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I had suffered with episodic cluster headaches for about 15 years. Once a day, for 2 months out of the year. My major triggers were alcohol, marijuana, and weirdly not eating/getting hungry. Thought I would have to just live with these forever and just be happy I didn’t have them all year. One day when I had just started another cluster period I was fortunate enough to see an ad in a local paper that was for cluster headache treatment. It was an upper cervical chiropractor doctor claiming to be able to help by correcting issues in the upper neck. I jumped at the chance to get relief and went to her website and read some testimonials from other cluster headaches patients and other patients with different problems she also treated. I made an appointment first chance I got. After initial X-rays and consultation, I had my first neck vertebrae adjustment and had immediate improvement. After a few more visits, my headaches were gone. The last 2 years, as soon as the headaches reappear, I make an appointment and get right in for an adjustment. Headaches go away immediately. It is a miracle and I would encourage anyone with any headache problems to search for a qualified upper cervical chiropractor who treats cluster headache patients. Not a regular chiropractor, those didnt help me. It needs to be an upper cervical chiropractor. They are out there and one changed my life.

Her work specifically deals with the atlas and axis vertebrae, the area where the spine meets the brain. I had another appointment today and discussed this with her. She said that what she sees in all her patients with cluster headaches is a misalignment in this area 100% of the time. She said I am an average patient as far as my situation and that her success rate with patients finding relief is very high. I said 80% high and she said higher. She said not all patients with a misalignment will present with headaches, some may have vestibular problems, seizures, fibromyalgia, etc. just depends on what nerves and blood supply is being effected and how that is interpreted by the brain. She said most of her patients can recall a specific neck trauma in their past that may have caused a problem, car accident, fall. Some like myself cannot although I did play soccer thru college. I asked her why others refute that this technique works and she gave a multitude of reasons. The one I think is holistic practices are always at a disadvantage to prescription based treatments and also you may have to go to a few doctors before you find one that actually knows their stuff. Luckily I found one that does. Before my first appointment, I had to get very detailed xrays of my head and neck for her to review, then we went over my problem and she explained how she would correct it.

Hi Chiro, what does the chiropractor say he’s adjusting. Is it something specific to CH or is he just doing a cervical alignment.

I strongly disagree. This is the third time this method has helped me avoid a cluster period completely. I’m not a one time story and my cycle start times have not changed. Not saying it can help everyone but if it helps one other person find relief, then it’s worth it to me. I don’t find it a coincidence that I get woken up with an hour long cluster headache 2 nights in a row, go in immediately and get help, then the headaches magically vanish. Upper cervical care is much different than a regular chiropractor.