Relieving Headaches Naturally: How Chiropractic Care Can Help
If you experience headaches regularly, you know how disruptive they can be. What starts as tension behind the eyes or pressure at the base of the skull can derail a workday, cancel plans, and leave you reaching for pain relievers again and again. For many people, headaches are not an occasional inconvenience — they are a chronic condition that significantly affects quality of life.
What most headache sufferers don't realize is that a significant portion of recurring headaches have a musculoskeletal cause — specifically, tension and misalignment in the cervical spine (neck) and surrounding muscles. When the vertebrae in your neck are not properly aligned, they irritate nearby nerves and muscles, triggering headache patterns that feel impossible to break.
At The Centre – Chiropractic & Wellness in Dublin, OH, Dr. Matthew Lundeberg treats patients with tension headaches, migraines, and cervicogenic headaches using chiropractic adjustments and complementary therapies. Many patients find lasting relief after years of managing symptoms with medication alone. This article explains how chiropractic care works for headaches, what the research shows, and what you can expect if you pursue care at our Bridge Park office.
Types of Headaches Chiropractic Care Can Help
Not all headaches are the same, and understanding which type you have is the first step toward effective treatment.
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are the most common type — affecting up to 80% of adults at some point. They typically cause a dull, aching pain or a feeling of pressure around the forehead, temples, or back of the head. Many patients describe it as a tight band squeezing the skull.
Tension headaches are strongly associated with muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, poor posture, stress, and prolonged computer use — all of which are extremely common in Dublin's working population. Chiropractic adjustments that restore proper cervical alignment and reduce muscle tension can significantly reduce both the frequency and intensity of tension headaches.
Cervicogenic Headaches
Cervicogenic headaches originate in the neck — specifically from dysfunction in the cervical spine joints, muscles, or nerves. The pain typically starts at the back of the head and radiates forward to the forehead, temple, or eye area. These headaches are often one-sided and worsen with certain neck movements or prolonged positions.
Chiropractic care is particularly effective for cervicogenic headaches because the source of the problem is directly in the spine — exactly what chiropractors are trained to evaluate and treat.
Migraines
Migraines are more complex than tension headaches, involving neurological changes that cause severe throbbing pain, often accompanied by nausea, light sensitivity, and visual disturbances. While chiropractic care is not a cure for migraines, research shows it can reduce their frequency and intensity — particularly in patients whose migraines are triggered or worsened by cervical spine dysfunction.
How Chiropractic Care Addresses Headaches
Correcting Cervical Spine Misalignment
The cervical spine (neck) houses and protects the nerves that supply the head, face, and upper body. When vertebrae in the neck shift out of proper alignment — a condition known as a subluxation — they irritate surrounding nerves and muscles. This irritation can directly trigger headaches or make existing headache patterns significantly worse.
Chiropractic adjustments restore proper alignment to the cervical vertebrae, reducing nerve irritation and muscle tension at the source. Many patients report that their headache frequency begins to decrease within the first few visits.
Reducing Muscle Tension
Chronic muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, and upper back is one of the most common headache triggers. Dr. Lundeberg uses soft tissue techniques including trigger point therapy and myofascial release alongside spinal adjustments to relieve this tension directly.
Improving Posture
Forward head posture — where the head sits in front of the shoulders rather than directly above them — dramatically increases the load on the cervical spine and is a leading cause of chronic headaches. For every inch the head moves forward, it adds approximately 10 pounds of effective weight to the cervical spine. Dr. Lundeberg addresses postural imbalances as part of every headache treatment plan and provides guidance on workstation ergonomics and daily habits.
Lifestyle Modifications
Headache triggers vary from patient to patient. Common triggers include dehydration, poor sleep, caffeine, stress, and certain foods. Dr. Lundeberg discusses lifestyle modifications as part of every headache treatment plan, helping patients identify and reduce their personal trigger load alongside spinal care.
What the Research Shows
The evidence supporting chiropractic care for headaches is well established across multiple types.
A randomized clinical trial published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic adjustments were more effective at reducing the frequency and severity of tension headaches than medication — with effects that persisted after treatment ended.
A separate study in the same journal found that chiropractic adjustments improved migraine symptoms in 90% of patients studied, with many experiencing a significant reduction in frequency and intensity.
