Neck & Head
Migraine
Also called: Migraine with or without aura
A neurological condition — not just a bad headache — involving waves of brain excitability, blood vessel changes, and sensory amplification. Attacks are often one-sided, throbbing, and disabling, with nausea and light/sound sensitivity. Management is about reducing attack frequency through triggers, nervous system regulation, and often the neck's contribution.
Common signs
- Throbbing, often one-sided head pain lasting 4–72 hours
- Nausea and sensitivity to light, sound, or smell
- Visual aura (zigzags, blind spots) in some people before the attack
- Worsening with routine activity; relief in a dark, quiet room
Seek help now if
- First or worst headache of your life, sudden onset
- Aura lasting over an hour, or new neurological deficits
- New migraine pattern after 50
- Headache with fever, stiff neck, or after head trauma
If any of these is sudden or severe, call 911 or go to an emergency room. For the others, get examined before you start self-care.
What to do first
- Keep a trigger diary: sleep changes, skipped meals, hydration, hormones, stress cycles, specific foods
- Treat attacks early — waiting reduces the effectiveness of everything
- Establish sleep and meal regularity; migraine brains dislike irregularity
The longer road
- Chronic migraine (15+ headache days/month) deserves co-management — natural strategies work alongside, not instead of, medical preventives when needed
- Examine and treat the neck: upper cervical dysfunction commonly amplifies migraine frequency
- Nutritional foundations with evidence: magnesium, riboflavin (B2), CoQ10, omega-3s
Natural healing options we use
- Upper cervical chiropractic care to reduce neck-driven amplification
- Manual therapy and suboccipital work
- Magnesium, riboflavin, and CoQ10 protocols
- Breathwork and vagal-tone training for nervous system regulation
- Consistent aerobic exercise between attacks
About imaging
Not needed for a stable, typical migraine pattern. MRI enters with red flags, atypical features, or a changing pattern.
Daily self-care
- Protect sleep-wake regularity even on weekends
- Never skip meals; hydrate on a schedule
- Identify and buffer your top three triggers rather than chasing all of them
How we can help
Keep working on it at home
Free guides for the whole system, to use between visits.
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Please read: this page is education, not a diagnosis. A proper examination is how a condition gets confirmed and a plan gets built. See our medical disclaimer.