Is Stress contribute to your Headaches and migraines
Stress stress stress. That's all we hear in regards to headaches and migraines.
Why? Dr. Beth (osteopath) helps reveal the truth and bust some myths about stress. Share with us what it is that you do to help de-stress. Let's help each other and share some ideas!
To book an appointment call (03) 9486 7543
How to treat Migraines/Headaches?
There is often a vital element missed in treatment which means that you are still a headache/migraine waiting to happen 24/7. What is this vital element and what can you do to treat it to get the long term results you are after? Dr Beth (Osteopath) explains all. Comment headache or migraine (whichever describes you best) in the comments box to take the first step to determine the cause of your pain and begin on your journey to living a life without the fear of your next attack.
To book an appointment call (03) 9486 7543
Number 1 Top Tip in regards to Headache and Migraines
What is Dr. Beth's (osteopath) number 1 top tip in regards to headaches and migraines? Tune in to find out! Start on your journey to a life without headaches and migraines today.
Call now to book an appointment on (03) 9486 7543
Topiramate - why treat the symptoms when you could treat the cause?
Migraine is a very common disorder characterized by a headache and associated features with or without the presence of an aura. For many years it has been a poorly understood condition but now we know that the underlying disorder of a migraine is due to brainstem sensitization aka hyperexcitability of the neurons in the brainstem (1). Topiramate, brand name Topamax, is a preventative medication that has been used to treat migraines although it’s original use, and is still commonly used, as an anti-epileptic drug. So why are we using an anti-epileptic medication to treat migraines, how does it help, what do you need to know and could there be a better option?
I don't want to live a life in pain
When Eloise Hayford began suffering from migraines at 14 years of age, her mother thought she would grow out of them. But quite quickly Eloise’s mother could see how they were affecting her daughter’s school attendance and performance. Not only that but her mood and motivation dropped. Eloise used to enjoy playing netball with her friends but with migraines attacking her, she wasn’t able to enjoy playing the game she used to love.
Skip forward to Eloise’s university years and the same pattern remained only now the stress of assignments and exams were affecting Eloise…they were making her migraines worse. University was supposed to be a time for enjoyment, exploring, travel and socializing but instead her time was clouded by migraines.
Eloise graduated from university and it was time to enter the work force but even her job choice was affected by her migraines. Stress was clearly a trigger for Eloise so a stressful job would likely set off migraine...
Frequently asked questions
I love and encourage questions however, commonly similar ones pop up, so here is a list of the most frequently asked questions and their answers to help you if you have been wondering the same things.
I’ve had my neck treated before so how is the Watson Headache Approach different?
Common manual therapy techniques utilised by osteopaths, physiotherapists and chiropractors are specific for neck pain, not headaches and migraines. The Watson Headache Approach has been designed to specifically treat headaches and migraines and is the only manual therapy technique, with research to support it that addresses the underlying disorder of a migraine, brainstem sensitization.
I’ve tried everything out there, manual therapy, tablets, botox etc. Could this work for me?
Yes. For approximately 80% of people the cause of their headaches and migraines is their neck. Medication just aims for symptomatic relief therefore sometimes it might reduce them but you’re still suffering, it...
Why is stress a trigger for headaches and migraines?And what you can do to stop it?
The stress hormones:
The main hormones associated with stress are cortisol and adrenaline. When we are stressed we go into either fight or flight mode however in both modes, cortisol and adrenaline levels are elevated, so are they responsible for setting off a headache/migraine attack? Research indicates that:
- Migraine sufferers potentially respond to cortisol levels differently than non-migraine sufferers however this does not appear to have...
5 things doctors don't tell you about headaches and migraines
Why does the only answer seem to be drugs or invasive procedures?
So let’s lift the lid on the secrets of the causes and treatments for headaches and migraines to help you get the best possible solution.
Many cases of headache are caused by referred pain from an area away from the actual pain. This is very common phenomenon in the body. It’s like pain from a heart attack referring to the left arm.
This is a map of the referred pain areas which shows that based on where the pain is located headaches often come from the neck. If your doctor doesn't know this or does not how to examine the neck precisely - then...
The deep neck flexors - the pillars of strength of the neck
When the deep neck flexors are strong, they allow surrounding muscles to work optimally, however when they are weak, the other muscles need to work to support the neck and head and they can get over...
Let's stop sharing a bed with migraines
Lack of sleep and too much sleep are known to be a trigger for migraines. Disruptions in regular sleeping patterns, such as shift work and jet lag can also be triggers for migraines. Being excessively tired pre or post a migraine is common and it can also be therapeutic during a...
