Headache and Migraine Treatment in Royal Palm Beach | Natural Relief Without Medication
The Neck-Headache Connection
Your neck has seven small vertebrae stacked on top of each other, held together by muscles, ligaments, discs and nerves. When something goes wrong, particularly in the upper neck, joint restriction, poor posture, muscle tension, nerve irritation—it causes headaches.
Here's how it happens:
The most likely scenario sounds something like this: you work a sedentary desk job and are likely in poor posture for most of the day. Your head is jutted forward, putting 3x the pressure on your spine which then causes significant stress on the joints of your neck as well as the surrounding musculature. You do this week after week, likely for years which causes your spine to actually change shape. It looses or actually reverses the natural curve we are supposed to have. You may even be getting a 'neck hump' because of this. This in turn puts even more stress on your spine and muscles.
Add in hours of looking down at your phone or hunching over a computer, and you've got a recipe for chronic headaches.
The good news? If your headaches are coming from your neck, which they likely are, chiropractic care can be incredibly impactful.
Types of Headaches We Treat
Cervicogenic Headaches (Neck-Related)
This is incredibly common in today's world. Headaches that originate from problems in your neck.
What it feels like: Usually starts at the base of your skull and radiates forward. Might be on one side or both. Often gets worse with certain neck positions or movements. Sometimes you'll have neck stiffness or shoulder pain too.
What's causing it: Restricted and dysfunctional vertebrae in your upper neck, tight muscles at the skull base, or irritated nerves. Often worse in people who sit at desks all day or sleep on their stomachs most nights.
How we treat it: Upper cervical adjustments to restore proper mobility and function, soft tissue work on those tight suboccipital muscles, and exercises to improve your posture.
Tension Headaches
The most common type I treat. Feels like a tight band around your head. Commonly described as a dull, achy type of pain that is diffuse over your head.
What it feels like: Dull, aching pain on both sides of your head. Pressure behind your eyes or across your forehead. Your neck and shoulders probably feel tight too.
What's causing it: Joint restriction in your neck and upper back which exacerbates already present muscle tension, usually from stress, poor posture, or jaw clenching. Your body's been holding tension for so long that it's now triggering headaches.
How we treat it: Adjustments to your cervical and thoracic spine, soft tissue work to release muscle tension, and stress management techniques combined with ergonomic changes at your work station.
Migraines
These are the brutal ones because they are not just neck focussed, they can be whole body and have many causes or triggers.
What it feels like: Intense, throbbing pain, usually on one side over the orbital (eye) areas. Sensitivity to light and sound, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, sometimes visual disturbances (aura) before the headache hits. Can last hours or even days. Often have been having them for years already.
What's causing it: Migraines are complex—they involve blood vessels, nerves, and brain chemistry. Causes can include hormonal changes, dietary triggers, atmospheric pressure changes, and psychological stress. But many migraine sufferers also have neck dysfunction that triggers or worsens their attacks.
How we treat it: This one's trickier than regular headaches. We focus on reducing the frequency and severity of attacks through upper cervical adjustments, identifying and avoiding triggers, and improving overall spinal health. Chiropractic alone likely won't cure migraines entirely as it is likely multi-factorial and potentially genetic, but it can significantly reduce how often they happen and how bad they are.
Post-Concussion Headaches
Headaches that follow a trauma such as a car accident or a sports injury. They may last for upwards of 2 months after an injury.
What it feels like: Varies, but often a constant dull ache or pressure at the base of the skull or forehead. They may worsen with physical or mental exertion.
What's causing it: The injury typically follows neck dysfunction, even if you don't remember hitting your head. It's possible there is some nerve irritation and muscle tension from compensating.
How we treat it: Combination of neck and back adjustments as well as lifestyle changes to help make you more comfortable. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do for a concussion other than wait for the body to naturally heal itself and the symptoms will subside with time. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be particularly helpful in improving healing time with TBI's and associated symptoms.
What's Different About Our Approach
We Actually Figure Out What's Causing Your Headaches
Not all headaches are the same. I'm going to ask you a bunch of questions:
Where exactly does it hurt?
What does it feel like (throbbing, pressure, sharp)?
What time of day does it usually start?
What makes it better or worse?
Any visual changes, nausea, or other symptoms?
What medications have you tried?
All of this helps me figure out if chiropractic can help you.
We Don't Promise to Fix Everything
Some headaches aren't caused by neck problems. If I examine you and think your headaches are coming from something else—sinus issues, medication overuse, a medical condition—I'll tell you and refer you to the right specialist.
We Look at Your Whole Posture
Your headaches might be starting in your neck, but the problem could be coming from your mid-back, your shoulders, even how you sit at your desk.