The European Journal of Neurology published a systematic review confirming that spinal manipulation is an effective treatment for cervicogenic headaches — comparable to first-line medical treatments but without the side effects of long-term medication use.
These findings align with what we see in practice at our Dublin, OH office regularly: patients who have relied on pain medication for years often experience meaningful, lasting headache relief through consistent chiropractic care.
Serving Headache Patients in Dublin and Columbus, OH
At The Centre – Chiropractic & Wellness, located inside MESH Fitness at Bridge Park in Dublin, OH, we see headache patients from across Dublin, Powell, Hilliard, Worthington, Upper Arlington, and the greater Columbus area. Many arrive after trying medication, rest, and other conservative measures without finding lasting relief.
Dr. Lundeberg begins every headache evaluation with a thorough history and cervical spine examination to determine whether spinal dysfunction is contributing to the headache pattern. When it is — which is more often than many patients expect — chiropractic care can produce results that medication alone cannot achieve.
To learn more about our headache and migraine treatment approach, visit our Headache and Migraine Relief page. For a full overview of our chiropractic services, visit our Chiropractic Care page.
What to Expect at Your First Headache Visit
Your first visit at The Centre – Chiropractic & Wellness includes:
A detailed discussion of your headache history — when they started, how often they occur, what they feel like, and what makes them better or worse.
A cervical spine and postural examination to identify misalignments, muscle tension, and nerve involvement.
X-rays of the cervical spine when appropriate to assess the structure and condition of the neck vertebrae.
Based on your findings, Dr. Lundeberg will explain what is contributing to your headaches and outline a specific treatment plan with a realistic timeline. Most headache patients begin to notice improvement within 4-8 visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a chiropractor really help with headaches?
Yes — particularly for tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches, which have a direct musculoskeletal cause. Research consistently shows that chiropractic adjustments reduce headache frequency and intensity. Many patients experience meaningful relief after years of managing symptoms with medication. Results vary depending on the type of headache and how long the underlying spinal dysfunction has been present.
How many chiropractic visits does it take to reduce headaches?
Most patients notice improvement within 4-8 visits. Tension and cervicogenic headaches that have a clear spinal cause often respond faster than migraines, which are more complex. Dr. Lundeberg will give you a specific estimate at your first visit based on your examination findings.
Can chiropractic care help migraines?
Research shows chiropractic care can reduce migraine frequency and intensity in many patients — particularly those whose migraines have a cervical spine component. It is not a cure for migraines, but many patients find it significantly reduces how often and how severely they occur. Dr. Lundeberg will evaluate whether spinal dysfunction is contributing to your migraines and be transparent about what chiropractic care can realistically achieve in your case.
Is chiropractic care for headaches covered by insurance?
In most cases, yes. Chiropractic care for headaches is covered by most major insurance plans when there is a documented musculoskeletal cause. We are in-network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Medical Mutual of Ohio, Medicare, Medicaid, Humana, OSU Health Plan, UMR, Cigna, Molina, CareSource, Buckeye, and more. We verify your benefits before your first visit. Cash plans start at $39.
What is the difference between a tension headache and a migraine?
Tension headaches typically cause a dull, pressure-like pain around the head and are strongly linked to muscle tension and posture. Migraines cause more severe, throbbing pain — often one-sided — and are accompanied by nausea, light sensitivity, and sometimes visual disturbances. Both can have a cervical spine component that chiropractic care can address, but migraines are more complex neurologically and may require a combined approach.
Can regular chiropractic care prevent headaches from coming back?
Yes — for many patients, regular maintenance adjustments significantly reduce headache recurrence. By keeping the cervical spine properly aligned and addressing muscle tension before it becomes a trigger, consistent chiropractic care helps break the cycle of chronic headaches. Many of our Dublin patients come in monthly for maintenance and report dramatically fewer headaches than before they started care.
Take the Next Step
If you experience recurring headaches — whether tension, cervicogenic, or migraine-related — and haven't yet explored whether your cervical spine is contributing, we encourage you to come in for an evaluation. For many patients, the answer to chronic headaches has been in their neck all along.
At The Centre – Chiropractic & Wellness in Bridge Park, Dublin, OH, Dr. Lundeberg will conduct a thorough evaluation and give you an honest assessment of whether chiropractic care can help. No referral is required, and new patients are welcome to book a free consultation.
