Headache chiropractor in Kingswood, Mitcham
Headaches that keep turning up uninvited are worth looking into properly. We assess the neck, the jaw and the way you are holding yourself before suggesting anything.
What headaches feel like for the people we see in Kingswood
The people we see about headaches in Kingswood have usually had them for a long time and have stopped expecting much. Many have worked out which afternoon of the week they tend to arrive and have organised their life around it.
- A band of pressure that sits across the forehead or around the temples
- Pain that begins at the base of the skull and works its way up
- Headaches that turn up on the same days, often after long stretches at a desk
- Jaw tightness or teeth grinding alongside the headache
- Reaching for something from the chemist several times a week and thinking little of it
Plenty of headaches have nothing to do with the spine. Part of our job on the first visit is working out whether yours might.
What the assessment covers
Headaches have many causes, so the first visit is spent working out what we are dealing with. We are interested in the upper neck, how your head sits over your shoulders, and what your week actually looks like.
A proper history
When they started, how often, how long they last, what sets them off, what you have tried and what a typical week looks like.
Upper neck and jaw
Movement through the top of the neck and around the jaw, where a good deal of headache-related tension tends to gather.
Posture and balance testing
Functional testing plus digital postural assessment, because a head carried forward changes the load on everything below it.
Knowing when to refer
Some headaches need a doctor rather than a chiropractor. If your history suggests that, we will say so and help you get there.
Results vary between individuals, and chiropractic care is not appropriate for everyone. A sudden severe headache, or one that comes with vision changes, numbness or difficulty speaking, needs urgent medical attention rather than a chiropractic appointment.
How chiropractic care might help your headaches
Headaches aren't always just about your head. Sometimes, your neck can play a role.
Where headaches involve the neck, chiropractic care works on the joints and the nervous system rather than on the pain itself. Reducing interference gives your body a better chance of adapting to the demands you put on it, and many people find their headaches become less of an organising principle in their week.
We are careful about what we claim here. Chiropractic care does not cure headaches and we will not tell you it does. What we can do is assess whether the structures we work with are contributing, explain what we find in plain language, and be honest if the answer is no.
Care runs in cycles rather than one-offs, because a nervous system responds to consistency. After the assessment we give you a recommendation and you decide what happens next.
Headaches questions
Can chiropractic care help with headaches?
Many people find chiropractic care helpful for headaches that involve the neck and upper back. Whether yours fits that pattern is what the first visit sorts out.
What is the difference between a headache and a migraine?
Migraines tend to be more severe and often bring nausea, light sensitivity or visual changes, and they can put people out of action for a day or more. We have a separate migraines page if that sounds more like yours.
I take painkillers most days. Is that something to mention?
Yes, please do. Frequent use of pain relief can start to feed the pattern, and it is useful for us to know. Bring a rough idea of how often and what you take.
Do you need X-rays for headaches?
Not always. We take them on site when your history or examination suggests we need to see more, and we explain why before we do.
Come and get it checked.
Book online, or ring the crew and talk it through first. If we are not the right people for it, we will say so and point you somewhere useful.