Conditions & injuries
Headache and Migraine Care in San Francisco
A recurring headache can disrupt concentration, sleep, family time, and work. Migraine is more than a severe headache: it is a neurological condition that can include nausea, sensory sensitivity, visual or other aura symptoms, and fatigue. Ocean Chiropractic Center approaches head pain carefully because “headache” describes a symptom, not a diagnosis. The first task is to understand the pattern and whether medical evaluation should come first.
Symptoms are a starting point, not a diagnosis. This guide explains patterns an evaluation may consider and the changes that should not wait for a routine visit.
Patterns provide useful clues
Head pain may feel like pressure, tightness, throbbing, or pain focused on one side. Some headaches occur with neck discomfort or sustained work positions. A migraine attack may include sensitivity to light, sound, or smells; nausea; changes in vision or sensation; and a period of fatigue or difficulty concentrating afterward. Not everyone experiences the same sequence.
Frequency, duration, triggers, medication use, menstrual or sleep patterns, and neurological symptoms all matter. Headaches can overlap in presentation, so a symptom label from a website should not replace a diagnosis from a qualified health professional.
A measured assessment
We begin with the history of your headaches, including when the pattern started and whether it has changed. The examination may include blood-pressure screening and assessment of neck movement, muscle tenderness, posture, strength, sensation, reflexes, and coordination as appropriate.
If the history resembles migraine or another primary headache disorder, medical co-management may be important for diagnosis and discussion of acute or preventive treatment. If symptoms suggest a secondary cause, we will recommend medical evaluation rather than proceeding as though the headache is simply mechanical.
Where chiropractic care may fit
For an appropriate patient whose headaches occur alongside neck or musculoskeletal findings, conservative chiropractic care may be considered as one part of a broader plan. Recommendations might include selected hands-on care, comfortable movement, workspace changes, and strategies for reducing neck strain. Response varies, and chiropractic care is not presented as a cure for migraine or as a replacement for prescribed migraine care.
We support communication with primary-care, neurology, dental, or other clinicians when their expertise is relevant. Do not stop or change headache medication based on this page or without speaking with its prescriber.
Build a clearer picture
A simple headache diary can record timing, duration, symptoms, possible triggers, sleep, meals, hydration, and medication use. That record may help a clinician distinguish patterns and evaluate change. Regular meals, consistent sleep, hydration, and appropriately paced activity may be useful for some people, but triggers are individual and self-care should not delay needed evaluation.
Our educational guide to common headache types and self-care expands on this topic without diagnosing a specific headache.
When a headache is urgent
Call 911 for a sudden, exceptionally severe headache; headache with new face or limb weakness, trouble speaking, confusion, seizure, fainting, or loss of coordination; or symptoms after a serious head injury. Prompt medical assessment is also appropriate for a new headache with fever and marked neck stiffness, persistent vomiting, pregnancy-related concerns, cancer or immune suppression, or a rapidly changing pattern. These signs deserve medical triage before routine chiropractic care.