Watson Headache Method
Dr. Dean Watson PhD (Adelaide – Australia), physiotherapist/manual therapist and internationally recognised headache specialist, has spent his entire working life researching migraine and headaches. He has developed a specific treatment method for headache, tension-type headache, migraine and even cluster headache, now successfully practised in 25 countries worldwide. It is considered the most effective treatment method available for tension-type headache and migraine.
His method is based on the premise that a sensitised, or overstimulated, brainstem is the underlying cause of headache and migraine. This chronic overstimulation of the brainstem originates from the top three cervical vertebrae.
The brainstem (specifically the trigeminocervical nucleus) is the part of the brain that receives information from, among other things, the neck, head, face, jaw and blood vessels in the brain, and passes it on to the cerebral cortex.
When the brainstem is sensitised, regular, “normal” information is effectively passed on amplified. When this amplified information reaches the cortex, it is interpreted as danger, and the cortex responds by activating a protective mechanism – sounding the alarm and producing pain, in this case headache or migraine.
Think of the brainstem as an alarm system set far too sensitively, or a speaker with the volume turned up too high.
Migraine medications that usually work well, such as triptans – you may know them as sumatriptan or rizatriptan – also aim to desensitise the brainstem. Unfortunately, this effect is often only temporary.
How can I help you?
Treatment using the Watson Headache® Approach is a non-manipulative method, without any cracking, aimed at normalising the movement function of the top three cervical vertebrae and reducing tension in the small neck muscles. This counteracts the sensitisation of the brainstem. Once this overstimulation of the brainstem originating from the upper cervical spine resolves, the migraine resolves with it. Your migraine will also no longer be triggered by stress, fatigue, posture (sitting at a computer) or certain foods (chocolate, red wine).
Treatment of the upper cervical spine using the Watson Headache® Approach has been scientifically shown to desensitise the brainstem and address the underlying cause of your headache or migraine. Temporarily reproducing the familiar headache has the effect of desensitising the brainstem – exactly the same effect that triptans (medication) have on your headache/migraine, except that instead of a temporary fix, it offers a permanent solution to your headache or migraine complaints.
For more information, please visit Dean Watson's website: www.watsonheadache.com (English only)