Many of us know the feeling. Your shoulders creeping up through the day, tension building up through the neck to the base of the skull leading to the dull tight band of a tension headache. Or worse, a full-blown migraine that’s like a thunderstorm in the head that only eases in a dark, quiet room. Recurring headaches and migraines disrupt our lives. Many people manage them with medication and carry on. But it’s worth looking at the tension patterns that underlie them and doing something about that.
PHYSICAL
Headaches & Migraines
Where headaches come from
Tension headaches are the most common kind of headache, and they’re rarely random. Tension builds through the upper neck and the base of the skull, pain refers as a tight band across the forehead, and there’s often tension through the scalp and jaw. Postural strain from computer work or our phones, old neck injuries and life stresses accumulate as tension that steadily builds and creates a headache pattern.
Migraines have a more complex neurological dimension. The nervous system’s overall state, including if it’s over-activated and/or dysregulated, plays a significant role in migraines’ frequency and severity. Many people find that migraines arrive during high-stress periods and notice their body holding more overall tension at these times.
This is why addressing headaches and migraines through the spine and nervous system can produce changes that medication alone doesn’t reach. At Lifewise we don’t treat the headache in isolation, we look at the pattern behind it.
How we approach this
Your first visit begins with a thorough history to identify the type and pattern of your headaches, any triggers you’ve noticed, and what you’ve already tried. We’ll check there’s nothing more serious going on, then take you through a full spinal and nervous-system assessment before any hands-on work begins.
Network Spinal gently addresses the cervical spine and nervous system together, aiming to resolve tension patterns from the neck and upper back, and supporting more efficient nervous system regulation. There’s no cracking, no twisting, no force. We’re not attacking the headache, we’re helping your nervous system recognise where it’s been holding on and teaching it how to let go.
→ Neck pain – often connected to headaches
What people notice
People who come to Lifewise with recurring headaches and migraines often notice them become less intense and frequent. Over time the episodes shorten and the pain softens. Alongside that, people describe clearer thinking, better sleep, looser shoulders, less jaw clenching, and a greater sense of ease through the day.
You also become more aware of your own body so you’re better at heading things off when tension starts to build, and clearer about what your personal triggers are.
Chiropractic care supports spinal and nervous system function. It does not diagnose or treat migraine disorders. If you have a sudden, severe headache unlike any you’ve had before, or a headache with fever, vomiting, a stiff neck, changes in your vision, weakness, confusion or loss of balance, please seek urgent medical assessment. These require immediate attention.
Worth looking into
If headaches have become a regular feature of your life the first visit is a good place to start.
No referral needed.
Common questions about headaches and migraines
For many people, yes. A lot of headaches are tied to tension through the neck, shoulders and jaw, and to a nervous system that’s been under pressure. Network Spinal works gently with both. Migraine is more complex, and chiropractic isn’t a treatment for migraine disorders, but the tension and stress that often come with migraines are part of what we work with.
No. There’s no cracking, twisting or force at any point, including at the neck. The contacts are light and precise. If you’ve been put off chiropractic by neck manipulation before, please mention it when you arrive. We’ll take it seriously.
Tension that builds through the upper neck often settles at the base of the skull, and from there it can refer as a band across the forehead. Long hours at a screen, old neck injuries and stress all add to it. It’s one of the most common patterns we see.
Yes. Under stress your shoulders creep up, your jaw tightens and tension builds through your neck. Many people also notice their migraines arrive during high-stress periods. That’s why we look at your nervous system as well as your neck.
Medication manages a headache once it’s arrived. We work with what sits underneath: the neck tension and nervous system reactivity that make you more prone to headaches in the first place, so they’re triggered less often. The two can work side by side.
No referral is needed. If you’ve had scans or seen a specialist, bring the results. We don’t take X-rays at the first visit, but we can request them if they’re needed.
Finding us
We’re at 50/81 Carrington Street in the Adelaide CBD, easily reached from across the city. Fees are published in full, and we issue receipts you can claim with your health fund.