Migraines vs. Headaches: How to Tell the Difference

Your head is pounding, you have pressure behind your eyes and it's going to be a tough 2-3 days to recover. Now it's to a dark room to try and rest hoping that this will pass soon. These are often symptoms of the past for patients at Ace Chiropractic.

There can be days where it comes out of nowhere, and days where the weather triggers one.

Medication does not even touch them anymore. A lot of time neck pain can start the process,

starting at the base of the neck, traveling into the skull turning into one of those tough migraines.

Migraines vs. Headaches What is the difference?

The first thing to know about headaches are there are two main groups of headaches, which are primary and secondary. Primary is going to include tension-type headaches, migraines and then cluster headaches. Tension headaches are the most common, while migraines are the second

most common headache type.

Secondary headaches are due to underlying conditions such as medication overuse, infection, or in some cases a tumor. Tension headaches are going to be more dull, aching, constant in pressure and pain or tightening pain on both sides of your head.

Migraines are often intense, pulsing and throbbing pain. This is often on one side of the head and can be accompanied by vomiting, nausea and severe sensitivity to light and sound.

What could be causing my Headaches??

Did you know that the brainstem is the master control center for all of your body’s vital

functions? This includes heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure.

This is where upper cervical chiropractic comes into play. Utilizing the AHKC technique at Ace Chiropractic, we assess the spine for what is called an atlas subluxation. This is when the top bone in the spine known as the atlas misaligns, disrupting nerve flow. Because the brainstem is protected by the top bone in the spine, small misalignments in this area may place stress on the nervous system and contribute to headaches and migraines.

How Headaches and Migraines are related to the Brainstem

People dealing with migraines commonly experience:

● Nausea

● Vomiting

● Aura symptoms

● Fatigue

● Lightheadedness or dizziness

Migraines are more than just headaches. They can affect your work, your relationships, your

daily routine, and your overall quality of life. One often overlooked factor is dysfunction at the

very top of the spine, the atlas.

The Reason Your Headaches and Migraines Keep Returning

Traditionally over the counter medications can temporarily prevent symptoms from getting

worse. Over time your body can adapt and get used to the chemicals and build up a tolerance and eventually they don’t touch the symptoms like they used to.

In cases that see results with their Headaches and Migraines at Ace Chiropractic, it is because the cause was overlooked and it was from the misalignment at the top bone in the spine, preventing the body from adapting at 100% capacity.

At Ace Chiropractic, we begin by looking at the nervous system and upper cervical spine to

determine whether it's functioning properly.

Headache and Migraine Solutions at Ace Chiropractic

At Ace Chiropractic, with locations in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Gilbert, Arizona, we take a

detailed approach to evaluating possible contributors to recurring headaches and migraines.

Rather than guessing based only on symptoms, we use functional neurological thermographic scans to assess nervous system function and track changes throughout care.

We also carefully evaluate the structure of the upper cervical spine and its relationship to the

nervous system, especially the area surrounding the atlas, the top bone in the spine. This helps us determine where correction may be needed and whether the body is moving toward long- term stability.

At Ace Chiropractic, we’re not focused on masking symptoms for short-term relief. Our goal is to address the underlying cause of recurring headaches and migraines so patients can get back to enjoying their life again.

Who May Benefit From Upper Cervical Care?

People commonly seek our office for:

● Chronic Headaches

● Chronic Migraines

● Vertigo

● Tinnitus

● POTS

● Chronic Neck Pain

Many of the people who come into our clinics have been dealing with these symptoms or

conditions for a long time, often without clear answers. Our focus is to discover what is driving chronic neurological dysfunction so we can provide the result that is commonly overlooked.

Why People are Searching for Upper Cervical Chiropractors

Doctors at Ace Chiropractic look at the connection between the upper cervical spine, and

nervous system. By addressing this area with precision, it allows us to obtain long lasting,

proven results time and time again. When comparing migraines vs. headaches, it's important to recognize the differences in symptoms, causes, and severity.

That’s why patients searching for terms like:

● Upper Cervical Chiropractor

● Neurologically Focused Chiropractor

● Headache Chiropractor

● Migraine Chiropractic Solution

● Nervous System Chiropractor

Reviewed and approved by Dr. Alexzander Simmons and Dr. Brandon Keys — View Doctor Bios Last reviewed: June 2026