3 March, 2017
Headaches frequently originate from muscles and joints in the neck and jaw. As such, many sufferers seek out manual therapies such as Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Physiotherapy and Remedial Massage / Myotherapy.
Headaches can be debilitating. They can be compounded by dizziness, light sensitivity and nausea / vomiting. Pain can be aggravated by neck and shoulder movements making sleep, exercise, picking up the kids, etc. difficult and sometimes impossible.
Treatment options
The most commonly sought treatments are manual therapies (Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Physiotherapy, Remedial Massage, Myotherapy) and pain-killers. With manual therapy the majority of the time, these are straightforward cases. Generally, a handful of treatments paired with home advice resolves the headaches with many cases feeling immense relief after just one treatment.
However, this isn’t always the case. Up to 25% of these headaches don’t respond to manual therapies. Additionally, other treatment options including surgery and injections have similar success rates with higher associated risks.
Research is showing that there is a new, safe and specific solution available: medical grade laser therapy.
Laser therapy
Laser therapy is a modern technique used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and promote healing deep down at a cellular level.
In beauty salons, laser therapy is also known for its anti-aging and antioxidant properties. Adjusting settings targets the specific tissue to be healed. Medical grade lasers target the muscles and nerves to treat pain & inflammation whilst cosmetic lasers target the skin.
Medical grade lasers are often used in conjunction with manual therapy during Chiropractic treatments at Body & Brain Centre.
Brain-based therapies
Chronic pain changes the way your brain works. Your brain remembers the pain.
As such both the body and brain dysfunctions need to be addressed - the body’s restricted joints, tight muscles and weak muscles as well as the brain’s control and awareness of the body.
Our integrative chiropractic consultations include a variety of techniques according to the needs and desires of each patient: adjustments, massage, laser, brain-based therapies, home rehab exercises and supplements.
Appointments available in Moonee Ponds or online.
About the Author
Dr Cassie Atkinson-Quinton - Chiropractor, Brain Health Coach & Biofeedback Practitioner
Dr Cassie is a Chiropractor and Brain Health Coach. Having a special interest in treating nerves and brain-based conditions like nerve pain, chronic pain, dizziness, whiplash, migraines and fibromyalgia. She's one of a handful of practitioners to be trained in Neuro-Rehabilitation, Neurofeedback, QEEG Functional Brain Scans and Brain Health Coaching. She’s had concussions and atypical migraines as well as a vestibular disorder called Labyrinthitis. During this time, she would hold on to tables to avoid falling over. She understands the journey coming from a family of chronic pain and migraine sufferers.
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Liebert, AD (2015). Nonresponsive Cervicogenic Headache and Mechanisms for Action of Low Level Laser Treatment. University of Sydney PhD thesis. Accessed via https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/14385
