Headache and migraine

Headaches that keep coming back, often
starting in
the neck and shoulders rather than
the head. Open
until 7pm weeknights and
Saturday mornings.

Book an appointment

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

A cervicogenic headache is a headache
that originates in the neck rather
than
the head itself, usually from restricted
joint movement and muscle
tension
through the upper neck and shoulders. It
is one of the more
common headache
types seen in chiropractic practice, and
it is distinct
from migraine, which has
different causes and different treatment.

How common are headaches
and
migraines in Australia?

About 1.7 million Australians are living with migraine, or 6.6 per cent of the
population, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. It is the
most common long term neurological condition in the country, accounting for
more than three quarters of Australians living with a neurological condition.

It affects women more than twice as often as men, and it disproportionately
affects people of working age.

What a neck related
headache
usually feels like

Headaches of this type are a common complaint in
patients who have poor posture. The muscle imbalance
and joint dysfunction between the shoulders and back
cause increased stress on the neck muscles. They are
usually accompanied by stiffness in the neck and
shoulders, a dull ache, and a tight band feeling across
the head.

COMMON SIGNS

Pain starting at the base of the skull and
spreading forward

A tight band sensation around the head

Stiffness turning your head, often worse on
one side

Building through the day rather than being
there on waking

Worse after long periods at a desk, driving or
on a phone

Eases when you move around or after a break
from screens

Not all headaches are the same

Cervicogenic, Coming from the Neck

Starts at the base of the skull and spreads forward. Comes with neck and shoulder stiffness, usually one sided, and builds through the day. This is the type most closely linked to posture and the one chiropractic care is most often used for.

Tension Type

A dull, pressing ache across both sides of the head, often described as a band. Linked to stress, fatigue and sustained muscle tension. Frequently overlaps with the neck related type.

Migraine

Usually one sided and throbbing, often with nausea, and sensitivity to light or sound. May be preceded by visual disturbance. Migraine has different causes to the two above and is usually managed medically, though neck tension can act as a trigger for some people.

People often have more than one type. Working
out which is driving your headaches
is the point
of the first appointment, because they are not
treated the same way.

Book an appointment

When it is worth
having looked at?

It is worth having headaches examined if they
are
happening regularly, if they are becoming
more frequent,
if they consistently start in your
neck, or if they are
affecting your work or
sleep. Headaches that have
become normal to
you are still worth investigating.

SEEK URGENT MEDICAL CARE,
NOT CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT,
IF YOU HAVE

A sudden severe headache that peaks
within seconds, a headache with
fever and
neck stiffness, a headache following a head
injury, a headache
with weakness,
numbness, confusion or difficulty speaking,
or a
headache with visual loss. These need
emergency medical assessment.

ALSO SEE YOUR GP RATHER THAN US IF

Your headaches are new and you are over
50, they wake you from sleep, they are
worse when you cough or bend, or they
have changed in pattern from what you are
used to.

SEEK URGENT MEDICAL CARE,
NOT CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT,
IF YOU HAVE

A sudden severe headache that peaks
within seconds, a headache with
fever and
neck stiffness, a headache following a head
injury, a headache
with weakness,
numbness, confusion or difficulty speaking,
or a
headache with visual loss. These need
emergency medical assessment.

ALSO SEE YOUR GP RATHER THAN US IF

Your headaches are new and you are over
50, they wake you from sleep, they are
worse when you cough or bend, or they
have changed in pattern from what you are
used to.

How chiropractic care
is used for it

Where a headache is coming from the neck,
treatment focuses on
restoring movement
through the upper neck and reducing the
muscle
tension that comes with it.
Chiropractors are trained to examine the
neck
and identify whether joint restriction and
muscle imbalance are
contributing to the
pattern of headaches you are getting.

Our treatment is tailored to the individual and
aims to correct the
muscle imbalance and
relieve tension in the head and neck. Where

posture at work is a factor, we go through what
to change, because
treatment alone will not
hold if you return to the same setup.

If we examine you and do not think your neck is
the cause, we will tell
you and suggest you see
your GP instead. Migraine in particular is
usually
managed medically.

Who treats you

Treatment is provided by Dr George Diab, founder of The Sport and Health Clinic. He holds a Bachelor of Chiropractic Science and a Masters of Chiropractic Science from Macquarie University and has been in practice for over ten years.

Book an appointment

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

What happens when you come in

We talk

You tell us what is going on, how long it has been happening, and what makes it worse. We ask about your work setup and how you sleep. An initial consultation runs 40 minutes.

We examine

A physical examination of the neck and upper back to find where movement is restricted, rather than treating the sore spot on its own.

We explain

We tell you what we think is going on and what we would do about it before we do anything. Standard consultations after that run 20 minutes.

Questions we get asked

A common sign is a headache that starts at the base of the skull and spreads forward over the head, often building through the day and worse after long hours at a desk. It usually comes with neck and shoulder stiffness. An examination will tell us whether the neck is involved.

Where a migraine is being triggered or made worse by tension and restricted movement in the neck, treatment may help reduce how often it happens. Not every migraine has that cause. Migraine is usually managed medically, and if we do not think your neck is involved we will tell you and suggest you see your GP.

Postural muscles fatigue as the day goes on, so a headache driven by neck tension tends to build rather than being there when you wake. That pattern is a useful clue that posture and desk setup are involved, and it is worth mentioning at your appointment.

Usually not. We examine you first, and refer for imaging only if the findings suggest it would change what we do. Most headaches linked to neck tension can be assessed properly without a scan, which saves you both the cost and the wait.

It is often part of it. Sitting with your head forward for hours loads the muscles at the base of the skull, which is the most common source of neck related headaches. If your workstation is contributing we will go through what to change, because treatment alone will not hold otherwise.

No. In Australia you can book directly with a chiropractor without seeing your GP first. A referral is only needed if you are claiming under certain Medicare or insurance arrangements, such as a chronic disease management plan.

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

WorkCover accepted
Over 10 years in practice
Health fund claims on the spot

Neck pain