A controlled study involving 127 subjects was published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (February 2000;23(2):91–95). All participants met International Headache Society criteria and experienced at least one migraine per month.
Patients receiving chiropractic care showed improvements in migraine frequency, duration, and migraine-related disability. They also reported reduced reliance on medication compared to the control group. After just two months of care, 22% of patients receiving chiropractic adjustments reported greater than a 90% reduction in migraine frequency, while an additional 50% reported significant improvement in migraine severity.
These findings are consistent with earlier research suggesting that spinal manipulation may benefit some patients with migraine headaches, particularly those with accompanying neck pain or musculoskeletal dysfunction.
Current Perspective
More recent clinical guidelines emphasize that migraines are multifactorial and often require a multimodal approach, which may include lifestyle changes, dietary factors, stress management, and physical or manual therapies. Within this framework, chiropractic care is increasingly viewed as a non-pharmacologic, supportive option for selected patients, especially those seeking to reduce medication use or address mechanical contributors to headache symptoms.
