Dealing With Headaches & Migraines?
Watch this video to learn how headache pain forms.
Why Your Headaches Keep Coming Back
Headaches are exhausting, and they affect more than half of all people at some point. If yours keep coming back, you've probably already tried the usual fixes, more sleep, less screen time, an extra dose of ibuprofen, only to have the pain return a few days later.
For many people, that pattern points to a cervicogenic headache: pain that starts with restricted movement in the joints of your upper neck. When those joints stiffen, the muscles around them tighten and the nerves running from your neck into the back of your head become more sensitive. The result is a headache that feels like it's coming from your head, when the actual source is a few inches lower.
This type of headache is often mistaken for a stress headache or migraine, which is part of why it goes untreated for so long. Dr. Steve Muscari, DC, has spent 15+ years identifying exactly where these headaches originate before building a plan to treat that source directly.
How Cervicogenic Headaches Show Up
Cervicogenic headaches tend to follow a recognizable pattern:
- Pain that starts at the base of the skull and moves toward the top of the head or behind the eyes
- Usually one-sided, though both sides can be affected
- Episodes lasting anywhere from a few hours to several days, often described as a deep, ongoing ache rather than a sharp pain
- Chronic neck tenderness or stiffness alongside the headache itself
They're most common in adults who've had a recent whiplash injury, car accident, or concussion, and they show up in women at roughly four times the rate of men. Poor posture, especially the forward-head position common with desk work and phone use, is one of the most frequent triggers.
Dr. Steve's Approach to Treating Headaches
Dr. Steve Muscari, DC, is a graduate of Parker College of Chiropractic and is certified in Active Release Technique (ART) and Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), both used to identify exactly which joints and soft tissue are driving your headache pattern before treatment starts. As the team chiropractor for the Miami Marlins, he brings the same diagnostic approach used with professional athletes to every patient who walks through the door.
New Path Chiropractic runs on a concierge, one-on-one model. No rushed visits, no cookie-cutter adjustment. You'll get a real explanation of what's happening and why, then a plan built around it.
- Hands-on assessment of neck joint mobility and muscle tension
- Treatment options that may include Active Release Technique, Graston Technique, or corrective exercise, based on what's actually driving your pain
- A home plan you can follow between visits: most patients notice fewer flare-ups within the first few sessions
When to Seek Help Right Away
Most headaches aren't an emergency, but some symptoms need immediate medical attention rather than a chiropractic visit. Contact your doctor or seek emergency care right away if you experience:
- A sudden, severe headache unlike any you've had before
- A new or unfamiliar headache pattern, especially after age 50
- Significant neck stiffness, rash, numbness, or tingling in your face
- Sudden light-headedness, dizziness, loss of consciousness, difficulty speaking or swallowing, trouble walking, nausea, numbness radiating into your arms or legs, or fever
If none of these apply and your headaches are simply recurring and disruptive, that's exactly the pattern Dr. Steve treats regularly.
What You Can Try at Home
Dehydration makes cervicogenic headaches noticeably worse, so start with 6 to 8 glasses of water a day (more if you're in the Florida heat or sweating). Because these headaches come from a mechanical problem in your neck, medication tends to only mask the symptom rather than resolve it, which is why a hands-on assessment often gets further than another round of pain relievers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Cervicogenic headaches originate from restricted joints and muscle tension in the neck, while migraines have a different underlying mechanism. Because the symptoms can overlap, an assessment is the best way to tell which one you're dealing with.
It varies by patient, but many people notice a reduction in frequency or intensity within the first few visits once the underlying neck restriction is addressed.
No referral is needed. You can book directly online or call the office to schedule an evaluation.
Dr. Steve's initial assessment is designed to identify the actual source of your symptoms. If your headaches don't appear to be cervicogenic, he'll let you know and can refer you to the right specialist.
