When headaches keep coming back
You've tried the usual fixes. Stretching, massage, more water, an over-the-counter pill, maybe a few days off training. The headache fades, then shows up again after a long stretch at the screen or a heavy week at the gym.
For a lot of active adults, the pattern looks the same. Neck stiffness creeps in first, followed by pressure behind the eyes or a throb on one side. Focusing at work gets harder, sleep gets lighter, and training turns inconsistent.
If flare-ups follow stress, heavy training, or long workdays, you may be a good fit for an assessment.
Common symptoms of headaches and migraines
Tension headaches and muscle tightness
These feel like a tight band or dull pressure, usually with tight neck and shoulder muscles. They can also be described with dull, achy, and non-throbbing pain common after stressful events, poor posture, long workdays, or heavy training blocks.
Cervicogenic headaches
This type of headache typically involves one-sided head pain that starts in the neck and gets worse with certain neck positions such as when looking at a screen too long or driving. It's often linked to joint, muscle, and nerve irritation in the upper neck.
Migraines
A migraine can feel like a throbbing or pulsing, often one-sided pain. You may experience nausea and sensitivity to light or sound as well. Some people also experience a migraine aura which can cause visual disturbances like seeing flashing lights or blind spots.
How chiropractic care can help with headaches
Headaches tend to return when several things stack up: restricted movement in the neck and upper back, muscle tension that builds over time, and irritated joints and nerves that feed into head pain. Chiropractic care focuses on restoring movement and calming that irritation so the symptoms can fade and eventually clear.
Chiropractic adjustments
Hands-on adjusting is my main approach. It targets stiff joints in the neck and upper back. If you prefer lower force, I also offer gentle instrument-assisted options and mobilization.
Posture and movement guidance
You get simple changes to your desk setup, driving position, and training, plus a few mobility exercises for between visits. Most people are working toward fewer and milder headaches, better tolerance for stress, screens, and training, and quicker recovery between flare-ups.
Meet your Chiropractor for Headaches & Migraines
I'm Dr. Adam Will, a chiropractor at Optimum Family Chiropractic on Brew St in Port Moody. I earned my Doctor of Chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic West, graduating cum laude in 2020, and I'm registered with the College of Chiropractors of BC. I've been in practice for over five years helping patients with their headaches and migraines.
When I was 19, I started seeing a chiropractor once or twice a week because of headaches, along with neck and back pain and slower recovery from hockey and lacrosse. My symptoms cleared up within a month, which is a big reason I do this work. My time as a professional lacrosse player for the Buffalo Bandits also taught me how training load and old injuries feed into recurring pain. These experiences ultimately shaped how I approach treatment for headaches and migraines.
What to expect at your first visit
Assessment
Treatment
Your plan
What better can look like
- Fewer and milder headaches. The goal is for flare-ups to come less often and settle faster.
- Easier days. A neck that moves well makes long drives, desk work, and training blocks more comfortable.
- Confidence. You know your triggers and what to do when one shows up.
Frequently asked questions about chiropractic headache treatment
Sometimes. Neck tension can trigger or worsen migraines, and neck pain often shows up before or during one. When that's the case, treating the neck can help. The evidence is stronger for tension-type and cervicogenic headaches, so I'll tell you after your assessment what to expect.
Serious complications are rare. I screen every patient before treating the neck, and you choose the approach you're comfortable with.
Whiplash is a common source of neck-related headaches. I'm an approved ICBC provider and can direct bill approved claims. See the ICBC page for details.
Go to the ER or call 911 for a sudden, severe headache unlike any you've had, or a headache with fever and a stiff neck, vision changes, weakness, confusion, trouble speaking, or vomiting after a head injury.
Ready to get to the bottom of your headaches?
If your headaches keep returning, an assessment is a good first step. I see active adults and athletes from Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and across the Tri-Cities, and I'll help you figure out whether your neck is part of the story.
