Do migraines keep taking over your days?
You feel one coming, or it arrives without warning, and suddenly the lights are too bright, the room is too loud and your plans are gone. Migraines can make it hard to work or care for your family. Our doctors at Apollo Upper Cervical Chiropractic start with a simple question: could the top of your neck be adding to the load your nervous system is carrying? We look for the answer with a careful exam and a light, unhurried touch.
What are migraines?
A migraine is much more than a bad headache. It is a neurological condition that usually brings moderate to severe head pain, often throbbing and often on one side, along with other symptoms. An attack can last from a few hours to a few days. Some people notice an aura first, such as flickering lights or blind spots, before the pain begins.
Migraines often run in families, and many people find their attacks follow a pattern tied to stress, sleep, hormones or certain foods.
Common signs include:
- Throbbing or pulsing head pain, often on one side
- Sensitivity to light, sound or smells
- Nausea or vomiting
- Flashing lights, zigzag lines or blind spots before the pain
- Neck stiffness before or during an attack
- Feeling drained, foggy or low for a day afterward
- Stress, or the let-down that follows a stressful stretch
- Changes in sleep, skipped meals or not drinking enough water
- Hormone changes
- Bright or flickering light, strong smells and loud noise
- Certain foods and drinks, which differ from person to person
- Neck tension, an old head or neck injury, or long hours with the head tipped forward
What can bring on a migraine?
No single cause explains every migraine, but many people notice that certain things make an attack more likely.
Upper cervical chiropractors look closely at the atlas (C1) and axis (C2), the top two bones of the neck, because a misalignment there may add steady strain to the muscles, nerves and blood vessels that serve the head. A sudden, severe headache unlike any you have had before, or a headache with weakness, confusion, trouble speaking, vision loss, or a stiff neck and fever, needs emergency care right away.
How upper cervical care can help
We begin by finding out whether your upper neck is part of your migraine picture. Your visit includes neurological testing, a posture evaluation and 3D imaging of your neck, so we can see how the atlas and axis are positioned and whether muscle tension travels with them. Not every migraine has a neck component, and we will tell you plainly what we find.
When a misalignment is found, we correct it with a light, precise adjustment. Our goal is a calmer, better balanced neck, so that your body has less to react to and your attacks may become less frequent or less intense. We aim to support your nervous system so it can handle your triggers more easily, alongside the care you receive from your medical doctor.
Learning your pattern
A careful history of when attacks start and what comes before them, along with neurological testing, helps us see whether your neck may be involved.
Gentle when you are sensitive
Adjustments are light and calm, with no twisting, cracking or popping, which matters when your head is already sensitive to pressure and movement.
Tension at the skull base
Muscle assessments show where tension gathers at the base of the skull, in the neck and across the shoulders, so your plan looks at muscles as well as bones.
Part of a bigger plan
Migraines often have several triggers, so upper cervical care is meant to sit beside your medical care and your own daily habits, not replace them.
What to expect
Day 1
Your first visit
A consultation with the doctor at the office you choose, a thorough exam, and 3D imaging of your cervical spine with our CBCT scanner. We also do a detailed posture evaluation with advanced software, neurological testing and muscle assessments.
Day 2
Your report of findings
The doctor goes over your history, your exam and posture results, your neurological findings and your 3D images with you, and explains a care plan made for you.
Ongoing
Gentle care, checked as you go
Gentle upper cervical adjustments with no twisting, cracking or popping, and regular progress checks so your plan follows how you are doing.
Why choose Apollo?
Specialized care
We focus on upper cervical chiropractic, a highly targeted and refined approach.
A plan made for you
Every patient is different. Your care plan is built around your own exam and your 3D imaging.
Gentle, with no cracking
Our methods are very gentle: no twisting, cracking or popping.
An experienced doctor
Dr. Kosta Tsakalos brings deep clinical experience and a caring, detail-oriented approach to every visit.
Every person is different, and results vary. Read what our patients say on our testimonials page.
Let us help you get started
If you are dealing with migraines, we are here to help. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Kosta Tsakalos and find out whether upper cervical chiropractic care is right for you.
Related conditions we help with
- Brain Fog
- Vertigo & Dizziness
- Post-Concussion Symptoms
- Ménière’s Disease
- Headaches
- Tinnitus
- Ear Infections
- TMJ / Jaw Pain
- See every condition
This page is general information. It is not a diagnosis or medical advice. If your symptoms are sudden or severe, please seek medical care right away.