Experiencing Headaches? Understanding What Type of Headache You Have—and How Chiropractic Care May Help

Headaches are very common, but not all headaches are created equal. The location, quality, duration, triggers, and accompanying symptoms can all provide important clues about what may be causing your pain.

Some headaches are related to the neck and musculoskeletal system, while others are associated with neurological, vascular, sinus, or systemic conditions.

Understanding the type of headache you're experiencing is an important first step toward finding the right treatment.

Cervicogenic Headaches

Cervicogenic headaches originate from structures in the neck, making them particularly relevant to chiropractic care.

They are commonly associated with dysfunction or irritation involving the cervical spine and surrounding muscles.

A cervicogenic headache may:

• Begin at the base of the skull or upper neck

• Travel upward and around the head

• Extend toward the forehead or behind the eye

• Be associated with restricted neck movement

• Cause dull, aching, non-pulsating pain

• Be associated with tight or overactive neck and upper-back muscles

  
  

Problems involving the cervical spine—particularly the upper cervical segments—and surrounding musculature can contribute to the pain experienced with cervicogenic headaches.

This is one of the headache types where chiropractic care and addressing the musculoskeletal contributors can be especially helpful.

Migraine Headaches

Migraines are more than just a bad headache. They are a neurological condition that can cause significant head pain along with other symptoms.

A migraine attack can last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours and may include:

• Pulsating or throbbing head pain

• Nausea or other gastrointestinal symptoms

• Sensitivity to light or sound

• Visual disturbances

• Fatigue

• Sleep disturbances

• Difficulty concentrating

Some people experience an aura before or during a migraine. Aura can include visual symptoms such as blind spots or flashing lights, as well as sensory or speech disturbances.

Common migraine triggers can include:

• Stress

• Hormonal changes

• Hunger or skipped meals

• Fatigue

• Sleep changes

• Bright lights

• Alcohol

• Certain foods

Because migraine triggers vary from person to person, identifying your individual triggers can be an important part of managing your symptoms. Chiropractic care can also help manage symptoms by addressing segmental and somatic dysfunction in the upper cervical spine, clearing neurological pathways, and decreasing the frequency and intensity of migraines. 

Hypertensive Headaches

A hypertensive headache can sometimes occur in association with severely elevated blood pressure.

A blood pressure reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher can be a sign of a hypertensive crisis. If you’re also experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, vision changes, weakness, confusion, or a severe headache, seek emergency medical care right away.

A headache associated with severely elevated blood pressure may be described as:

• Pulsating or throbbing

• Worse in the morning

• Worse when lying down or reclining

• Improved when sitting upright or elevating the head

However, a headache alone should not be used to diagnose high blood pressure. If you have a severe headache with very high blood pressure or other concerning symptoms, seek urgent medical evaluation rather than relying solely on chiropractic care.

Sinus Headaches

What people commonly call a "sinus headache" is often associated with inflammation or congestion of the sinuses.

Sinus-related pain may involve:

• Pressure around the cheeks

• Pressure around or behind the eyes

• Pain or pressure across the forehead

• Nasal congestion

• Facial pressure

• A dull, aching, or heavy sensation

• Symptoms that are worse when leaning forward

Potential causes include viral or bacterial infections, nasal polyps, allergies, or structural issues such as a deviated septum.

It's important to distinguish sinus-related headaches from migraines, since migraines can also cause facial pressure and nasal symptoms.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are known for being sudden, severe, and intensely painful.

Common characteristics include:

• Abrupt onset of severe, stabbing or burning pain

• Pain typically occurring on one side of the head, especially around or behind one eye

• Burning or piercing pain around the eye

• Headaches that may awaken you from sleep

• Attacks that can occur at approximately the same time each day or night

• Episodes that occur in clusters over a period of time

Some potential triggers include stress, bright glare, allergies, alcohol, nitroglycerin, and certain foods.

Cluster headaches are a distinct neurological condition and can require medical evaluation and specific medical treatment.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help With Headaches?

Chiropractic care isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment for headaches. The right approach depends on what’s causing your symptoms.

For headaches with a musculoskeletal or cervical component, chiropractic care is an integral part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Restricted movement in the cervical spine, particularly the upper neck, can contribute to mechanical stress and changes in how pain signals are processed.

Chiropractic treatment helps to improve joint mobility, restore normal movement, reduce mechanical irritation, and improve sensory input from the neck to the nervous system. This can be especially relevant for headaches that originate in the cervical spine.

Muscle tension can also play a role. Tightness in the neck, shoulders, and upper back, along with trigger points, can refer pain into the head, temples, forehead, face, or around the eyes. Adjustments and soft-tissue techniques may help reduce this tension and improve mobility.

Posture and movement patterns can contribute as well. Forward head posture, limited mobility in the upper back, and shoulder dysfunction can place additional demands on the cervical spine. Addressing these factors may help reduce strain on the neck and improve overall movement mechanics.

Because headaches can also involve changes in how the nervous system processes pain, chiropractic care may influence aspects of pain modulation and sensory processing. For some patients with recurrent headaches, this makes it a useful part of a broader treatment approach.

The Bottom Line

Not every headache has the same cause, so not every headache should be treated the same way. Migraines, cluster headaches, sinus-related headaches, headaches associated with dangerously high blood pressure, and cervicogenic headaches can have very different underlying causes and require different approaches.

If your headaches are recurring, severe, changing in pattern, or interfering with your daily life, it’s important to understand what may be causing them before deciding how to treat them.

When a headache has a musculoskeletal or cervical component, chiropractic care may be one part of a comprehensive treatment plan focused on improving mobility, reducing muscle tension, and addressing contributing mechanical factors.

At Regional Chiropractic Center, we can evaluate your symptoms and help determine whether your headaches may have a musculoskeletal component—and whether chiropractic care may be appropriate for you.