The Headache Doctor Podcast

Dr. Jonathan Taves
  • 4.7 (85)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Weekly

Even after trying medication, lifestyle changes, and other “research-backed treatments” for migraine symptoms, does nothing feel like it’s really solving the issue? The Headache Doctor Podcast is on a mission to provide education and empower everyone with headaches and migraines to break FREE from a life of fear and dependence so that they can THRIVE in everything they do. Dr. Taves, founder of the podcast and owner of Novera: Headache Center believes you deserve to feel in control of your health again — with more symptom-free days and less worry over when the next migraine will hit. Physical therapy for the neck at his clinic has decreased headache and migraine symptoms for hundreds of people. Each week he dives into a topic related to headaches and migraines, or interviews experts to help you be informed as you manage your headaches and migraines. Hit “subscribe” to be the first to know about new episodes! P.S. – Outside of this podcast, Dr. Taves has provided superb education in the form of a detailed masterclass with videos which can be found on his website (www.noveraheadachecenter.com). His clinic also provides health coaching for patients out of state, and of course - in person care if you’re in Colorado! *Disclaimer: This advice is not meant to be a substitute for advice from a medical professional regarding diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment. Always seek advice from your physician, physical therapist, or other qualified healthcare provider with questions you may have regarding a healthcare condition. Reliance on the information provided within this podcast is done solely at your own risk.

  1. 3d ago

    Occipital or Trigeminal Neuralgia: Nerve Problem or Neck Problem?

    Sharp, burning, stabbing, or electrical pain in the back of your head, scalp, or behind your eye may lead to a diagnosis of occipital neuralgia or trigeminal neuralgia. But does that mean the nerve itself is the underlying problem? In this episode of the Headache Doctor Podcast, Dr. Taves explains how to tell whether your symptoms may involve more than the nerve—and why your neck could be an important part of the picture. He breaks down the anatomy behind occipital and trigeminal nerve pain, referred pain, and the trigeminal cervical complex. He also shares clues that may point toward neck involvement, including restricted neck movement, symptoms triggered by posture or prolonged sitting, tenderness at the base of the skull, and pain that begins in the neck and travels upward. You’ll also learn why Dr. Taves cautions against assuming that relief from a nerve block, injection, medication, or ablation proves the nerve itself was the original source of the problem—and what he recommends looking at instead. Plus, in Ask the Headache Doctor, Dr. Taves responds to people who spent years trying to get providers to recognize the connection between their neck pain and headaches or migraines. 👉 Get your questions about occipital neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, and neck-related headaches answered inside our FREE Virtual Headache & Migraine Community: https://www.skool.com/headache-freedom/about 👉 Novera: Headache Center

  2. Sep 14

    Vestibular Migraine: Why the Real Cause Is Often Missed

    If you’ve been diagnosed with vestibular migraine—or you live with ongoing dizziness, vertigo, or that constant “on a ship” feeling—there may be an important part of the picture that hasn’t been fully evaluated. In this episode of The Headache Doctor Podcast, Dr. Taves explains why our healthcare system can miss the underlying cause of vestibular migraine—and what to look for instead. He breaks down the three systems your brain relies on for balance and orientation: The visual systemThe vestibular systemThe neck and proprioceptive systemWhile the inner ear is often evaluated thoroughly, and vision is sometimes considered, Dr. Taves explains why neck function is frequently overlooked—even though your brain depends on information from the neck to understand where your head and body are in space. You’ll also learn: How BPPV differs from other types of dizzinessWhy visual coordination mattersHow neck tension and altered proprioception may contribute to dizzinessWhy vestibular migraine is often multifactorialWhat to look for when testing has not given you a clear answerPlus, in Ask the Headache Doctor, Dr. Taves answers questions about food triggers and migraine threshold, and explains how Novera’s neck treatment approach differs from chiropractic manipulation. 👉 Get your questions about vestibular migraine, dizziness, and neck-related headaches answered inside our FREE Virtual Headache & Migraine Community: https://www.skool.com/headache-freedom/about  Novera: Headache Center

