So for over 300 years no one had discovered any new muscles in the neck of the human body. It may seem strange that for centuries we had already known every muscle and bone in humans. But in fact, doctors and researchers of all kinds (and not all worthy of the title) have been dissecting human cadavers in an effort to understand our human anatomy.
In 1995 two researchers from Baltimore discovered a new muscle located at the base of the skull that connected the 1st cervical vertebrae of the neck to the lining of the spinal cord which we call the dura mater. It was such a shocking finding that many in the scientific community did not initially accept their findings. But eventually their work was proven to be accurate.
Now for decades, traditional chiropractors that adjust the spine, have known that if you can relieve the tension and pressure of the upper cervical spine, it will reduce most types of headaches and a large percentage of migraines as well.
There are many different structures of the cervical spine and base of the skull that contribute to the wide variety of headaches and migraines. There are the suboccipital muscles, suboccipital nerves. the cervical nerves, the cervical facets, multiple ligaments and tendons, and about 10 different muscle groups. All of these different structures are potential sources of headaches.
But this new muscle that directly links the bones of the neck to the pain-sensitive covering of the spinal cord was a fascinating discovery. Not only could muscle tension and misalignment of the cervical vertebrae cause headaches, but now they theorize a direct pulling on the cover of the spinal cord can too!
Fortunately for migraine sufferers, in my experience and supported by science, that the proper type of manual adjustments to the neck can be highly effective treatment....and all natural, drug free too!