Headache & Migraine Care in Marietta, GA
Tension
Migraines
Migraines
Most common type, often described as a dull, pressure-like pain on both sides of the head. Frequently triggered by stress, poor posture, or muscle tension in the neck and shoulders.
Migraines
Migraines
Migraines
Intense, throbbing pain, often on one side of the head. Can last hours to days and are frequently accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound. May be preceded by “aura” — visual disturbances like flashing lights or zigzag patterns.
Cervicogenic
Cervicogenic
Cervicogenic
Originate from dysfunction in the cervical spine (neck joints, discs, or muscles). Pain often starts in the neck and radiates toward the front of the head.
Cluster
Cervicogenic
Cervicogenic
Rare but extremely severe headaches, often occurring in cycles (“clusters”) over weeks or months. Typically felt around one eye, with tearing and nasal congestion on the affected side.
How the Spine and Brain Can Cause Headaches
Our Approach
How the Brain, Nervous System, and Neck Can Contribute to Headaches
Headaches can involve several interacting systems. While some are associated with neck-related problems, others—such as migraines—involve neurological processes that affect pain sensitivity and sensory processing.
At BrainSpine Chiropractic in Marietta, GA, our neuro-focused approach considers relevant factors that may contribute to a person's symptoms.
What We Evaluate
- Neck function: Neck mobility, muscle tenderness, and movement-related symptoms that may contribute to certain headaches.
- Visual function: Eye movement and visual coordination concerns that may accompany headaches or migraines.
- Vestibular function and balance: Dizziness, motion sensitivity, or balance difficulties that occur alongside headache symptoms.
- Sensory processing: Sensitivity to light, sound, or movement that may affect daily activities.
- Lifestyle and symptom patterns: Sleep, activity, stress, and other factors that may influence headache frequency or severity.
An Individualized Approach to Care
Headaches don't all have the same cause, so treatment should be guided by the type of headache, the person's symptoms, and appropriate examination findings.
Depending on the individual's needs, care may include education, targeted movement or balance exercises, rehabilitation for relevant visual or vestibular difficulties, or care directed at cervical musculoskeletal problems. Some headache conditions require medical management or referral to another healthcare professional.
Our goal is to help identify relevant functional concerns and determine an appropriate care plan—not to assume every headache originates in the neck or that one treatment works for everyone.
Common Symptoms
- Pressure, throbbing, or sharp pain in the head
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light, noise, or smells
- Neck stiffness or pain
- Visual disturbances
- Dizziness or imbalance
Migraines in the brain
Migraines are now understood as a neurological event, not just a vascular one. They involve:
- Abnormal brainstem activation
- Sensory hypersensitivity
- Changes in blood flow to certain brain regions
- Dysfunction in pain modulation systems
This is why migraines can cause a wide range of symptoms — from visual changes to dizziness — and why treatments targeting the nervous system are often most effective.