  3. Sep 7

    Chronic Pain? 4 Root Causes You May Be Missing

    What if chronic pain isn't simply something to silence—but a message your body is trying to send? In this episode of the Headache Doctor Podcast, Dr. Taves sits down with Leigh Brandon, author of Beyond the Pain, functional medicine provider, manual therapist, and C.H.E.K practitioner, to explore why some people remain stuck in chronic pain despite medications, injections, exercises, or even surgery. Leigh breaks chronic pain down into four potential root-cause categories: Structural and biomechanical problemsMetabolic factors like nutrition, digestion, hormones, and inflammationNervous system dysregulation and sensitizationEmotional factors and traumaThey also discuss why pain can be protective rather than simply harmful, how the nervous system can remain hypersensitive after an injury has healed, and practical ways to start identifying patterns behind your own symptoms. If you've been in pain for years and feel like you've already tried everything, this conversation offers a different framework for understanding what your body may be telling you. 👉 Get your questions about chronic pain, headaches, migraines, and finding the root cause answered inside our FREE Virtual Headache & Migraine Community: https://www.skool.com/headache-freedom/about  Novera: Headache Center

  4. Aug 31

    Migraine With Aura vs. Without Aura: Are You Focusing on the Wrong Thing?

    What does it actually mean if you have migraine with aura vs. migraine without aura—and should that distinction determine how you approach treatment? In this episode of the Headache Doctor Podcast, Dr. Taves explains why visual disturbances, light and sound sensitivity, numbness, and other neurological symptoms can feel alarming, but focusing entirely on those symptoms may keep you from asking a more important question: What's making the system so sensitive in the first place? You'll learn: What migraine aura can look and feel likeWhy some people experience aura without significant head painHow the trigeminal cervical complex processes signals from the head, face, and neckWhy migraine symptoms can vary dramatically from person to personHow the jaw, occipital nerves, and upper neck may contribute to the pain pathwayWhy chasing individual symptoms can lead to a cycle of trigger avoidance and symptom managementPlus, in Ask the Headache Doctor, Dr. Taves answers questions about treating the upper neck with cervical instability and why Botox may work for migraines for years before seemingly stopping. 👉 Get your questions about migraine with aura, unusual migraine symptoms, neck-related headaches, and finding the root cause answered inside our FREE Virtual Headache & Migraine Community: https://www.skool.com/headache-freedom/about 👉 Novera: Headache Center

  5. Aug 24

    Was Your Migraine Misdiagnosed? 5 Clues Your Doctor Got Your Headache Wrong

    What if your migraine diagnosis isn't necessarily wrong—but it isn't telling you the whole story? In this episode of the Headache Doctor Podcast, Dr. Taves shares five clues that your headaches or migraines may have an overlooked neck-related component. Instead of looking only at symptoms like nausea, light sensitivity, throbbing, and one-sided pain, he explains why it's important to ask what's actually driving your nervous system to become so sensitive in the first place. The 5 clues he breaks down are: Your pain starts in—or is connected to—your neckWeather and barometric pressure changes trigger your symptomsExercise triggers a headache or migraineYour symptoms are consistently one-sidedYou have ongoing jaw, neck, or shoulder tensionDr. Taves also explains why normal X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans don't necessarily tell you how well your neck is moving or functioning—and why these clues may warrant a closer look at the neck, jaw, and shoulders. Plus, in Ask the Headache Doctor, Dr. Taves answers questions about distinguishing cervicogenic headaches from migraines and the role hormonal changes may play in migraine threshold. If you've had migraines for years, tried medication after medication, and still feel like you're missing an explanation, this episode will give you five specific things to consider. 👉 Get your questions about migraine diagnosis, neck-related headaches, and finding the root cause answered inside our FREE Virtual Headache & Migraine Community: https://www.skool.com/headache-freedom/about 👉 Novera: Headache Center

  6. Aug 17

    Could Your Gut Be Lowering Your Migraine Threshold?

    Could what’s happening in your gut be affecting how vulnerable you are to migraines? In this episode of the Headache Doctor Podcast, Dr. Taves sits down with functional health practitioner Taylor Knese of Mod Health Co. to explore the connection between gut health, hormones, stress, inflammation, and migraine threshold. They break down how the gut communicates with the brain, why digestion and bowel movements can offer clues about your overall health, and how imbalances involving estrogen, histamine, stress, and the gut microbiome may contribute to a lower migraine threshold. You’ll learn: How the gut and brain communicate through the vagus nerveWhy gut health may influence inflammation and migraine thresholdThe connection between estrogen, histamine, and hormonal migrainesHow chronic stress can affect digestion and gut motilityWhat your bowel movements may reveal about your digestive healthWhy walking, sleep, chewing your food, and eating a diverse whole-food diet matterHow gut health fits into a bigger, whole-body approach to migrainesIf you’ve focused on your headaches but never considered your digestion, hormones, or gut health, this conversation may help you see another piece of the migraine puzzle. Special Offer from Mod Health Co: Use discount code DRTAVES with Mod Health Co. to receive the listener discount mentioned in this episode.  👉 Get your questions about gut health, hormones, migraine triggers, and improving your migraine threshold answered inside our FREE Virtual Headache & Migraine Community: https://www.skool.com/headache-freedom/about 👉 Novera: Headache Center

  7. Aug 10

    Is Your “Tension Headache” Just Tension… or a Hidden Migraine Unlock in Your Neck?

