Headache Treatment
Tension headaches often start at the base of the skull or across the shoulders after a long day at a screen. TexStar looks for a neck contribution. This is not a migraine-cure program, and a new or severe headache needs medical care.
What it feels like
Headache Patterns with a Neck Component
- Pain that builds from the base of the skull forward
- A band of pressure rather than a one-sided throb
- Worse on days with long screen time or heavy driving
- Neck movement or pressing certain spots reproducing the ache
Headaches the Clinic May Work With
If turning the neck reproduces a familiar pressure headache, care may include an adjustment, posture rehab, and sometimes laser at the neck muscles. The aim is fewer headache days and an easier range of motion, not a guarantee that headaches stop.
How the Neck Gets Tested for Involvement
The chiropractor checks upper neck motion, presses the joints and muscles at the base of the skull, and looks for whether that reproduces the headache you actually get. Reproducing your familiar pain is the finding that matters. Tenderness on its own is common and proves much less.
Migraine, and Staying in Bounds
Migraine is a neurological condition managed by a physician. If you have that diagnosis, tell the clinic, and keep your prescriber in the loop. The chiropractor may still find a neck contribution worth treating alongside that care, but this office does not offer a migraine cure or ask you to change medication.
The Unglamorous Contributors
Screen height, sleep, hydration, caffeine, and clenching your jaw all show up in headache histories. None of it is exciting, and some of it will be more useful than anything done to you on the table. Expect a couple of specific changes rather than a generic lecture.
Headaches That Should Be Seen Medically
A thunderclap headache, headache with confusion, weakness on one side, or headache after a blow to the head belongs in the emergency room. Tell the clinic about migraine diagnosed by a physician so the plan stays in bounds.
Step by step
A First Visit for Headaches
Bring a rough sense of how many headache days you get. It is the number progress is measured against.
- 1A history of timing, triggers, and how many days a month you lose
- 2Upper neck testing to see whether it reproduces your headache
- 3A trial treatment if the neck turns out to be involved
- 4A findings review covering posture, screens, and what to track
Headaches That Are an Emergency
These are not appointments to book. They need immediate medical attention.
- A severe headache that peaks within seconds
- Headache with fever, a stiff neck, or a rash
- Confusion, weakness on one side, or trouble speaking
- Headache following a blow to the head
- A new headache pattern with vision loss or a first seizure
Where
Available at all four clinics
Austin
4601 Southwest Pkwy, Suite 101, Austin, TX 78735
Mon–Thu 8am–6pm · Fri 8am–12pm
Austin clinicBee Cave
11614 Bee Caves Rd, Suite 110, Bee Cave, TX 78738
Mon–Thu 8am–6pm · Fri 8am–12pm
Bee Cave clinicBuda
181 Cimarron Park Loop, Suite D, Buda, TX 78610
Mon–Thu 9am–6pm · Fri 8am–12pm
Buda clinicDripping Springs / Belterra
13341 W US-290, Suite 102, Austin, TX 78737
Mon–Thu 8am–6pm · Fri 8am–12pm
Dripping Springs / Belterra clinic
First visit
What the $98 New-Patient Visit Includes
- 1
Consultation
You tell the chiropractor what hurts, what you want to get back to, and which clinic you are visiting.
- 2
Exam
A neuro-musculo-skeletal exam looks for the source: the joint, the muscle, and the nerve.
- 3
Trial Treatment
One session of spinal decompression, cold laser, or spot cryotherapy, chosen from the exam. That session is included in the visit.
- 4
Findings Review
Your Chiropractor will go over the results of the exam and discuss a plan of care.
Questions
Common Questions
Do you treat migraine?
We do not offer a migraine cure. If neck motion is part of your headache pattern, the chiropractor can say whether a trial of neck care is reasonable alongside the physician who manages the migraine.
How do I know if my neck is causing it?
The clearest sign is when neck testing during the exam reproduces the headache you normally get. That is a finding the chiropractor can retest later to see whether care is working.
Should I keep a headache diary?
It helps more than almost anything else you can bring. Dates, rough severity, and what you were doing beforehand will make the follow-up conversation far more useful.
Will I have to stop my medication?
No. This clinic does not prescribe and does not tell you to change what a physician prescribed. Bring the list so the chiropractor knows what you are taking.
Can posture work really reduce headaches?
For headaches with a genuine neck contribution, reducing how long your head spends held forward is often part of what helps. It is not a cure, and results vary between people.
Keep reading
Related Pages
Neck Pain
The neck complaints that most often come with headaches.
Adjustments
Upper neck joint work when testing points there.
Physical Rehab
Posture and mid-back work for screen-driven patterns.
Founder
Dr. Michael P. Henry, DC
Dr. Henry founded TexStar Chiropractic in 2011. He grew up in Manchaca, studied kinesiology at The University of Texas, and was appointed to the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Your visit is with the chiropractor at the clinic you choose.
Get an exam, not a guess
The consultation, the exam, one trial treatment, and a review of the findings, in a single appointment. Mention the $98 offer when you book. Restrictions may apply.