For some people, headaches are a normal part of life. For others, they are an occasional occurrence that is not a cause for concern. But if you have frequent headaches accompanied by neck or shoulder pain, it could be time to have a professional check your upper cervical spine’s health. Let’s discuss how those seemingly innocent and totally detached pains are some of the main triggers of your migraine attacks.

Identifying Your Pains: Migraine, Neck, and Shoulder

Neck pain, shoulder pain, and migraine headaches can all be caused by muscle strain or arthritis. Muscle strain results from overusing the muscles in your neck and shoulders without giving them enough time to rest. This causes inflammation in your joints and surrounding tissues.

Migraines Symptoms

You may have a migraine if you experience throbbing pain, which tends to be more intense on one side of your head. The pain can worsen when you move around and can be triggered by numerous factors like stress, lack of sleep, and hormonal changes. 

• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and/or sound
• Double vision or blindness in one eye
• Weakness in your arm or leg (only affects some people) 

These symptoms can make it challenging to work and do daily activities, so it’s important to know what causes them and how they’re treated. That way, you can get relief from these painful headaches before they start—or even prevent them altogether!

Neck Pain Symptoms

Neck pain is the ache felt in the bridge connecting your skull to your body. Its symptoms include: 

• Pain in the neck
• Pain in the shoulders
• Pain in the arms
• Back pain or radiating pain down one arm or both arms, sometimes extending to your fingers and/or toes (this may be a symptom of heart disease)

Headache with neck pain: A headache that is often present on one side of your head and calms with rest or over-the-counter medication is called a tension headache. If you have these types of headaches, they may be caused by muscles that are too tight and pulling on nerves. Your doctor can prescribe medicines to make them go away faster.

Shoulder Pain Symptoms

Shoulder pain is felt around the base of your neck and spreads through your blades and even to your arms at times. Symptoms can include: 

• Pain in the shoulder when you move your arm, lift it, or sleep on your side
• Pain when turning your head to one side

Do you have any of these symptoms? You are not alone. 

How Can These Upper Cervical Pains Be Related To Your Migraines?

Your neck and shoulders are major parts of your upper cervical spine. Their relation to your migraine is due to their positioning and association with the major nerves and muscles that also play a part in the chances of triggering a migraine.

Neck and shoulder pain are very common. In fact, neck and shoulder pain are adults' most common musculoskeletal problems. The muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support your head can become strained or sprained due to poor posture, injury, repetitive motion such as typing on a computer, or aging. Migraines, on the other hand, can be caused by many factors that include stress hormones, which increase blood flow to the brain, as well as muscle tension which contracts blood vessels, making it harder for oxygenated blood to reach the brain, then causing severe headaches. 

When muscles get tight, they cause inflammation throughout the body, causing migraine headaches along with other symptoms such as fatigue and nausea.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic for Migraines, Neck, and Shoulder Pains

If you see a doctor for neck or shoulder pains and mention that you also have frequent headaches, your doctor will likely suggest that you meet with an upper cervical spine chiropractor for some chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractors trained in Upper Cervical techniques can help alleviate the pressure on nerves in your neck and shoulders, which may be causing your headaches. Additionally, Upper Cervical Care is effective for migraine sufferers because it can realign vertebrae that have become misaligned due to lifestyle factors like poor posture or previous injuries.

Chiropractors can greatly help address the cause of your symptoms rather than just masking the pain with medications. Once your neck and shoulders are in proper alignment, you may notice several health benefits, including reduced headaches, better sleep, and improved range of motion.

It is important to note the value of having a credible chiropractor when it comes to adjusting your upper cervical spine. That is because one wrong move or a miscalculation of an inexperienced one can paralyze a person. Finding the right chiropractor near you can be difficult, but it's worth it—your body needs care from someone with experience treating migraines. The best way you can do it is by visiting this directory. It has the most comprehensive list of credible and trusted Upper Cervical chiropractors in America.

to schedule a consultation today.