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Osteopathy for Headaches and Migraines Explained

  • September 9, 2025
  • The AG Team
migraine treatment tunbridge wells

Living with migraines can be a real headache, literally. If you’ve ever wondered whether an osteopath can help with those headaches (or even migraines), you’re not alone. Many people new to osteopathy aren’t sure what it is or how it could ease migraine pain.

What are Migraines?

Migraines aren’t just normal headaches. They typically involve an intense, throbbing pain on one side of the head, often accompanied by nausea or sensitivity to light and sound. 

Migraines are also very common, roughly 15% of people (about 1 in 7) suffer from them. While the exact cause is unclear, migraines often have triggers. Stress, fatigue, certain foods, and even neck tension from poor posture can set off an attack.

How Osteopathy Can Help with Headaches and Migraines

Osteopathy is a hands-on therapy focused on the body’s muscles and joints. Instead of just masking pain with a pill, an osteopath works to find and treat the root causes of your headaches.

Can osteopathy help migraines? Many patients find that it can, especially if their headaches are related to muscle tension or posture issues. Often, headaches (including tension headaches and some migraines) are linked to tight neck and shoulder muscles or stiffness in the spine.

Osteopathic treatment uses gentle techniques to release these tensions and restore better alignment, which helps reduce headache frequency and intensity.

Here are a few ways an osteopath can help relieve headaches and migraines:

  • Releasing muscle tension: Using massage and stretching techniques to loosen tight muscles in the neck and shoulders, easing the pressure that contributes to pain.

  • Supporting movement and lifestyle changes: Helping to improve range of motion through gentle techniques, while also working with you to identify possible headache triggers and explore practical changes that may reduce how often they occur.

  • Cranial techniques: Very gentle pressure on the head (cranial osteopathy) to improve fluid motion and relieve tension, which can reduce migraine intensity.

 

Research backs this holistic approach, studies show osteopathic manipulation can significantly reduce headache frequency and intensity, even for migraines.

Can Osteopathy Cause Headaches?

You may wonder: can osteopathy cause headaches? Generally, osteopathy is very safe. It’s not unusual to feel a bit sore or tired after a session, and a small number of patients might experience a temporary headache (which usually goes away within a day or two)j.

This kind of mild post-treatment reaction is similar to feeling muscle ache after exercise. In fact, it can be a sign that your body is adjusting as tension is released. Your osteopath will also give you advice (like staying hydrated and resting) to help you recover faster if you do feel any short-term discomfort.

Migraine Treatment by an Osteopath in Tunbridge Wells

At our Tunbridge Wells clinic, osteopathy offers a gentle, whole-body approach to managing migraines. It may not be a magic cure, but many patients do find relief once muscle tension and misalignments are addressed.

If migraines are knocking you down, it’s comforting to know an osteopath may help you get

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Meet Our Team

Coral Salter

Growing up In a highly active and professional level sporting family, I have been immersed into sport and movement from a very young age with physical performance, injury prevention and recovery a part of every day life. Alongside my own sporting commitments, experiencing regular osteopathic treatments that sparked appreciation and interest for hands-on therapy and the body’s ability to hold onto tension, develop injuries and how effective treatment can be for performance and long-term wellness.

As a qualified sports massage therapist, I take a holistic and client centred approach, tailoring each treatment to the individuals needs. Helping the client better understand their body, and deliver results by reducing tension, improving range of moment and aiding recovery through sports massage, deep tissue techniques and cupping therapy. Working collaboratively alongside Osteopaths.

Beyond this, I am also especially passionate about women’s health, hormones with PCOS and the lymphatic system, I know firsthand the importance of balancing inflammation, tension and overall wellness.

Meet Our Team

Silas Tye

I take a comprehensive approach to osteopathic care, combining structural and functional treatments tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Where appropriate, I incorporate movement-based strategies and personalised exercises to help patients build resilience and take an active role in managing and improving their symptoms both in the clinic, at home or in a fitness environment.

Before qualifying as an osteopath, I began my career in the fitness industry as a personal trainer, specialising in rehabilitation and recovery from injuries and illness. This foundation has equipped me with the skills and knowledge to help people move better, overcome painful injuries, and reclaim their lifestyles. I am a firm believer in the power of movement and its ability to transform health and well-being.

“I value movement above all else and believe that if we all moved more and moved better, we could achieve healthier, more resilient bodies. With the demands of modern life, it’s essential to keep our bodies moving and functioning optimally.”