We assess everything and address the root cause, not just the symptom.
We Give You Tools to Help Yourself
Stretches for your neck. Advice on your pillow and sleep position. Ergonomic setup for your desk. Stress management techniques. You'll leave knowing what to do between visits.
Your First Visit for Headaches
The Consultation
I need to understand your headache history. How long you've been dealing with this, what you've already tried, what your headaches feel like and what triggers them.
The Examination
I'll check your neck's range of motion, feel for areas of restriction or tenderness, test your reflexes, assess your posture. I'm looking for signs that your neck is contributing to your headaches.
Sometimes X-rays
If I need to see your cervical spine alignment or rule out anything concerning, we'll take images and this will be communicated to you.
The Plan
I'll explain what I found and whether I think chiropractic can help. If yes, we'll map out a treatment plan. If no, I'll point you in the right direction.
Treatment (Usually Same Day)
Upper cervical adjustments are usually quite relieving. Sometimes feeling intense, but not uncomfortable. Soft tissue work on the muscles at the base of your skull as well as some home care advice.
Many people feel relief during or right after that first visit. Not 100% better, but enough to know we're on the right track.
How Long Does Treatment Take?
Recent headache pattern (last few weeks): Might resolve in 2-4 weeks with regular treatment. Maybe 4-8 visits.
Chronic headaches (months or years): This is going to take longer. Your body's been doing this for a while. Plan on 6-12 weeks of consistent care. Could be 12-20 visits however each person is unique and responds to care differently. This could be less than that as well.
Migraines: Hard to predict. Some people see a dramatic reduction in frequency within a month. Others take longer. You will need to track migraine diary and adjust treatment based on results.
I'll be honest with you about progress. If we're not seeing improvement after a reasonable trial, we'll reassess.
What About Medication?
I'm not anti-medication. If you need ibuprofen or your prescription migraine meds, use them. I'm not going to tell you to avoid all pharmaceuticals.
But here's the thing I want you to understand—medication manages symptoms. It doesn't fix the underlying problem.
The goal with chiropractic care is to reduce how often you need medication and ideally eliminate your need. Maybe instead of daily headaches, you get them once a week or couple weeks. Maybe your migraines go from twice a month to once every two months. That change is a major win in restoring quality of life.
Common Questions About Headache Treatment
Will adjustments give me a headache?
Rarely, but it does happen every now and then. Some people get a mild headache after their first adjustment as their body adapts. It usually goes away within a few hours. Long-term, adjustments should reduce your headaches, not cause them.
How is this different from just taking pain meds?
Medication masks the pain. Chiropractic addresses the underlying dysfunction of the neck causing the pain. Both have their place, but one is a band-aid and one is actually fixing the problem.
Can you help with sinus headaches?
Sometimes. True sinus headaches come from sinus infections, congestion, or sinus structural issues that I can not change. But, a lot of what people think are sinus headaches are actually referred pain from the neck. If that's the case, then yes, we can help.
I've had an MRI and everything's normal. Why do I still get headaches?
Because MRIs show structural problems—tumors, aneurysms, disc herniations. They don't show muscle tension, joint restriction, or biomechanical imbalances. That's where chiropractic comes in.
Do I have to keep coming forever?
Generally no. Once we get you stable and you're not getting headaches regularly, you're good to go most of the time. Some people do need consistent maintenance visits indefinitely to keep them stable and feeling there best. Other don't. It's a personal decision for you and one that is multi-factorial.
What if my headaches are from TMJ?
Jaw problems and neck problems often go together. We can address both your neck and TMJ with targeted treatments.
Serving Royal Palm Beach and Surrounding Areas
Whether you're dealing with headaches in Wellington, migraines in West Palm Beach, or chronic pain in Loxahatchee—you don't have to drive all over South Florida for good care.
We're right here in Royal Palm Beach, convenient to State Road 7 and Southern Boulevard.
Stop Living with Headaches
You shouldn't have to plan your life around when the next headache might hit. You shouldn't have to keep a bottle of pills in your purse to manage symptoms and you definitely shouldn't have to just accept this as your new normal.
If your headaches are coming from your neck—and there's a good chance they are—we can help.
Call us or book directly online with the buttons on the top or bottom of the page. Let's figure out what's causing your headaches and get you some real relief.
Frost Chiropractic
11931 Southern Blvd, Suite 320
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
Serving Wellington, West Palm Beach & Loxahatchee
This information is educational and doesn't replace medical advice. If you're experiencing sudden, severe headaches ("worst headache of your life"), headaches with fever and stiff neck, vision loss, weakness, or confusion—seek emergency medical care immediately.