Managing Headaches: How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Understanding the Different Types of Headaches—and What You Can Do About Them
By Dr. Andrew Kakishita | Kinetic Chiropractic – Lehi, UT
Headaches are one of the most common reasons people seek medical help—and they can be incredibly disruptive to your work, workouts, sleep, and family life. While occasional headaches may come and go, frequent or chronic headaches can signal underlying issues that need to be addressed.
At Kinetic Chiropractic in Lehi, we specialize in uncovering and treating the root causes of headaches, especially those linked to the neck and spine. If you’re searching for headache relief in Lehi, chiropractic care could be a natural, effective solution.
The Most Common Types of Headaches
Not all headaches are the same. Understanding what kind you’re dealing with can guide your treatment approach—and give you faster relief.
1. Tension Headaches
These are the most common type. They often feel like a dull, achy pressure or tightness around the forehead or the back of the head and neck. Tension headaches are frequently caused by poor posture, stress, or tight muscles in the neck and upper back—all things a chiropractor can help address.
2. Cervicogenic Headaches
These headaches originate from dysfunction in the neck joints (cervical spine). You might feel pain that starts at the base of your skull and radiates forward to your forehead or temples. They often worsen with neck movement or poor posture. This type is often mistaken for migraines, but responds well to chiropractic treatment.
3. Migraines
Migraines are more intense and are often accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and visual disturbances (auras). While migraines may have hormonal or neurological components, compromised spinal motion or muscle tension can contribute to their frequency and severity.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help with Headaches
At Kinetic Chiropractic, we don’t just mask the symptoms—we work to correct the underlying imbalances contributing to your headaches. Here’s how we approach it:
• Spinal Adjustments
Targeted chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine (neck) can reduce joint irritation and restore normal movement.
• Soft Tissue Work
Muscle tension—especially in the trapezius, suboccipitals, and SCM muscles—is a major contributor to both tension and cervicogenic headaches. We use scraping, cupping, and muscle release techniques to calm these overactive tissues.
• Posture and Ergonomics
We’ll coach you on desk posture, sleep position, and other daily habits that may be worsening your symptoms. Poor posture is a hidden cause of recurring headaches for many patients in their 30s and 40s.
• Rehab and Movement Guidance
Simple corrective exercises can help you build neck strength, improve mobility, and prevent future flare-ups.
Try This Simple Headache Relief Hack at Home
One of my favorite at-home tips is incredibly easy—and costs less than a dollar.
Frozen Water Bottle Neck Release
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Take a standard plastic water bottle and freeze it.
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Once frozen, wrap it in a hand towel.
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Lie on your back and place the bottle at the base of your skull, right where your head meets your neck.
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Rest there for 15–20 minutes.
This trick helps restore the natural curve in your neck, calms down the suboccipital muscles, and provides cooling relief to inflamed tissues—a powerful combo for headache sufferers.
You Don’t Have to Live with Headaches
If you’re tired of popping pain meds or missing out on workouts, family time, or productivity because of headaches, it’s time to look into some treatment for your headaches. At Kinetic Chiropractic, we specialize in helping active adults and busy parents get back to living—and feeling—like themselves again.
Ready to take the next step toward lasting relief?
📍 Kinetic Chiropractic – Lehi, UT
📞 385-256-0603
🌐 www.kineticchiropracticutah.com