    Do your headaches build throughout the day—then sometimes turn into a migraine? In this episode of the Headache Doctor Podcast, Dr. Taves explains why tension headaches and migraines may not be two completely separate problems. A band-like headache, neck tightness, and shoulder tension can build over time, while a more irritated joint in the upper neck may create a sharper, one-sided migraine pattern. Rather than treating one as a muscle problem and the other as a neurological problem, Dr. Taves looks at both through one unified lens: the mechanics of the neck, shoulders, and jaw. You’ll learn: Why tension headaches often worsen throughout the dayHow prolonged sitting and forward posture load the neck and shouldersWhy a broad, band-like headache feels different from a one-sided migraineHow both patterns may still come from related mechanical problemsPractical ways to reduce tension, move more, and build resiliencePlus, in this week’s Ask the Headache Doctor segment, Dr. Taves answers questions about headaches after sitting through several classes, migraines that continue despite healthy lifestyle changes, and being told migraines are “all stress.” 👉 Get your questions about tension headaches, migraines, neck tension, and finding the root cause answered inside our FREE Virtual Headache & Migraine Community: https://www.skool.com/headache-freedom/about 👉 Novera: Headache Center

  8. Aug 3

    The Real Root Cause of Migraines: Why Your Neck Might Be the Missing Piece

    Is migraine really a neurological disease—or could your neck be the missing piece? In this episode of the Headache Doctor Podcast, Dr. Taves challenges one of the most common beliefs about migraines. He explains why a migraine diagnosis is based on symptoms—not necessarily the underlying cause—and why many people continue searching for answers after normal MRIs, CT scans, and medications. You'll learn how the neck, jaw, and shoulders can send pain into the same pathways that process migraine symptoms, why imaging often misses the real problem, and a simple self-assessment you can do at home to see whether your neck may be contributing to your headaches. You'll learn: Why migraine is a diagnosis based on symptomsWhat MRIs and CT scans are actually designed to rule outHow the trigeminal nerve processes head and facial painWhy neck dysfunction can create migraine-like symptomsWhy medications manage symptoms but don't identify the sourceFour simple ways to assess whether your neck may be involvedIf you've been told your scans are normal but you're still living with chronic migraines, this episode may change the way you think about what's really causing your symptoms. 👉 Get your questions about migraines, neck-related headaches, and finding the root cause answered inside our Free Virtual Headache & Migraine Community: https://www.skool.com/headache-freedom/about 👉 Novera: Headache Center

See All (311)

4.7
out of 5
85 Ratings

About

Even after trying medication, lifestyle changes, and other “research-backed treatments” for migraine symptoms, does nothing feel like it’s really solving the issue? The Headache Doctor Podcast is on a mission to provide education and empower everyone with headaches and migraines to break FREE from a life of fear and dependence so that they can THRIVE in everything they do. Dr. Taves, founder of the podcast and owner of Novera: Headache Center believes you deserve to feel in control of your health again — with more symptom-free days and less worry over when the next migraine will hit. Physical therapy for the neck at his clinic has decreased headache and migraine symptoms for hundreds of people. Each week he dives into a topic related to headaches and migraines, or interviews experts to help you be informed as you manage your headaches and migraines. Hit “subscribe” to be the first to know about new episodes! P.S. – Outside of this podcast, Dr. Taves has provided superb education in the form of a detailed masterclass with videos which can be found on his website (www.noveraheadachecenter.com). His clinic also provides health coaching for patients out of state, and of course - in person care if you’re in Colorado! *Disclaimer: This advice is not meant to be a substitute for advice from a medical professional regarding diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment. Always seek advice from your physician, physical therapist, or other qualified healthcare provider with questions you may have regarding a healthcare condition. Reliance on the information provided within this podcast is done solely at your own risk.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Jonathan Taves
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    311
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Headache Doctor Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Headache Doctor Podcast

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