Headaches and Migraines: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Headaches and migraines can interfere with work, sleep, exercise and everyday life, but determining what type of headache you have is an important first step toward finding appropriate treatment. Head pain can have many causes, and migraine is a neurological disease rather than simply a severe headache.

Elite Sports Medicine evaluates headaches that may have a musculoskeletal component, including headaches associated with neck pain, restricted cervical movement and certain injuries. Our multidisciplinary approach can incorporate chiropractic and rehabilitative care when appropriate while helping patients recognize symptoms that may require evaluation by another medical provider.

What Is the Difference Between a Headache and a Migraine?

A headache describes pain in the head or face and can occur for many different reasons. Migraine is a neurological disease that can cause head pain along with other symptoms.

Migraine pain is often moderate to severe and may feel throbbing or pulsating. It can affect one or both sides of the head and may occur with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, sound or smells. Some people also experience an aura involving visual changes, tingling, numbness or difficulty speaking.

Not every severe headache is a migraine, and not every migraine attack presents exactly the same way. Proper diagnosis matters because treatment depends on the type and cause of the headache.

What Are Common Types of Headaches?

There are many types of headaches, and they don’t all respond to the same treatment.

Tension-type headaches commonly produce pressure or tightness around the head and may be associated with tenderness in muscles of the head and neck.

Migraine is a neurological disease that can produce moderate to severe head pain along with symptoms such as nausea and sensitivity to light, sound or smells.

Cervicogenic headaches originate from a problem involving the cervical spine or structures of the neck. Pain may begin near the back of the head and travel forward, and neck movement may aggravate symptoms.

Secondary headaches occur because of another underlying condition or injury. Because some causes can be serious, new or unusual headache symptoms should not automatically be assumed to be musculoskeletal.

What Is a Cervicogenic Headache?

A cervicogenic headache is head pain that originates from a problem involving the cervical spine or soft tissues of the neck. The pain is referred, meaning the source is in the neck even though the patient experiences pain in the head.

Cervicogenic headache symptoms can include one-sided head pain, pain beginning at the back of the head and moving forward, and reduced neck range of motion. Headache symptoms may also become worse with certain neck movements.

Because cervicogenic headaches can sometimes resemble migraine and other headache disorders, evaluation is important before assuming the neck is responsible.

Can Neck Problems Cause Headaches?

Yes. Certain headaches can originate from structures in the neck.

Joints, muscles, ligaments and nerves of the cervical region can contribute to cervicogenic headache. Neck injury, arthritis and other cervical conditions are among the potential causes.

Headaches can also occur after injuries such as whiplash.

However, the presence of neck pain during a headache doesn’t necessarily mean that the neck caused the headache. Neck pain can also occur during migraine. This is one reason Elite Sports Medicine evaluates the patient’s symptoms, neck mobility, medical history and circumstances surrounding the onset of headaches before recommending treatment.

What Are Common Migraine Symptoms?

Migraine symptoms vary considerably from person to person and can occur before, during and after the headache phase of an attack.

Common symptoms include:

• Moderate to severe head pain
• Throbbing or pulsating pain
• Pain on one or both sides of the head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to sound
• Sensitivity to smells
• Dizziness
• Neck pain
• Difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue

Some people experience migraine with aura, which can include visual changes, tingling, numbness or speech difficulties.

Migraine attacks can last from several hours to several days and may substantially interfere with normal activities.

What Causes Migraines?

There isn’t one simple cause of migraine.

Genetics and environmental factors are believed to play important roles, and migraine often runs in families. Many attacks also occur spontaneously without an identifiable trigger.

Some people identify circumstances associated with attacks, such as changes in sleep, stress, skipped meals or alcohol, but these factors vary substantially among individuals.

Keeping a headache diary can help identify patterns. Recording when headaches occur, their duration and severity, associated symptoms and possible contributing factors can also provide useful information when discussing symptoms with a healthcare provider.

Can Chiropractic Care Help with Headaches?

Chiropractic care may be appropriate for some headache patients, particularly when examination findings suggest that cervical joint mobility, muscle tension or other musculoskeletal factors are contributing to the symptoms.

At Elite Sports Medicine, chiropractic treatment begins with determining whether a patient’s headache presentation appears appropriate for conservative musculoskeletal care. The evaluation may include neck mobility, posture, muscle function and relevant orthopedic and neurological findings.

