The Patient (You Are the Hero of Your Recovery)Living with recurring migraines or chronic tension headaches steals your focus, drains your energy, and forces you to plan your life around dark rooms and rescue medications.
Dr. Joey Kramer and our Southlake team understand that you were not meant to merely medicate recurring head pain—you deserve to know why it keeps happening.
A migraine is an extraordinarily prevalent neurological disease, affecting 39 million men, women, and children in the U.S. and 1 billion worldwide. But as many people suffer from migraines directly, how many more experiences them and their less apparent side effects indirectly? Studies have revealed that migraines don’t merely impact the patient—they influence marriages, parenting, and family dynamics.
Recent research studies have shown that most chronic migraine sufferers polled report that their severe headaches have a big impact on their family relationships, activities, and sexual intimacy.
Lead study author Dawn Buse, a clinical psychologist and director of behavioral medicine at Montefiore Headache Center in New York City, points out, “People who don’t experience migraines or have family members with the condition don’t understand how it can affect the entire family. It’s very important to bring this data to light, to show that chronic migraines are burdensome and difficult, not only for the people who live with it but also for the people they love.”
According to the study, “chronic migraine” is defined as having migraine headaches 15 or more days a month. A migraine is a recurrent throbbing headache that typically affects one side of the head and is often accompanied by nausea and disturbed vision.
For the study, the researchers partnered with survey company Research Now to find study participants suffering from migraines. The study included nearly 1,000 people, including 812 women, who met the criteria for chronic headaches. Those people and their spouses and children answered web-based questionnaires.
PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC MIGRAINES SAID THEY OFTEN FEEL WORRIED, GUILTY AND SAD ABOUT HOW THEIR CONDITION AFFECTS THOSE THEY LOVE.
Almost 75 percent of chronic migraine sufferers in the study said they thought they would be better spouses if they didn’t have chronic migraines. And almost 60 percent said they felt they would be better parents without the illness.
Furthermore, study participants said they felt guilty because their headaches make them more easily annoyed or angered. Chronic migraines also made people opt out of activities on a family vacation, or even cancel or miss a vacation. Overall, people with chronic migraines missed family activities and had reduced quality time with their spouses almost seven days a month, according to the study.
It is important to note that this study has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal and should, therefore, be viewed as preliminary. Furthermore, people who are willing to participate in a web survey may not be representative of the total population of migraine sufferers. Nevertheless, the study’s findings shouldn’t be discounted, as they point toward insights that help us better understand the impact of migraines and avoid writing them off as ‘just a headache.’
Your Guide & Recovery PlanStop Managing Headaches—Address the Root Cause
Guided by Dr. Joey Kramer, D.C. at Hope Upper Cervical Spine Center in Southlake, TX—combining computerized infrared thermography, 3D craniocervical imaging, and gentle Blair Upper Cervical corrections with zero twisting or cracking.
Step 1
Schedule Your Consultation
Meet one-on-one with Dr. Joey Kramer in Southlake to share your story, health history, and goals.
Step 2
Precision 3D & Neurological Evaluation
We perform paraspinal infrared thermography, postural analysis, and 3D imaging to pinpoint your exact upper cervical alignment.
Step 3
Gentle Correction & Lasting Stability
Receive a custom, non-twisting upper cervical correction designed to hold so your nervous system can heal naturally.
The Outcome You Deserve
Wake up with a clear head, keep every commitment to your family and career, and leave chronic headache cycles behind.
Common Patient Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the connection between the Atlas vertebra (C1) and chronic migraines or headaches?
When the Atlas vertebra shifts out of alignment, it can place mechanical tension on the suboccipital nerves, irritate the trigeminocervical nucleus in the brainstem, and alter normal blood and cerebrospinal fluid flow between the head and neck—a primary structural trigger for migraines and tension headaches.
How is Upper Cervical Care different from taking daily migraine or headache medications?
Medications are designed to temporarily block pain receptors or abort an active attack, whereas Upper Cervical Care identifies and corrects the underlying structural and neurological irritation at the base of the skull so headaches occur less frequently and less intensely over time.
Can upper cervical adjustments help if I have had migraines or neck-related headaches for years?
Yes. Many of our Southlake patients come to us after years of chronic migraines or tension headaches that began after an old car accident, sports injury, or years of desk posture. Precision 3D imaging allows us to locate long-standing misalignments and restore stability safely.
Is the adjustment gentle enough to receive even when I have active head or neck tenderness?
Yes. There is no forceful twisting or popping of the neck. The correction is light, precise, and specifically angled to your joint anatomy, making it comfortable even for patients with heightened neurological sensitivity.
Verified Patient Outcomes
Patient Testimonials
★★★★★
“Dr. Kramer was my answer to constant, severe headaches which were caused by my neck. I went from having 15 to 20 debilitating headache days every month to zero. The relief has been incredible and I am so grateful.”
★★★★★
“After trying conventional chiropractic and medications without lasting success, targeted upper cervical care at Hope Southlake eliminated my recurring head pressure and gave me my daily life back.”
