Frequently Asked Questions

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During your initial consultation, your therapist at Melbourne Headache Neck and Jaw clinic will first ask you a detailed case history to gather all the relevant information about your pain. After this we will take the appropriate time to assess and locate the source of your pain, formulating a diagnosis. Once we establish the correct diagnosis, our headache clinic treatments include but are not limited to Osteopathy, the 'Watson Headache Approach', dry needling and massage. We may also give our clients at home rehabilitation because we understand the importance of rehabilitating chronic conditions. We develop personalised Migraine treatment plans to help you get relief for migraines . 

The majority of headaches are caused by brainstem sensitization. The brainstem is the part of the brain that houses the nerves that provide sensation to the face and jaw. When it is sensitised it can refer painful signals to the head, face and jaw which results in headache. 

Secondly, when someones brainstem is sensitized, they are more susceptible to triggers that cause headache. Triggers include (but are not limited to) things like: 

• Dietary triggers - alcohol, chocolate, cured meats
• Loud noises, bright lights and/or strong smells (cologne, chemicals etc.)
• Menstrual cycle 
• Stress

You may have a headache due to one of these triggers.

We suggest keeping a headache diary to keep track of your headaches and triggers. It may help you understand why you are getting headaches in the first place. Things to consider writing in your diary include: location of pain, severity, duration, associated symptoms, possible trigger(s), date, time. 

For the majority of headache sufferers, the upper neck is the root cause of headaches. Dysfunctions in the upper neck lead to a condition called brainstem sensitization which then leads to headache. 

Other causes of headache include neck pain and temporomandibular disorder which is the term used to describe jaw pain. At MHNJ we are trained to identify the true cause of your headache allowing us to effectively treat it. 

A small number of headaches aren't a direct result of brainstem sensitisation. In this case you should consult your doctor first before requesting treatment. Please refer to the FAQ 'Do I need to see my doctor?' below for more information. 

Neck pain is a very common complaint with most people getting neck pain at some point in their life. Neck pain is often due to prolonged poor posture and overuse. People who work at a computer screens or drive long periods often describe neck pain. Neck pain is also commonly caused by osteoarthritis and is often accompanied by neck stiffness. 

Sometimes neck pain is caused by trauma such as a motor vehicle accident or whiplash.

A variety of structures could be causing your neck pain. Often neck pain is caused by the following: 

• Soft tissues of the neck - muscles, ligaments, tendons
• Bony structures of the neck - Cervical facet joints
• Nerves in neck - Cervical nerve roots 
• Cervical discs

Sometimes neck pain can be caused by more sinister conditions and you may need to see your doctor. Please refer to the FAQ 'Do i need to see my doctor' below for more information.  

The most common cause of jaw pain is temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Patients can experience TMD due to several causes including: 

• Tight muscles of the jaw 
• Injury to the jaw - motor vehicle accident, falls, contact sport
• TMJ disc derangement/displacement 
• Degenerative causes such as arthritis 
• Stress and anxiety causing excessive jaw clenching

Less common conditions causing jaw pain include:

• Headaches
• Sinus issues 
• Tooth infections 

Sometimes jaw pain can be caused by more sinister conditions they need to be looked at by a doctor. Please refer to the FAQ 'Do I need to see my doctor' below for more information.

Dizziness is a collective term to describe different feelings such as  unsteadiness, feeling faint, feeling woozy and spinning sensations. Dizziness can be a symptom of many different underlying conditions. Some of which include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), vestibular migraine, neck related dizziness. It's important that if you have a new presentation of dizziness (that isn't your normal dizziness) you should see your doctor. Please refer to the FAQ section 'Do I need to see my doctor?' for more information about this. 

Dependant on your presentation it may necessary to see your doctor. We recommend you see your doctor if your unsure about your presentation or it fits any of the following:

For Headaches 

• New presentation of headache that has been present for less than three months
• Onset of new type of headache over the age of 50 
• New headache with past history of cancer
• Sudden severe onset of headache
• Headache associated with numbness, tingling or weakness in the hands, feet, face or extremities, which are not your usual symptoms 
• Headache with the presence of fever, sweats, chills, confusion, speech difficulties and dizziness, which are not your usual symptoms.

For Neck Pain

• New onset of acute neck injury (motor vehicle accident, fall etc.)
• Loss of sensation in the lower or upper extremities
• Loss of strength in the lower or upper extremities
• Neck pain in the presence of fever, sweats, chills, confusion
• Neck pain accompanied with chest pain and upper extremity numbness/pain
• Severe neck pain

For Jaw Pain

• After an acute injury (motor vehicle accident, fall, tackle etc.)
• Jaw pain in the presence of teeth cracking
• Inability to swallow or speak
• Jaw pain associated with - chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, and feeling faint 

For Dizziness

• New onset of dizziness which is not your usual condition
• Dizziness associated with any of the following: loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and/or swallowing, vision difficulties, hearing issues, chest pain, difficulty walking/stumbling, ongoing vomiting and seizures   
• Dizziness with weakness in arms/legs and/or paralysis of the arms/legs
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• In the presence of sudden severe headache

All content and media on the Melbourne Headache, Neck and Jaw Clinic site is created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. Please consult your doctor if you are unsure about any of the information shared on this site.