Tension Headaches are described as a dull, achy sensation, that typically feels like a tight band around your head. There may be tenderness around your head, neck, jaw, and shoulders. The cause of tension headaches is not known, but tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, and face along with stress can contribute to tension headaches.
Migraine pain is an intense pulsating pain from deep within your skull. The pain can last for minutes to many days. Typically seen as throbbing on one side of the head, people can also have auras or visual disturbances preceding migraines. Migraines are typically triggered by environmental factors such as poor sleep, exposure to chemicals, dehydration and skipped meals, or certain medications.
Treatment starts with a full assessment of neck, jaw, and shoulder range of motion with the goal of ruling out referral pain from those regions. If the headache is not mechanical in nature, Dr. Oakley will make the appropriate referral for another specialist. If the headache is caused by a mechanical issue or movement of joints and muscles, then conservative care is typically the best approach. Current research recommends chiropractic care and acupuncture as safe and effective treatments to reduce frequency, intensity, and duration of both headaches and migraines (see articles below).
How USP treats Headaches & Migraines
At United Spine & Performance, you will be taken through a comprehensive medical history and full body assessment to ensure you have a proper diagnosis. The most important determination is whether conservative care (i.e. treatment without the use of medication, injections, and/or surgery) is right for you. Then in most cases, treatment will begin on your first visit.
Since a majority of headache and migraine cases are associated with neck, shoulder, and/or jaw dysfunction, Dr. Oakley skillfully identifies the root cause. Most muscle, nerve, and joint pains can resolve quickly with an efficient treatment strategy – often in only days to weeks.
Dr. Oakley uses a combination of Chiropractic care, Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy (McKenzie Method), Acupuncture/Dry Needling, Soft Tissue Manipulation, and Rehab to assess and treat headaches and migraines, as well as associated structures.
Once we have found the treatments and home exercises that decrease your symptoms and improve how your body is functioning, you are on the way to living your life without limits! If your condition is something we are unable to treat in the office, Dr. Oakley will know within the first few visits. She will then recommend the correct medical provider that can find a solution for you.
“The available evidence suggests that adding acupuncture to symptomatic treatment of attacks reduces the frequency of headaches… significantly more than drug prophylaxis.”
“The available evidence suggests that a course of acupuncture consisting of at least six treatment sessions can be a valuable option for people with migraine.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/27351677/
“Acupuncture demonstrated persistent, more remarkable, and clinically relevant benefits for migraine, reducing the pain intensity, the number of days with migraine, and migraine frequency. Acupuncture is just as effective and has fewer side effects than any western medicine with fewer side effects.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/35145793/
“Spinal manipulation may reduce migraine days and pain/intensity.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/30973196/