Acupuncture for Headaches
Tension headaches and migraines often start in the neck and shoulders, even when the pain shows up in your head.
Headaches range from a dull, band-like tension headache to sharper, one-sided migraine pain, often accompanied by light sensitivity, nausea, or tightness through the neck and shoulders. Most headaches we see are driven by a combination of musculoskeletal tension and nervous system dysregulation rather than one single cause.
Why It Happens
Tension headaches frequently originate in the neck and upper back — tight suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull, forward head posture, and jaw clenching can all refer pain up into the head. Migraines add a nervous system component, where stress, sleep, hormones, and sensory overload can trigger a cascade that the body struggles to shut off on its own.
How We Treat It
We use acupuncture and dry needling throughout the neck, shoulders, and scalp to release the muscular tension that's frequently driving the pain. Because headaches and TMJ often overlap, we'll also check the jaw and address it directly if it's contributing.
Alongside the structural work, we assess for underlying imbalances — in circulation, inflammation, nervous system regulation, and recovery capacity — that may be slowing the healing response or making the tissue more vulnerable to injury in the first place.
What to Expect
Tension headaches often respond within 4–6 visits as muscular tension calms. Migraines typically need a longer course — weekly visits for 8–10 weeks — to meaningfully reduce frequency and intensity, since we're working to retrain a nervous system pattern, not just treat a single flare.
→ Often paired with Back & Neck Pain and TMJ care
→ Learn more about Revive + Root's approach to orthopedic care