Migraine is one of the most common neurological conditions in the UK, and anyone who gets them will tell you the head pain is only part of it. The nausea, the sensitivity to light and the flat, foggy day that follows all take their toll.
Can osteopathy help with migraines? In many cases, yes. Osteopathy does not treat migraine itself, which is a neurological condition. But where neck tension, muscular tightness or restricted movement through the upper spine are contributing to your attacks, hands-on treatment can help take some of that load off. Our osteopaths see a lot of patients with migraine, and treatment usually centres on loosening the neck muscles and helping the neck move more freely.
What is a migraine?
A migraine is a neurological condition, not simply a headache at the severe end of the scale. The pain is often felt on one side of the head, tends to be throbbing or pulsating, and usually sits somewhere between moderate and completely disabling.
Most attacks last anywhere from four to 72 hours if left untreated. Some people experience attacks that run beyond three days, known as status migrainosus, which is worth raising with your GP.
Migraine also tends to come in stages. Some people notice a warning period a day or so beforehand, with mood changes, food cravings, yawning or a stiff neck. Roughly a quarter of people experience aura, which usually shows up as visual disturbance such as zigzag lines, flashing lights or blind spots, and sometimes as tingling in the face or hands.
Common migraine symptoms
Alongside head pain, you might notice:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light, sound or smell
- Neck stiffness or aching across the shoulders
- Visual disturbance before or during an attack
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue and a washed out feeling for a day or two afterwards
Triggers vary a lot from person to person. Stress, poor sleep, dehydration, hormonal changes, long stretches at a screen and sustained desk posture are among the more common ones.
How osteopathy can help with migraines
Not every migraine has a musculoskeletal component, but plenty do. The muscles at the base of the skull, through the neck and across the upper back share nerve pathways with the structures involved in head pain. When those muscles are tight and the joints in the neck are not moving well, that can feed into how often attacks arrive and how rough they feel when they do.
This is where osteopathy fits in. Rather than chasing the headache itself, the focus is on the neck and upper back, and on easing the physical strain that may be adding to your symptoms.
Your first appointment starts with a proper conversation. Your osteopath will ask about your attack pattern, your triggers, your sleep, your work setup and your stress levels, then assess how your neck, shoulders and upper back are actually moving.
What treatment involves
Depending on what the assessment shows, treatment might include:
- Soft tissue work through the neck, shoulders and the suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull
- Gentle articulation and mobilisation to improve movement through the cervical spine
- Manipulation, where it is appropriate and where you are comfortable with it
- Release work through the jaw and upper back
- Practical advice on desk setup, posture, hydration and movement between sessions
Everything is adapted to you and to how you respond. Some patients find their attacks become less frequent or less intense over a course of treatment. Others find the neck and shoulder symptoms settle, which makes the attacks easier to live with. We cannot promise you a particular outcome, and anyone who does should be treated with a healthy dose of scepticism. What we can say is that this is familiar ground for us, and we will be honest with you if we think another route would serve you better.
If your headaches come on suddenly and severely, change in pattern, or arrive alongside fever, weakness or changes to your speech or vision, contact your GP or call 111 before booking anything.
Book a complimentary 15 minute consultation
If you are new to Active Health Clinics and you are not sure whether osteopathy is the right route for you, we offer a complimentary 15 minute consultation.
It is a straightforward chat. You can talk through what you have been experiencing, ask whatever you want to ask, and get a clear steer on whether osteopathy, chiropractic or physiotherapy makes more sense for your situation. There is no treatment on the day and no pressure to book anything further.
Call us on 01628 626 565 or book your consultation online using the button below.
