Headache Doctors & Migraine Specialists
A migraine is more than a bad headache — it's a neurological condition that causes moderate-to-severe throbbing pain, often on one side of the head, frequently with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Attacks can last from hours to days. If you’ve been searching for a headache doctor, Mountain View Pain Center’s headache specialists offer multidisciplinary care for migraine and other recurring headaches, combining interventional pain management with physical therapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture — particularly valuable when neck dysfunction contributes to headache patterns.
Types of Headaches We Treat
Migraine (with and without aura); tension-type headache, the most common headache, felt as band-like pressure; cervicogenic headache, which originates from the neck and is often confused with migraine; occipital neuralgia, sharp or electric pain from irritated occipital nerves at the base of the skull; and post-traumatic headaches following whiplash or concussion. Jaw clenching and TMJ dysfunction can also refer pain to the temples and head.
Common Migraine Symptoms
Throbbing or pulsing pain, often one-sided; nausea or vomiting; sensitivity to light, sound, or smells; visual aura (flashing lights, zigzag lines) before some attacks; worsening with routine activity; and a post-attack "hangover" of fatigue and fogginess.
How We Evaluate Headaches
Diagnosis is clinical: we take a detailed headache history — frequency, character, triggers, medication response — and examine the neck and upper spine, because cervical joints and muscles commonly drive or amplify headaches. We screen for warning signs that need urgent medical workup, and coordinate with your physician or neurologist when advanced care or preventive prescriptions are appropriate.
How We Treat Migraines & Headaches
- Pain management — interventional options such as nerve blocks and trigger point injections can be considered for appropriate headache types
- Physical therapy — posture, strength, and mobility work for the neck and upper back reduces the cervicogenic contribution to headaches
- Chiropractic care — addresses cervical joint dysfunction associated with tension-type and cervicogenic headache
- Acupuncture — studied as an adjunct for migraine prevention and tension-type headache
**If your headaches start at the base of the skull and shoot upward — sharp, electric, one-sided — the cause may be occipital neuralgia, which responds well to targeted occipital nerve blocks.
Request Your Appointment** — clinics across Colorado and Arizona, or call (720) 749-5599.
Migraine & Headache FAQs
How do I know if my headaches are migraines?
Recurrent headaches that are moderate to severe, throbbing, worse with activity, and accompanied by nausea or light sensitivity are likely migraine. A provider can confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes.
Can neck problems cause headaches?
Yes. Cervicogenic headaches start in the joints and muscles of the upper neck and refer pain to the head, and neck dysfunction can also trigger migraine attacks. Treating the neck often reduces headache frequency.
When should I worry about a headache?
Seek immediate care for a sudden "worst headache of your life," headache with fever and stiff neck, new neurological symptoms, or headache after significant head trauma.
Can migraines be treated without medication?
Non-drug approaches — trigger management, sleep and hydration routines, physical therapy, acupuncture, and interventional procedures for selected patients — can reduce attack frequency and severity, often alongside medication rather than instead of it.
Do I need a referral to schedule?
Most patients can schedule directly without a referral. Some insurance plans require one for coverage — we verify your benefits before your first visit, so call (720) 749-5599 and we'll handle the details.
Where We Treat Headaches and Migraines
Mountain View Pain Center runs 22 clinics, and every one of them has pain management, physical therapy, chiropractic care and acupuncture in the same building — so if a headache needs more than one kind of care, you do not get handed off to another practice.
Colorado: Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Lakewood, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Northglenn, Lafayette, Greeley, Fort Collins.
Arizona: Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, Peoria.
No referral is needed in either state. Find your nearest clinic on the full clinic map, or call Colorado (720) 749-5599 or Arizona (602) 325-2024.
References
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): Migraine
- American Migraine Foundation: What is Migraine?
- MedlinePlus (NIH): Migraine
Last updated: July 23, 2026.