Migraine is far more than a bad headache. It is a neurological condition that can be genuinely debilitating, and for many people it has a real impact on work, family life and wellbeing. At Back in Action in Penwortham, we care for people across Preston and Lancashire who live with migraine, with a particular focus on the neck-related factors that can play a part — always working alongside, never in place of, your GP.
Understanding migraine
Migraine is a complex condition involving the brain and nervous system, not simply a problem of the muscles or joints. It tends to occur in attacks, which can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, and it often follows recognisable phases — sometimes a build-up over the preceding day, the headache itself, and a period of feeling washed out afterwards. Some people experience an “aura” beforehand, such as visual disturbances or tingling.
These phases are worth knowing about. Many people notice early warning signs in the day or so before an attack — changes in mood or energy, food cravings, yawning, or a stiff neck. Recognising your own pattern can help you respond earlier. The attack itself is the most disabling phase, and the “hangover” that follows can leave you drained for a further day. Migraine is genuinely exhausting, and its impact is often underestimated by those who have not experienced it.
Because migraine is a medical condition with its own features, diagnosis and overall management sit with your GP, who can advise on the full range of options including medication. Our role is more specific: to help with the musculoskeletal and neck-related contributors that can be part of the picture for some people.
The neck and migraine
For some people, the neck and migraine are closely connected. Neck pain and stiffness are common around migraine attacks, and tension in the neck and upper shoulders is a frequent companion to them. The nerves of the upper neck and those involved in migraine share connections in the brainstem, which helps explain why problems in the neck can feed into headache and migraine patterns for some individuals.
This does not mean the neck is the cause of migraine — migraine is a neurological condition with many contributing factors — but it does mean that, where neck tension or dysfunction is part of someone’s picture, addressing it may be a useful component of a wider management plan. Part of our assessment is judging whether the neck is likely to be a meaningful factor for you, or whether it is not, in which case we will say so honestly rather than offering care that is unlikely to help.
What migraine can feel like
Migraine varies from person to person, and even from attack to attack in the same person, but common features include:
- A moderate to severe headache, often throbbing and frequently on one side
- Worsening with movement or routine activity
- Sensitivity to light, sound or smells
- Nausea, and sometimes being sick
- For some, an aura beforehand — visual changes, tingling, or other sensations
- A need to lie still in a quiet, dark room
Migraine often overlaps with neck pain and with tension-type headaches, and many people who experience migraine also notice neck tightness around their attacks. It is not always easy to tell these apart, and some people experience more than one type of headache. A careful history is often the best way to build a clear picture.
Common triggers
Migraine attacks are often set off by triggers, which differ from person to person. Frequently reported ones include:
- Stress, or the let-down after a stressful period (see stress-related tension)
- Poor or disrupted sleep
- Skipped meals, dehydration, or certain foods and drinks
- Hormonal changes
- Bright lights, strong smells or screen glare
- Neck tension and sustained awkward postures
Identifying your own triggers is one of the most useful steps in reducing how often attacks occur, and keeping a simple diary can help. It is worth noting that triggers often combine rather than acting alone — a poor night’s sleep on its own might be tolerated, but the same night combined with a skipped meal and a stressful day may be enough to tip you over. Looking for these combinations, rather than a single culprit, is often more revealing.
When to seek help
If you have not had your migraine diagnosed, it is important to see your GP, both to confirm what is going on and to discuss management, since several other conditions can cause similar symptoms and a proper diagnosis is the foundation of good care. You should seek urgent medical attention — call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency — if you have a sudden, severe “thunderclap” headache; a headache with fever, a stiff neck, a rash or confusion; a headache after a head injury; or any new weakness, numbness, difficulty speaking or visual loss. An aura that is very different from your usual pattern, lasts longer than an hour, or appears for the first time also warrants prompt medical advice.
How chiropractic care can help
It is important to be clear about what chiropractic can and cannot offer here. We do not claim to cure migraine, and migraine should always be managed in partnership with your GP. That said, manual therapy is recognised as having a possible role in the prevention of migraine, and for people whose attacks are linked to neck tension or dysfunction, addressing those factors may help.
Following a thorough assessment, our hands-on, drug-free care focuses on the neck and surrounding structures. It may include gentle joint manipulation and mobilisation, soft-tissue work to ease muscular tension, and advice on posture, triggers and the things within your control. Where helpful, we can draw on physiotherapy and rehabilitation to support the neck and shoulders. Our aim is to help reduce the neck-related load that can contribute to attacks for some people, as part of a wider approach led by your GP.
We think honesty matters here more than anywhere. Migraine responds to different things in different people, and what helps one person may do little for another. We will assess whether your neck appears to be a genuine factor, set realistic expectations, and review progress openly — including being willing to say if chiropractic care does not seem to be making a difference for you. We would always rather give you a candid answer than encourage open-ended treatment, and we will actively support you to keep your GP involved in managing the condition overall.
What to expect at Back in Action
Your first visit is mostly about understanding your migraine and how it affects you. We will take a careful history — the pattern of your attacks, any triggers, and any neck symptoms — and carry out a physical examination focused on the neck, posture and related areas. We will be honest about whether we think we can help, and we will encourage you to keep your GP involved in your overall care.
You can read more on our new patients page, with current charges on the fees page. If chiropractic care is appropriate, we will set out a sensible plan and review your progress as we go.
Because migraine varies so much, we pay particular attention to whether your attacks have features that suggest the neck is involved — their pattern, what brings them on, and how your neck behaves on examination. This helps us give you a realistic view of whether our care is likely to be worthwhile for you specifically, rather than making general promises. Either way, you leave with a clearer understanding of your migraine and some practical steps you can take.
Helping yourself: self-care and prevention
Alongside any care, there is much you can do to help reduce how often migraine affects you:
- Keep a migraine diary to identify and then manage your personal triggers
- Aim for regular, consistent sleep
- Eat regularly and stay well hydrated
- Find practical ways to manage stress and build in recovery time
- Take regular breaks from screens and pay attention to neck posture
If you would like guidance tailored to you, we can build self-care advice into your care plan, complementing the management your GP provides.
None of this is about adding pressure or implying that migraine is your fault — it absolutely is not. It is simply that, for a condition with no single off-switch, the small, consistent habits often make a meaningful difference over time, and they are firmly within your control. Used alongside your GP’s advice and any care we provide, they give you the best chance of reducing the impact migraine has on your life.
Related conditions and treatments
Migraine often overlaps with other problems, and it can help to read about tension-type and neck-related headaches, neck pain and stress-related tension. Where the neck is a factor, the care we provide draws on approaches such as chiropractic manipulation and exercise and rehabilitation, and may form part of a wider plan alongside our chiropractic and physiotherapy services, complementing the management led by your GP.
Take the first step
If migraine is affecting your life and you would like to know whether chiropractic care might have a role for you, we are happy to talk it through honestly. There is no obligation, and if we do not think we are the right people to help, we will say so and suggest where to turn instead. You can get in touch to book an appointment, or to ask any questions before your first visit.