Headache & Migraine Relief
Most headaches start in your neck and shoulders, not your head
You Live with Headaches. You Shouldn't Have To.
Tension headaches that start at the base of your skull. Migraines that wipe you out for days. That constant pressure behind your eyes. Headaches that get worse as the day goes on. Waking up with headaches. Headaches after working at your computer.
You've tried medication. It helps temporarily, but the headaches keep coming back. You've accepted this as your normal. Maybe you've been told it's stress (it partly is), but no one has addressed what's actually creating the tension.
Most chronic headaches have a physical, structural component that bodywork can address.
Types of Headaches We Can Help
Cervicogenic Headaches
Headaches that originate from your neck. Often feel like they start at the base of your skull and radiate forward. May be one-sided. Neck movement or posture can trigger them.
Cause: Tight suboccipital muscles, upper cervical joint dysfunction, poor posture
Tension Headaches
Feels like a tight band around your head. Dull, aching pain. Often gets worse throughout the day. Related to muscle tension in neck, shoulders, and jaw.
Cause: Chronic muscle tension, poor posture, stress, jaw clenching
Migraines (with muscular component)
Severe, often one-sided throbbing pain. Can include nausea, light sensitivity, visual disturbances. While migraines have a neurological component, muscle tension in the neck often triggers or worsens them.
Trigger reduction: Releasing neck and jaw tension can reduce migraine frequency and severity
Occipital Neuralgia
Sharp, shooting, electric-shock-like pain from the base of skull up over the head. Can feel like your scalp is on fire. Caused by irritation of occipital nerves.
Cause: Tight muscles compressing occipital nerves, often suboccipital muscles
TMJ-Related Headaches
Headaches at temples or sides of head. Often accompanied by jaw pain, clicking, or tension. Related to jaw clenching, grinding, or TMJ dysfunction.
Cause: Jaw muscle tension, TMJ dysfunction, teeth grinding (bruxism)
The Physical Causes of Most Headaches
Forward Head Posture
Your head weighs 10-12 pounds. For every inch your head sits forward of your shoulders, it adds 10 pounds of force on your neck muscles. Desk work creates chronic forward head posture. Your neck muscles are constantly working to hold your head up, creating massive tension at the base of your skull. This is the #1 cause of chronic headaches.
Tight Suboccipital Muscles
Four small muscles at the base of your skull (suboccipitals) connect your skull to your upper cervical vertebrae. When tight (which they are in almost everyone), they refer pain up over your head and into your eyes. They also compress the occipital nerves, creating sharp, shooting pains.
Upper Trapezius and Neck Tension
Chronically elevated and tight shoulders (upper traps) pull on your neck and skull. This creates the classic "tension headache" feeling. Stress makes you hike your shoulders up, compounding the problem.
Jaw Clenching and TMJ
Your jaw muscles (temporalis, masseter) attach near your temples. When you clench or grind your teeth (often unconsciously from stress), these muscles get tight and refer pain into your head. TMJ dysfunction creates headaches.
Upper Cervical Restrictions
Your top two cervical vertebrae (C1 and C2) have unique anatomy and lots of nerve connections. Restrictions here often refer pain up into your head. Poor posture and old whiplash injuries commonly affect this area.
Fascial Restrictions
Tight fascia throughout your neck, chest, and upper back creates pulling forces that eventually reach your head. Your whole system is connected. Restrictions anywhere up the chain can contribute to headaches.
My Approach to Headache Relief
1. Release the Tension at the Source
Through hands-on Structural Integration:
- • Deep suboccipital release (often immediately reduces headache)
- • Work tight upper traps and neck muscles
- • Release jaw muscles (temporalis, masseter, pterygoids)
- • Address fascial restrictions in neck, chest, upper back
- • Free up cranial base and upper cervical spine
2. Fix Your Posture
Addressing the root cause:
- • Improve forward head posture
- • Strengthen deep neck flexors (often weak)
- • Release tight chest pulling you forward
- • Improve thoracic spine extension
- • Teach proper ergonomics and positioning
3. Address Jaw Issues
- • Release jaw muscles internally and externally
- • Work TMJ directly
- • Teach jaw relaxation techniques
- • Address nighttime grinding if present
4. Give You Self-Care Tools
- • Self-massage for suboccipitals
- • Stretches for neck and shoulders
- • Breathing exercises (stress reduction)
- • Posture awareness practices
- • Early intervention strategies when you feel a headache coming
What Changes When Headaches Stop
When to See a Doctor First
Seek immediate medical care if you have:
- • Sudden, severe headache ("thunderclap headache")
- • Headache with fever, stiff neck, confusion, or neurological symptoms
- • Headache after head injury
- • New headache pattern if you're over 50
- • Headache with vision changes, weakness, or difficulty speaking
- • Progressively worsening headaches
These could indicate serious conditions requiring immediate evaluation. For chronic tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches that have been evaluated by a doctor, bodywork is highly effective.
For Santa Cruz Headache Sufferers
If you've been living with chronic headaches and medication only provides temporary relief, addressing the physical, structural causes can create lasting change. Most people see significant reduction in headache frequency and intensity within 4-6 sessions. Let's get you out of pain.