Migraine Treatment
Successful treatment of migraine and other headaches such as cluster headaches and tension headaches depends upon the accurate diagnosis of the source of the pain. The unique diagnostic techniques developed by Dr Shevel over the last twenty five years enable our doctors to accurately pinpoint where the pain originates. Once an accurate diagnosis has been established, treatment can be directed to the source of the pain. Our aim at The Headache Clinic is to achieve permanent pain relief without the use of medication – and this is possible in most cases, using the treatment methods developed by Dr Shevel.
Research has shown that in most headache sufferers the pain does not originate in the brain, but from the structures outside the skull. Fortunately for headache and migraine sufferers, this means that the painful structures, most frequently the jaw and neck muscles and the arteries in the scalp are easy to access for both diagnosis and treatment.
Complete Diagnosis
We achieve our excellent treatment results with Dr. Shevel’s unique and comprehensive diagnosis protocol that accurately determines each patient’s individual pain map. The accuracy of the diagnosis allows us to pinpoint the anatomical structures that are responsible for causing the pain.
There are four main origins of pain: 1) Muscle tension 2) Arterial dilation/inflammation 3) Nerve sensitivity 4) Tendon sensitivity. These anatomical structures are the focus of our diagnosis and treatment. Of the thousands of patients Dr. Shevel treats each year almost all of them present with pain from one or more of these structures. Dr. Shevel’s Maxillo-Facial and Oral expertise has allowed him to develop drug-free treatments that offer permanent relief from these painful structures.
Treatment
Dr. Shevel’s treatment focuses on the muscles of the jaw, face, head and neck as well as the many small arteries that lie on the outside of the skull. Muscle tension is treated using a thin plastic plate worn against the pallet, and painful arteries are closed, as a day procedure, and often using only local anaesthetic. These tiny superficial cuts on the scalp do not affect blood flow to the brain.
These structures are ignored by other headache specialists and neurologists because conventional medical thinking has been that the pain originates in the brain. However published medical research has proved conclusively that the pain is extra-cranial, and Dr. Shevel’s treatment success rate bears testament to this. Specialists can read this breakthrough article that explains how headache pain does NOT originate from arteries in the brian, by Schoonman et al (Brain 2008).
Types of Treatment
MUSCLE PAIN: The Posture Modifying Appliance (PMA).The PMA is a thin and comfortable custom-made plate worn against the palate. The PMA adjusts the tongue position, which in turn relaxes the jaw, and then the muscles around the temples, cascading relaxation in the muscles all the way down to the neck and back. This re-calibration of the muscle equilibrium modifies the patients posture. This is where the appliance, designed by Dr. Shevel, derives its name. Once equilibrium is restored and all the contributing muscles have relaxed, the pain dissipates and harmony is restored.
ARTERIAL PAIN: Minimally invasive surgery. When arteries are indicated as the primary source of pain, Dr. Shevel’s diagnostic method allows for these tiny problem arteries to be accurately located (using full colour #D image scan and a Doppler flow-meter) and then closed. In many patients closing these small arteries provides almost immediate relief. However there are four additional factors that may undermine the initial result: 1) hypersensitivity; 2) shunting (when the blood redirects to an alternate dormant artery); 3) idiosyncrasies of each individuals anatomy and hormones 4) effects of medication.
Complete Diagnosis™
At the Headache Clinic, we offer a complete diagnosis of anatomical causes of your headache. If the causes can be successfully treated, the headaches will no longer occur with the same intensity or frequency, and the dependence on harmful medication can be drastically reduced and often completely eliminated.
Complete Diagnosis takes up to 3 – 4 hours and includes:
Neurological Assessment
Comprehensive neurological assessment.
Emergency pain relief
If you’re experiencing migraine you can rest and have your migraine healed in our clinic.
Specialist Nurse Consultation
If you’re experiencing migraine you can rest and have your migraine treated in our clinic.
X-Rays
Where medically indicated (C-section, Sinus, TMJ, Pan, CEPH)
Diagnostic Tests
Electromyography and other diagnostic tests
Diagnostic Consultation
With the internationally accredited migraine research specialist, Dr. Elliot Shevel, where necessary
Comprehensive Presentation
of results and discussions of treatment options available.
Excludes the following:
Brain Scans and Blood Tests
are not included. Our team of doctors and specialists will advise if you need a brain scan or blood tests.
Treatment Costs
The cost of the treatment is not included. We will provide a quotation for treatment after we diagnosed the cause of your headache: Migraine.
On going pain relief
If you require on-going emergency pain relief, this will be an additional expense
Free Assistance
Our patients are generally those that have already tried everything including the free advice we give below. Try these easy suggestions – some headache sufferers from these simple tips, and you may not need any further treatment. If you have suggestions on what we could add to this page to benefit sufferers, please contact us.
info@theheadacheclinic.net