What is the Watson Headache Approach?
With over 200 different headaches recognised by the International Headache Society, the impact on one’s life can be substantial. Symptoms range from an annoying ache to debilitating pain impacting all five senses.
As with many chronic conditions, it can take many years of GP visits and treatment modalities to find what only feels like a temporary answer. At The Melbourne Headache + Concussion Group, we utilise the latest methods to treat your head pain directly.
Over the last 20 years, research surrounding headaches and migraines has focused on the relationship between the upper cervical spine and the brainstem. Dr Dean Watson, PhD, has been one of the leading minds in this research and in 1997, developed the Watson Approach®.
Dr Watson, PhD, has found that over 80% of migraine cases are caused by dysfunction in the neck’s upper three vertebral joints. The Watson Approach® is a non-invasive manual therapy methodology that has been taught worldwide for over 20 years. It examines and manages the possible relationship between your migraines and your neck.
How the Watson Approach works
The Watson technique works with the power of ‘reproduction and resolution’. The treatments begin with an assessment of the cervical spine, looking for ‘misbehaviour’ within the neck that can lead to sensitisation of the brainstem, creating migraines.
Once dysfunction within the cervical spine is resolved, the treatment moves to desensitisation of the ‘headache centre’ of the brain stem to stop the recurrence of headaches, migraines and their related symptoms.
The approach is gentle and doesn’t use neck cracking but rather sustained pressure to the appropriate upper neck joints.
The Watson Headache Approach® is the only scientifically validated manual therapy approach that has been shown to affect the underlying cause of headache, migraine and the related sensitisation of the brainstem.
The process we use and what to expect
- Assessment - Identification
- Treatment - Correction
- Self Management - Solutions
Assessment = Identification
- This step aims to determine if your neck is responsible for your headaches or migraine. We look at your lifestyle, work-habits, headache history, and symptom characteristics.
Treatment = Correction
Our treatment approach aims to improve the upper neck’s function, and desensitizing the “headache area” of the brainstem.
This treatment phase consists of 5 – 6 sessions over two weeks. The goal is to significantly improve symptoms and allow you to progress into a successful self-management phase.
Self Management = Solutions
- After establishing a significant improvement, we give you the tools to maintain a pain free lifestyle with exercises and advice on management
FAQ regarding the Watson Headache Approach and our Treatment Process
If you are living with a daily persistent headache, it is recommended that you seek professional help to identify the cause. Likewise, if you are experiencing severe pain that is interfering with your daily life, you should also seek support.
The cause may be an underlying disorder, in which case we offer help through management and pain relief advice.
The Watson Approach works by slowly applying pressure to the target area. This does not usually cause much pain, though some patients may experience mild discomfort before relief.