When appropriate, treatment may incorporate manual therapy, joint mobilization, therapeutic exercise, soft tissue techniques and other chiropractic treatments.

The goal is not to assume that every headache is caused by a spinal “misalignment.” Instead, treatment should address specific musculoskeletal findings identified during the examination.

Can Chiropractic Care Treat Migraines?

This requires a more nuanced answer.

Migraine is a neurological disease and shouldn’t be presented as a spinal alignment disorder. Migraine treatment can include acute medications used during an attack, preventive treatments, behavioral approaches and lifestyle strategies. Treatment varies according to the individual patient.

Some patients with migraine also experience neck pain or musculoskeletal symptoms. Conservative musculoskeletal treatment may be appropriate for those accompanying problems, but chiropractic treatment shouldn’t replace appropriate medical evaluation or evidence-based migraine care.

Elite Sports Medicine’s multidisciplinary approach allows the patient’s overall presentation to guide treatment rather than treating every headache or migraine in exactly the same way.

How Are Headaches and Migraines Diagnosed?

Diagnosis begins with understanding the pattern of symptoms.

A provider may ask about the location and character of the pain, how frequently headaches occur, how long they last, accompanying symptoms, potential triggers, medications, previous injuries and personal or family history.

Migraine is generally diagnosed based on symptoms, physical examination and medical history rather than through a single diagnostic test. MRI or CT imaging may sometimes be used to investigate other possible causes when appropriate.

For cervicogenic headaches, examination of neck movement and function can help determine whether cervical structures may be contributing to the pain.

What Does Chiropractic Treatment for Headaches Include?

When headaches have an appropriate musculoskeletal component, treatment at Elite Sports Medicine may include:

Joint mobilization or manipulation: Manual treatment may be used when examination identifies relevant restrictions in cervical or upper-back mobility.

Soft tissue therapy: Treatment may address muscular tension or restricted soft tissues involving the neck, shoulders and upper back.

Therapeutic exercise: Exercises may be prescribed to improve neck mobility, strength and muscular endurance.

Posture and movement strategies: Workstation habits, prolonged sitting and other activities may be evaluated when they appear to aggravate neck-related symptoms.

Rehabilitation after injury: Headaches associated with neck injuries such as whiplash may require a broader rehabilitation program.

Treatment is individualized based on the type of headache, examination findings and the patient’s symptoms rather than using the same chiropractic adjustment for every patient with head pain.

Can a Car Accident Cause Headaches?

Yes. Headaches can occur following car accidents and other injuries involving the head or neck.

Whiplash and other cervical injuries can be associated with head and neck pain. However, headaches after an accident can also have causes that require medical evaluation, particularly if there was a head impact or possible concussion.

New or worsening headaches following an accident should therefore be properly evaluated rather than automatically attributed to muscle tension or spinal mechanics.

Elite Sports Medicine treats musculoskeletal injuries associated with personal injury and can determine whether chiropractic or rehabilitative treatment is appropriate.

When Is a Headache a Medical Emergency?

Most headaches aren’t medical emergencies, but certain symptoms require prompt medical attention.

Seek immediate medical care for a headache that is sudden and extremely severe, particularly a “worst headache of your life” that reaches maximum intensity rapidly.

Urgent evaluation may also be appropriate when a new or severe headache occurs with neurological symptoms, confusion, loss of consciousness, significant weakness, fever and neck stiffness, or after a serious head injury.

A major change in the frequency or pattern of existing headaches should also be discussed with a medical provider.

Why Choose Elite Sports Medicine for Headache Treatment?

Headache treatment begins with understanding what type of headache a patient is experiencing and whether musculoskeletal factors may be contributing to the symptoms.

Elite Sports Medicine takes an individualized approach that considers headache characteristics along with neck mobility, muscle function, previous injuries and other relevant findings. When appropriate, conservative treatment may combine manual therapy, soft tissue treatment, therapeutic exercise and rehabilitation.

Because Elite Sports Medicine is a multidisciplinary practice, patients can also access physical therapy, pain management and orthopedic services when additional musculoskeletal care is appropriate.

Elite Sports Medicine provides chiropractic care for headaches at locations in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles (LAX), Montebello, West LA, Orange, and South Central LA.

Schedule an Evaluation for Headaches

If recurring headaches are interfering with work, sleep or everyday activities, determining the type and possible source of your headaches can help identify the appropriate next step.

Request an appointment with Elite Sports Medicine at one of our six Southern California locations.