Outside of work, I am a proud dog parent to Amber and enjoy staying active through training at the gym and CrossFit. I am also passionate about my hobbies, which include Warhammer, Dungeons and Dragons, cooking, cinema, video games, and sharing great meals with my wife.

Meet Our Team

Josh Wisson

Growing up in Kent, Josh has always had a strong passion for sport and fitness. This enthusiasm led him to pursue a career in osteopathy, where he could combine his interest in human movement and performance with helping people feel and function at their best.

He completed his Master’s degree at the European School of Osteopathy, gaining experience in a variety of specialist clinics including sports injuries, paediatrics, and headache management.

Alongside his osteopathic work, Josh plays semi-professional football and has completed multiple marathons. He also enjoys playing Padel and golf, which gives him a strong appreciation for the demands of different physical activities and how to support patients in achieving their goals whether that’s returning to sport, managing pain, or simply improving day-to-day function.

Josh treats a wide range of patients and tailors his approach to suit each individual’s lifestyle, goals, and needs. His treatments often incorporate structural, soft tissue, and functional techniques to support recovery, improve mobility, and promote overall wellbeing.

Meet Our Team

Verity Kelsey

Registered Osteopath GOSC: 11805

Verity’s journey to osteopathy began with Adult Nursing training at King’s College London, where her experience in surgical and intensive care placements sparked her passion for rehabilitation. Her personal experience with sports injuries from hockey and rugby led her to discover osteopathy’s person-centred benefits, inspiring her career transition.

During her osteopathic education at the University College of Osteopathy (UCO), Verity developed a passion for women’s health while working at the Expectant Mothers & Women’s Health Clinic. She plans to pursue advanced training in women’s health to combine her expertise in musculoskeletal rehabilitation with women’s healthcare. As an evidence-based practitioner, she integrates current research with hands-on techniques and targeted exercise rehabilitation to help patients not only recover from injuries but also return to movement stronger, more resilient, and better informed about taking their health into their own hands. Verity prioritizes patient education to ensure that patients have the information they need to improve their physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing.

Outside of osteopathy, you’ll find Verity exploring local trails for running and hiking with her dog, strength training, or baking treats for family and friends.

Areas of Special Interest:

    • Sports Injuries
    • Pre/Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
    • Women’s Health (including menstrual disorders, gynaecological chronic pain, and peri/menopause)

Meet Our Team

Marie-Pauline Otzen

Registered Osteopath GOSC: 11619

Growing up in Switzerland, Marie has always been very passionate about sports, including skiing, horse riding and cold water swimming. Throughout her life, she realized the importance of having osteopathic treatment and became interested in a career as an Osteopath. Being fluent in English, French and German, Marie is happy to communicate with you in any of these languages.

Marie graduated with a Master’s degree from the European School of Osteopathy. Throughout her degree, she was able to work in osteopathic specialist clinics, including sports, pediatrics, women’s health and headache clinic.

Marie applies a combined treatment approach, drawing on her knowledge and experience as an osteopath, sports massage therapist and athlete to deliver optimal care and long term management outcomes. She incorporates structural, soft tissue and cranial osteopathy techniques and principles into her treatments offering a thorough and holistic approach to health, healing, and sustainable recovery and injury management.

Additionally to Osteopathy, Marie is a professional Show Jumper and has trained in Equine Osteopathy.

Marie is a registered osteopath with the General Osteopathic council and insured with the Institute of osteopathy.

As well as being a qualified Osteopath, Marie is a sports Massage therapist with a particular interest in sport related injuries and work related stress and tension.

Meet Our Team

Angus Gould

Registered Osteopath GOSC: 10007

Angus grew up in East Sussex where both he and his family saw an osteopath regularly from a young age. After leaving school he explored different career options and decided to expand his knowledge in the area of health sciences. Four years later Angus graduated from Swansea university having obtained a first class masters degree in Osteopathy.


Angus is primarily a structural osteopath meaning he uses a variety of different techniques that focus on the body’s frame work and connective tissue, to improve the mobility and stability of joints, reduce the likelihood of muscle spasm, as well as improving circulation and lymphatic drainage to the target tissues. The type of techniques you can expect Angus to use are; joint manipulation and articulation, neuromuscular technique, muscle energy technique, myofascial release, joint harmonics, deep soft tissue techniques and exercise prescription.


Previously to being an osteopath Angus also trained as a qualified fitness instructor which he feels adds an element of rehabilitation to his practice to help achieve sustainable results.

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