Migraine is a neurological disorder, and in high-altitude environments like Colorado, they can hit even harder. A study on 667 hikers at Grays and Torreys Peaks found that individuals were 14 times more likely to experience migraines during climbs.
Living at elevation comes with extra challenges in places like Denver, where high altitude, stress, and poor posture often collide. I see the effects every day.
At The Disc Chiropractic in Wheat Ridge CO, I help patients get real, lasting relief from migraines by addressing what’s often overlooked: the way your neck moves, how your posture holds up, and the tension patterns that build over time.
What Are Migraines? A Closer Look
Migraines are a neurological condition, not just a more intense headache. They involve overstimulation of the brain’s pain pathways particularly the trigeminovascular system, which affects how your body processes sensory input, blood flow, and inflammation.
Unlike tension headaches, migraines often involve a wave of symptoms that go beyond head pain. Common signs include:
Throbbing, one-sided pain
Visual disturbances (such as flashing lights or blind spots, known as an aura)
Tingling or numbness in the face or hands
Sensitivity to light (photophobia) and sound (phonophobia)
Nausea or vomiting
Difficulty concentrating or speaking clearly
Common Causes of Migraine in Wheat Ridge, CO,
These are the most common patterns I see in patients who struggle with migraines. Each one can play a role in how often it occurs and how severe it becomes.
Cervical Misalignment
When the bones in the upper neck—especially C1 (atlas) and C2 (axis)—aren’t moving the way they should, it can put pressure on nearby nerves and blood vessels. This can irritate the trigeminocervical complex, a key area in the brainstem that processes pain signals from the head and neck.
Even small misalignments in this region can disrupt how your nervous system regulates pain, making it easier for a migraine to start and harder for it to stop.
Trigger Points
Tight, irritated muscles in the neck, shoulders, and upper back often develop myofascial trigger points knots that refer pain upward into the head. These are especially common in the suboccipitals, levator scapulae, and upper trapezius, and they can amplify migraine symptoms when left untreated.
Stress and Hormonal Imbalance
Elevated cortisol from chronic stress, along with fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone, are common migraine triggers. These changes increase sensitivity in the nervous system and often lead to tense neck and shoulder muscles.
Tech Neck
Spending hours hunched over a phone or laptop creates forward head posture, this increases the load on the cervical spine and overstretched postural muscles. This constant strain feeds tension into areas directly connected to migraine pathways and often explains why younger patients are having more frequent attacks.
Trigeminal Nerve Irritation
The trigeminal nerve carries sensory information from your face, jaw, and scalp to the brain and it plays a central role in migraine pain. When nearby tissues are inflamed or when joint mechanics are off in the upper neck or jaw, it can overstimulate this nerve and trigger the neurological cascade behind a migraine.
Post-Trauma Injuries
Injuries to the neck, like whiplash or a mild concussion, can change how your joints move and how your brain processes pain. These injuries often reduce proprioception and joint stability, making the nervous system more sensitive.
The pain might not show up right away, but I’ve seen time and again how past trauma creates long-term irritation that drives recurring migraines.
Auto Accidents
You don’t need a major crash to set things off. I see patients all the time who develop chronic migraines after a low-speed fender bender. These accidents can quietly damage the facet joints, stretch soft tissues, or lock up motion in the neck, even when scans look normal.
Over time, that hidden dysfunction keeps feeding the pain cycle and triggering migraine episodes.
TMJ Disorder
When the jaw isn’t moving the way it should, it puts a ton of stress on nearby muscles like the masseter, temporalis, and upper neck stabilizers. These muscles share pain pathways with the trigeminal nerve, which is directly involved in most migraines.
If you grind your teeth, clench your jaw, or have known TMJ issues, that tension can be a big part of why your migraines keep coming back.
How The Disc Chiropractic Helps Migraine Patients
Every migraine care plan starts with a detailed evaluation, and based on what we find, these are the treatments I most often recommend.
Chiropractic Adjustments
Using the Gonstead Technique, I use either my hands or an instrument to deliver a precise thrust to the bones in your cervical spine. This relieves joint pressure, calms nearby nerves, and helps reset the pain pathways linked to migraine attacks.
Shockwave Therapy
Chronic tension in the suboccipitals and trapezius can stimulate pain receptors that tie into migraine pathways. With Shockwave Therapy, we break up those deep trigger points and calm down overactive tissues.
Soft Tissue Therapy
Tight fascia and irritated muscle groups often amplify migraine symptoms. Using manual therapy and tools like Rapid Release™, we reduce myofascial tension, improve circulation, and restore normal muscle tone in the neck, shoulders, and jaw.
FAQs About Migraines
Can Chiropractic Care Help With Migraines?
Yes—and in many cases, it helps when nothing else has if your migraines are being triggered by tension, joint dysfunction, or nerve irritation (especially in the neck or jaw).
Is It Safe to Get Adjusted During a Migraine?
Yes. I adjust patients during active migraine episodes regularly, using gentle, precise techniques that target the areas contributing to the flare-up. Many patients feel immediate relief, especially when the neck is the trigger point.
Are Migraines Caused by Spinal Issues?
Not always, but the spine often plays a major role. Issues in the upper cervical joint, postural stress, and soft tissue tightness can all increase the sensitivity of migraine-related pathways in the brainstem.
Will I Need to Stop Taking Medication to Start Care?
No. We work with patients who are taking medication, and we don’t ask anyone to stop prescriptions without speaking to their medical doctor. Our goal is to help reduce your need for meds over time—not pull them without a plan.
Is Chiropractic Care Covered by Insurance for Migraines?
Most insurance plans do cover chiropractic care, especially when it’s medically necessary and well documented.
Take the First Step Toward Migraine Relief
If you’re done masking the symptoms and want real answers for your migraines, your Denver chiropractor, Dr. Al Simeone, is here to help you take control—for good.
Book your $97 First Visit today.
Includes a full consultation, movement assessment, and personalized care recommendations.
Call: 720-573-4910