The founder of the Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic, Bertrand Doeuk, was recently interviewed by 7 News, 9 News and 10 News for a segment on treating debilitating migraines. Due to the first three vertebrae in the neck being responsible for 94% of headaches and migraines (Watson, 2012), if a patient is assessed and deemed appropriate for treatment, Bertrand and the staff at the Gold Coast Headache & Migraine Clinic have been able to have an 80 to 90% success rate at either reducing their symptoms or resolving their condition.
As seen on 7 News, Bertrand details how he assesses the cause of the headache: “If we can recreate their pain in the head by applying sustained pressure to certain sections of the neck,” he explains, “then we know that we’re on the right pathway”. This concept is covered in more detail in our previous blog article, Neck Pain and Headaches
Are headaches and migraines common?
In Australia, they are indisputably prevalent in the community:
- 4.9 million people in Australia suffer from migraines (Deloitte, 2018)
- 71% of migraine sufferers are women and 86% are of working age (Deloitte, 2018)
- The total economic cost of migraine in Australia is $35.7 billion (Deloitte, 2018) •
- 4 out of 5 Australians have suffered from migraines or headaches in the past year (The Migraine Trust, 2016)
- 1 in 5 Australians have suffered from severe migraines (The Migraine Trust, 2016)
And potentially the most staggering,
- Headaches and migraines are the third most prevalent disorder in the world (The Migraine Trust, 2016).
These conditions can have a huge impact on someone’s life, with sufferers commonly reporting that the conditions affect their ability to function cognitively, causing an inability to complete work, loss of social activities, breakdown of relationships with friends, families and relationships, and decline in physical activity due to the pain.
Migraines and headaches cause a plethora of flow-on effects, with the head pain and associated symptoms causing other activities to be difficult, or potentially impossible to complete.
What to do to resolve these conditions?
The best course of action is to seek treatment when initially feeling the symptoms of migraines or headaches, in order to prevent them from being a chronic condition. However, chronic headache sufferers will benefit from treatment of the neck, similar to the example shown in the 7 News video above.
If you are suffering with headaches, with or without neck pain, please do not hesitate to contact us on 1800 HEADACHE (1800 43 23 22 43) or send an email to [email protected] to book in for a thorough assessment and diagnosis today.
