Headaches and migraines: what may help and when to see a doctor first
By Dr. Jeremiah Carlson, chiropractic physician · Jacksonville, FL · Reviewed Nov 2026
Types we commonly see
- Tension-type: a band-like pressure, often linked to stress, poor sleep, and tight neck and shoulder muscles.
- Cervicogenic: starts at the neck, often on one side, and gets worse with neck movement or sustained postures.
- Migraine: throbbing, often one-sided, with light or sound sensitivity or nausea. Migraine is a neurological condition, and many people also need care from their medical doctor.
- After a car crash: headaches are common after whiplash. Get checked, and in Florida do it within 14 days for PIP.
What the research says
- A 2016 Cochrane review found acupuncture reduced migraine frequency compared with no acupuncture, and modestly compared with sham acupuncture, with effects similar to preventive drugs in some trials.
- A 2016 Cochrane review found acupuncture may help people with frequent tension-type headaches.
- For neck-related headaches, manual therapy combined with neck and upper-back exercise is a common, guideline-supported approach (JOSPT neck pain guideline).
Track your headaches
A simple diary of date, how long it lasted, triggers, sleep, and medications helps us and your medical doctor see patterns.
Is posture part of the picture? Read how we assess upper and lower crossed syndrome.
How we approach it at our clinic
- Talk and exam. Dr. Carlson takes your history and checks posture, range of motion, reflexes, strength, sensation, and orthopedic tests.
- Imaging only if it’s needed. We don’t take X-rays in our office. If your exam shows you need X-rays, an MRI, or a medical specialist, we refer you out and help coordinate it.
- A plan in plain English: what we found, what we recommend, how often, and how we’ll measure progress.
- Care that fits you, which may include chiropractic adjustments (manipulation or gentler mobilization), chiropractic physiotherapy (corrective exercise), home exercises, lifestyle and workstation advice, and, when appropriate, acupuncture, dry needling, Graston, cupping, laser therapy, or massage therapy.
Questions people ask
Can a chiropractor help migraines?
Chiropractic care isn’t a substitute for medical migraine care. Some patients find manual therapy, exercise, and acupuncture helpful alongside it, and acupuncture has the strongest research support of those for migraine prevention.
Why do my headaches start in my neck?
Irritated joints and tight muscles in the upper neck can refer pain into the head. That’s called a cervicogenic headache, and an exam can check for it.
When is a headache an emergency?
A sudden severe headache, or one with weakness, numbness, confusion, vision or speech changes, fever with a stiff neck, or after a head injury. Call 911.
Can posture cause headaches?
Tight neck and upper-back muscles in the upper crossed pattern can contribute to tension-type and neck-related (cervicogenic) headaches. See our posture guide.
Want Dr. Carlson to take a look?
Call our Southside clinic or request a call back. If you were in a car crash, take the 60-second check first.