Headache and Migraine Chiropractor in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Not every headache comes from the neck, and not every headache is a migraine. Sorting out which pattern you have decides whether chiropractic care is the right treatment, a supporting one, or the wrong one entirely. That sorting happens in the examination.
What is migraine?
Migraine is a recurrent headache disorder that can involve nausea, light sensitivity and visual disturbance. At Spine & Joint Center in Oakland Park, a chiropractor examines neck movement, muscle tension and nerve signs before recommending care, and refers to a physician where the presentation suggests it. Chiropractic care here addresses the neck and upper back; migraine itself is a neurological condition managed with your physician.
Choose a time and you will get an email confirmation straight away. All times Eastern (Fort Lauderdale).
Three patterns that look similar
A cervicogenic headache is referred from the upper cervical spine. It is typically one-sided, starts in the neck or at the base of the skull, and is aggravated by neck movement or sustained posture. A migraine is a neurological condition with its own features — often visual disturbance, nausea, and sensitivity to light or sound. A tension-type headache is usually both-sided and pressing rather than throbbing.
They overlap, and someone can have more than one. The examination distinguishes what it can and says so when it cannot.
What the examination looks like
Cervical segment motion
Upper cervical restriction is the common finding in cervicogenic headache.
Reproduction of the pain
Whether the headache can be provoked by neck movement or pressure — the clearest single sign.
Posture and load
Screen height, sleeping position, and hours in one position.
Trigger diary
Frequency, timing, and what precedes an attack, reviewed across visits.
Neurological screen
Reflexes, sensation, and cranial nerve findings where indicated.
Medication history
How often pain relief is used, because overuse itself causes daily headache.
How care works
Cervical adjustment
Specific to the restricted upper cervical segment, using low-force methods where indicated.
Soft tissue work
Directed at the suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles that refer pain into the head.
Postural rehabilitation
Deep neck flexor and scapular control, plus workstation changes.
Co-management
Where the pattern is migrainous rather than cervical, care is coordinated with your physician rather than substituted for it.
What chiropractic care does not do
Chiropractic care does not cure migraine. It does not remove a neurological predisposition, and it is not a substitute for prescribed medication or for medical review of a changing headache pattern. What it can do is address a neck component where one exists, which for some people reduces how often the neck contributes.
It is worth saying plainly because the internet does not: anyone promising to cure your headaches is selling something.
A realistic course of care
Care is usually weekly at first, then spaced out as the pattern settles. Because headache frequency varies naturally week to week, progress is judged over a month rather than a visit — which is why keeping a simple diary is more useful than trying to remember. If there is no change after a reasonable trial, the plan stops rather than continues out of momentum.
When to see a doctor instead
Seek urgent medical care for a sudden severe headache that peaks within seconds, headache with fever and neck stiffness, headache after head injury, or headache with weakness, confusion, vision loss, or difficulty speaking. These are not chiropractic presentations and need medical assessment the same day.
Your chiropractic physicians
Douglas Kellerman, D.C.
Licensed chiropractic physician in Florida. Gonstead technique, spinal decompression and rehabilitation.
Michael F. Petrie, D.C.
Licensed chiropractic physician in Florida. Diversified and Activator methods, auto accident injury care.
Questions about headache care
Request an appointment
Call the office at (954) 561-4700, or request an appointment online. Same-week appointments are often available.
Finding the office
410 NE 44th St, Oakland Park, FL 33334 · (954) 561-4700 · Mon–Thu 9:00–13:00 and 14:30–18:00, Fri–Sat 9:00–13:00
Care is provided by Douglas Kellerman, D.C. and Michael F. Petrie, D.C., licensed chiropractic physicians in the State of Florida.
What should I know about headache care?
Is chiropractic care a treatment for migraine?
No. Care here addresses neck and upper-back restriction that can accompany headaches. Migraine is a neurological condition managed with your physician, and we do not present chiropractic care as a treatment for it.
What happens after I book?
You get an email confirmation straight away with the address and arrival details. There is no call back to wait for, and you can change the time from that email.
Will I need imaging?
Not always. Imaging is requested where the examination suggests it is needed, not as a routine first step.
Book your visit
Choose a time and you will get an email confirmation straight away.