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Home / Conditions / Headache & Migraines
Headaches that keep coming back are worth looking into. For many patients, the answer is closer to the neck and spine than they expected.
Dr Oliver Dans uses chiropractic care to identify what is causing them without just managing the symptom.
Dr Oliver Dans
Not all headaches have the same cause, and not all of them respond to the same approach. Understanding which type you are dealing with is the starting point for addressing it properly.
A cervicogenic headache originates in the cervical spine, the joints, muscles, and nerves of the neck. The pain is referred upward into the head and is often felt on one side, starting at the base of the skull and spreading toward the forehead or eye. It is frequently triggered by neck movement or sustained postures like desk work or driving, and it is commonly mistaken for a tension headache or migraine.
Cervicogenic headache treatment through chiropractic care addresses the underlying neck dysfunction at the root of the pain, rather than focusing on the head where the pain is felt.
Migraines involve a complex neurological response that goes beyond head pain. They are often accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, visual disturbances, and a significant impact on daily functioning. While the precise mechanisms behind migraines are not fully understood, there is a growing body of research suggesting that spinal function and nervous system regulation play a role in migraine frequency and intensity for some people.
Migraine treatment chiropractic approaches at Integrating Wellness focus on reducing the physical contributors that may be influencing the nervous system’s sensitivity, rather than making claims about curing the condition itself.
Headaches rarely have a single cause. In many cases, multiple factors are contributing at once, which is why a thorough assessment is more useful than reaching for the most obvious explanation.
The joints and muscles of the upper cervical spine are closely connected to the structures that refer pain into the head. When movement is restricted or the neck is under sustained load from posture or stress, headaches are a common result.
Forward head posture, which develops gradually through desk work, screen time, and sedentary habits, places significant load on the neck and upper back. This sustained tension is one of the most common contributors to both tension and cervicogenic headaches in adults.
Stress does not just affect mood. It creates physical tension in the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and jaw, raises the nervous system’s overall sensitivity, and can directly influence headache frequency and severity. The connection between stress, nervous system regulation, and headache patterns is well recognised, and it is an area Dr Oliver addresses as part of his broader assessment.
When nerves in the cervical spine are irritated or compressed, they can refer pain upward into the scalp and head. This is particularly relevant in cervicogenic presentations where the source of the problem is in the neck but the pain is felt in the head.
Cervicogenic headache treatment is an area where chiropractic care has a strong evidence base. Because the pain originates in the neck, addressing the underlying cervical dysfunction directly is a more targeted approach than treating the head pain in isolation.
Dr Oliver’s assessment for suspected cervicogenic headaches includes a thorough examination of the cervical joints, muscle function, and movement patterns. He considers how the neck is loaded during daily activities and whether posture or work habits are contributing.
Treatment is directed at the neck, where the problem originates. This typically involves spinal adjustments to restore joint movement, soft tissue work to the surrounding muscles, and guidance on the posture and movement habits that may be keeping the issue active.
For people who are tired of reaching for pain relief every time a headache starts, chiropractic care offers a different approach. Rather than suppressing the symptom, the goal is to identify and address what is causing it.
Natural headache relief through chiropractic is not about avoiding medicine. It is about understanding whether there is an underlying physical driver that has not been properly investigated, and whether addressing it reduces the frequency with which headaches occur in the first place.
This approach is particularly relevant for people experiencing frequent, recurrent headaches where medication provides short-term relief but the headaches keep returning at the same rate.
Chiropractic for headaches at Integrating Wellness begins with a thorough assessment of the cervical spine, posture, and nervous system function. Headaches that look similar on the surface can have very different origins, and the treatment approach needs to reflect that.
Chiropractic for headaches at Integrating Wellness typically involves a combination of the following, tailored to what the assessment finds:
Dr Oliver explains what he finds and why he is recommending each component of your care, so you leave with a clear picture of what is going on.
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Dr Oliver Dans has over 10 years of clinical experience and holds a Masters in Chiropractic with additional qualifications in Applied Kinesiology. His training in nervous system function informs how he assesses the relationship between spinal health and recurring headache presentations, including work as a headache chiropractor for patients who have not found answers elsewhere.
Dr Oliver practises from the Golden Plains Medical Centre in Bannockburn, where he works alongside local GPs and sees patients from across the Golden Plains Shire.
If headaches have been a regular part of your life, it is worth understanding what is behind them. Book your first consultation with Dr Oliver Dans for $79, which includes a full assessment, a clear explanation of what he finds, and initial treatment.
Chiropractic care is not a cure for migraines, and we would not suggest otherwise. What Dr Oliver’s assessment can identify is whether there are physical contributors, such as cervical dysfunction, nervous system sensitivity, or postural load, that may be influencing the frequency or intensity of your migraines. For some patients, addressing those contributors through chiropractic care has been associated with improvement in their migraine patterns. It is worth a conversation if migraines are a regular occurrence for you.
A cervicogenic headache is a headache that originates in the cervical spine rather than in the head itself. Pain from dysfunctional joints or irritated nerves in the neck is referred upward, producing head pain that can feel very similar to a tension headache or migraine. The distinguishing feature is that the source of the problem is in the neck, and cervicogenic headache treatment needs to address that source to be effective.
Tension headaches are typically described as a dull, pressing sensation around the head, often felt on both sides. They are usually related to muscle tension in the neck, scalp, and jaw, and tend to worsen with stress or sustained postures. Migraines are a distinct neurological event involving more intense, often pulsing pain, frequently on one side, and commonly accompanied by nausea, light sensitivity, and visual disturbances. The two can overlap, and some people experience both types.
This depends on what type of headache you are experiencing, how long you have had them, and what the assessment finds. Dr Oliver will give you a realistic outline at your first visit once he has completed a thorough assessment. Cervicogenic headaches with a clear structural contributor often respond well, though improvement is typically gradual rather than immediate.
Yes. Dr Oliver’s approach is adapted to each patient’s presentation and health history. If you experience frequent or severe headaches, that context will inform how the assessment is conducted and how treatment is approached. If your headache history raises any flags that warrant further investigation before treatment, Dr Oliver will advise you accordingly.
Stress is a well-recognised contributor to headache frequency and severity. It creates muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, and jaw, raises the nervous system’s baseline sensitivity, and can amplify the impact of other contributing factors like poor posture or restricted cervical movement. Addressing stress and nervous system regulation is a component of Dr Oliver’s approach where it appears to be relevant to the patient’s presentation.
Headaches often overlap with or are contributed to by other presentations. These pages may also be relevant to you.
