Headaches & Migraine
Migraine and headache treatment in South Bristol
At the Bristol Back Pain Clinic, our chiropractors and osteopaths are experts in assessing and diagnosing headaches and migraine and run regular headache clinics to help those seeking headache and migraine relief. Harry Kauntze, chiropractor at the clinic explains: “We provide chiropractic and osteopathic treatment for migraine and headaches in South Bristol. Our approach focuses on identifying potential mechanical contributors such as neck joint irritation, muscle tension, and posture-related strain, while supporting the body’s natural recovery through hands-on care and personalised advice.”
What are migraines and headaches?
The word headache is a term used to describe the symptom of pain or discomfort anywhere in the head or the upper neck region. There are many different types of headaches, each with its own causes and characteristics. Migraines are a neurological condition that can cause moderate to severe head pain, often accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and visual disturbances. While migraine and headaches can have various triggers, muscle tension and joint dysfunction in the neck may sometimes contribute to certain headache types, particularly tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches.
Types of headache
To find out more about the different types of headaches and migraine, and the symptoms commonly associated with them, click on the headings below.
Tension headaches
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. They are often described as a dull, aching pressure around the forehead, temples, or back of the head. These headaches are frequently associated with stress, muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, or prolonged screen use and are often found in people with stressful and sedentary life styles (office workers, students, high mileage car users etc).
Tension headache symptoms: headaches that arise from the back of the head and can also be felt in the temples and over the eyes. Dizziness, nausea and sensitivity to light and sounds are sometimes felt.
Cervicogenic headaches
This translates as ‘a headache arising from the neck’, because the headaches originate from structures in the cervical spine (neck), such as joints, muscles, or ligaments. Cervicogenic headaches are a very common and often overlooked type of headache and respond fantastically well to chiropractic and osteopathic treatment.
Cervicogenic headache symptoms: neck-related headaches where headache and neck pain are characterised as pain / stiffness or restricted movement beginning in the neck and radiating to the back of the head, temples, or behind the eyes. Can also include tight, stiff and sore neck and shoulder muscles.
Migraine
Migraine attacks are debilitating for the sufferer, can last from several hours to several days and may be triggered by various factors including stress, hormonal changes, or environmental stimuli. There are two types; classic migraine with aura (visual disturbances) and common migraine without aura, however they share many of the same triggers: stress, types of food or drink, hormonal changes, sleep disturbance and neck and shoulder tension.
Migraine symptoms: Both types of migraine share many of the same migraine symptoms, outlined below.
- A prodrome, or preheadache feelings that can include mood changes, neck stiffness, food cravings and fatigue
- The aura – this usually last less than an hour but can be frightening with symptoms including visual disturbances (spots, lines or lightening effects in the visual field), buzzing in the ears or partial loss of hearing, sensation loss and even partial paralysis. Some people experience this without progressing to a headache, which is known as a silent migraine
- The headache itself can be severe and very debilitating, characterised by pulsating or throbbing head pain. Symptoms are usually felt on one side of the head but can shift to the other. Common features include sensitivity to light and sound, anxiety, nausea and vomiting
- The postdrome or post-headache hangover is a period (hours to days) after the headache where the sufferer can feel exhausted, confused and low in mood/depressed
Cluster headaches
These are rare but excruciatingly painful. They occur in cluster periods, as the name suggests, where the sufferer can experience daily headaches often at the same time each day for many weeks.
Cluster headache symptoms: excruciating pain over the eye (usually one side only) often with tearing of the eye, and a runny nose. These headaches can last for 45 to 90 minutes.
Other headache types
There are an extremely large number of possible causes of headache or headache like pains. These include:
- Painkiller headaches – headaches caused by medication, or the withdrawal of it – NHS Choices advise up to 1 in 10 people who have frequent headaches do so because they take painkillers too often. For NHS advice on medication overuse headaches, click here
- Headaches following trauma – these are common but seek medical advice immediately if they start to worsen or are accompanied by other symptoms
- Sinus headaches – these are usually associated with a recent or ongoing cold
- Eye strain headaches – these are usually self-evident to the sufferer
- Temporal arteritis – a headache around the temples that develops suddenly due to inflammation of the arteries in the region. Other symptoms include jaw pain and vision problems
Common migraine and headache causes
Many factors can contribute to headaches and migraine. Identifying triggers can help guide appropriate management strategies. Common causes include:
For some people, headaches may also be linked with long periods of sitting, screen use, or forward head posture, sometimes referred to as “tech neck”.
Effective migraine and headache treatment in South Bristol
If you are experiencing migraine, tension headaches, or a headache caused by neck tension, chiropractic and osteopathic care provide a hands-on approach that can help address the mechanical factors contributing to your symptoms. Harry Kauntze, chiropractor at The Bristol Back Pain Clinic explains: “If headaches or migraines are affecting your quality of life, booking an assessment is the first step toward finding a suitable treatment approach. Chiropractors and osteopaths approach headaches by first diagnosing the type of headache or migraine, then assessing the different triggers that cause them to see how we can help. For example, a common component of cervicogenic headaches (neck-related headaches) is neck and shoulder stiffness and pain. Tension like this is often as a result of poor alignment in the spine, so addressing this underlying problem with chiropractic or osteopathic treatment can help reduce headache frequency.”
Chiropractic and osteopathic treatment for headaches and migraine
At the Bristol Back Pain Clinic, we offer a drug free approach by using a range of proven and effective treatments for headaches and migraine. During your initial appointment, your chiropractor or osteopath will carry out a detailed assessment to identify the cause of your headaches or migraine, before recommending an individualised treatment approach to both address symptoms and help with headache and migraine prevention. This may include manual techniques such as spinal adjustment or mobilisation to help improve movement in the cervical spine and upper back; soft tissue therapy to address muscle tightness in the neck, shoulders, and upper back; lifestyle and posture advice including guidance on desk setup, screen height, and sitting posture to help reduce strain on the neck; plus headache and migraine rehabilitation exercises to improve neck mobility, muscle strength, and posture control, and support long-term symptom management.
Occasional headaches are common, but if you get chronic headaches (headaches that are frequent or persistent), symptoms interfere with daily activities, the headaches are associated with significant neck pain, and over-the-counter remedies provide little relief, then it would be worth seeking advice from a South Bristol headache and migraine specialist.