Living with headaches that won't quit
Maybe it's the tension that builds through the afternoon and settles behind your eyes. Maybe it's the ache that starts at the base of your skull after a long day at a desk. You've tried the usual things: more water, less screen time, an over-the-counter pill that helps for a while and then doesn't. The headaches keep coming back.
For a lot of people, that's because the actual source was never addressed. Headaches often start in the neck and upper back, not the head, and treating the symptom without finding the cause just means waiting for the next one.
What's actually going on with your headaches
Most recurring headaches fall into a few categories: tension-type headaches, cervicogenic headaches that are referred from the neck joints and muscles, and migraines, which have their own separate triggers and need their own management plan. Telling these apart matters, because the right treatment for one can do nothing for another.
Chiropractic care in Richmond for headaches focuses on the neck and upper back, where restricted joints and tight muscles often refer pain straight up into the head. At FCMT, that means a proper assessment first, then Active Release Techniques (ART) alongside manual adjustment. It's a more thorough approach than a quick neck crack, and it's not something every Richmond chiropractor offers.
How Dr. Sherma Libatique treats headaches
Dr. Sherma Libatique, DC, holds her Doctor of Chiropractic from the University of Western States and a Bachelor of Health Sciences from Simon Fraser University, and is trained in Active Release Techniques (ART), a distinct qualification for treating the neck and soft tissue restrictions that drive most recurring headaches. Her approach is evidence-based and whole-person: she looks at posture, movement, and daily habits, not just the neck in isolation.
If your headaches started after a car accident or a workplace injury, FCMT handles ICBC and WorkSafeBC direct billing, along with MSP and extended health, so cost isn't a reason to put off getting assessed.
What to expect from headache treaments
Assessment
Hands-on treatment
A plan forward
Life after treatment
Patients treated for headaches at FCMT report fewer bad days, getting through a full workday at a screen without reaching for painkillers, and sleeping better because the tension that used to build through the evening isn't there anymore.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the cause. Tension-type headaches tied to posture or a specific neck restriction often ease within a few visits, while longer-standing patterns take a structured plan over several weeks. You'll get a realistic timeline after your assessment.
Migraines have their own triggers and are managed differently than tension or neck-related headaches. If your assessment points to a migraine pattern, we'll be upfront about that and help you get to the right care, alongside any neck-related component that chiropractic can address.
Often, yes, in small ways. Part of your treatment plan includes practical guidance on posture and screen setup so the improvements from your visits actually hold between appointments.
