduction in attacks. A headache diagnosed as coming from the neck is a different question. It has its own research, the cervicogenic evidence described above, and study quality there still varies.

Before we recommend any hands-on treatment, we'll go over what we found, and the plan is built for you. Keep discussing your migraine medicine with the doctor who prescribed it, and please don't stop a prescribed plan because you're considering chiropractic care.

The risks, the alternatives, and when we refer

Manual treatment may cause temporary discomfort or a headache. Rare strokes have been reported after neck manipulation, though it can be uncertain if manipulation caused a given case, as NCCIH's safety information notes. That uncertainty belongs in any consent conversation about neck manipulation.

A medical doctor can diagnose the type of headache and offer treatment and prevention specific to it. Depending on the headache, physical therapy, exercise or behavioral approaches may be worth a look as well. NCCIH describes complementary options for pain and their evidence.

If we are not able to help you with your problem or are unable to reduce your pain levels, we will make sure to give you a recommendation to another experienced provider. If you already have a diagnosis or a treatment plan, or you've kept a headache diary, bring them to your first visit.