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Victoria - British Columbia - Canada - Vertigo- dizziness - motion sickness - TMJ problems - jaw pain - hip pelvic pain - Headaches - Migraines - Headache Relief - Migraine Relief - Migraine Headaches - Migraine Symptoms - Tension Headaches - Chronic Headaches - Alternative Medicine - Neck Pain - Lower Back Pain - Migraine Headaches - Migraine Symptoms
Nothing has worked for my migraines/headaches before. I have tried all the drugs. What do you do that is different?
Conventional treatment is all too often directed toward the effects rather than the cause of pain, pumping air into a leaking tire. Treat the symptoms, or treat the source! The most thorough and lasting correction is obtained when the source of the problem is uncovered and corrected, fixing the leak!
In the context of this protocol, migraines, headaches and many other conditions are seen more as natural extensions of a worsening myofascial tension pattern and less as separate and unique entities unto themselves.
Our approach, under development since 1987, is founded on the premise that the body has a system of positional and postural control ensuring that the head is held upright and pointing forward. It recognizes Migraines and other pain conditions as the body’s natural and predictible responses to a disruption of this system.
This assessment and treatment protocol approaches migraines and headaches from a structural perspective. We have identified a specific common denominator, an asymmetric pelvis. Until this pelvic asymmetry is corrected, the body’s innate postural balancing influences will continue compensating, perpetuating the migraine and other acute and chronic pain patterns.
First of all, no drugs! We utilize no aggressive high velocity manipulation or joint “cracking” techniques. All “hands-on” movements are designed to work with your muscles and your body rather than against them. We are not about teaching you how to live with your headaches…We are about showing you how to live without your headaches! We actively involve our patients in their own recovery process.
Our treatment approach is straightforward. (1) Confirm the presence of the pattern. (2) Realign the pelvic girdle, and begin releasing the pattern of adaptive compensation throughout the body and (3) Teach you how to correct and maintain the pelvic alignment.
How does this work for Migraines and headaches?
One of the first obstacles we have to overcome is moving beyond the conception that Migraines are a lifetime sentence.
Migraine and headache sufferers endure far more than just pain. Their headaches regularly cause them to reduce their participation in physical activities, limit their involvement in social events, impair their sleep, induce depression, decrease their role in the family, limit their career opportunities, and deprive them of control in their lives.
When they have no satisfactory explanation for the cause of their pain, they fear how much worse it might become, they are convinced that nothing can be done to correct the source of their pain, and they believe they must accept it on these terms. They see no light at the end of the tunnel.
Headache pain can have a structural origin, and be treatable. We view Migraines more as a natural extension of a worsening myofascial tension pattern, and less as separate, mysterious and unique entities unto themselves. The hypertoned muscles in the back of the neck on the right in this Pattern activate a specific pattern of trigger points, referring pain into the head. Most patients describe pain starting in the back of the neck on the right, moving up behind the ear to settle in behind the right eye.
Correcting and more importantly, teaching the patient how to retrain the asymmetric pelvis begins to take away the reason why the muscles in the back of the neck on the right are tight. As the pelvis balances, fewer and fewer signals are sent upward to the neck muscles to keep them compensating and tight. Take away the fuel, and the fire goes out! Patients regularly report lessening or ending a migraine simply by doing the corrective exercise. We jokingly tell patients that they will get to the stage that if they really want a Migraine, they can get one but they will have to work hard for it.
Results have been uniformly excellent according to feedback from patients. Most have been long-term migraine sufferers, having exhausted all conceivable avenues in their quest for relief.
Why would I be out of alignment in this pattern? I have never been in an accident or anything.
We believe this asymmetric pelvis and the problems it causes to be responses to an internal influence, beginning in the womb. Every person examined to date, all ages, including infants and toddlers, has presented with this left hip pattern. Having this pattern does not automatically mean everyone with it will have problems. It can, however, be the foundation of a wide range of problems at some time in the future.
Does your approach work? Will it actually end my pain? Is what you have to offer effective and lasting or is the relief it provides contingent on a routine of drugs or treatments? Will it deliver progressive and lasting improvement over a short series of treatments or will it just temporarily mask the pain, requiring ongoing follow-up to realize any level of improvement?
Our average patient typically requires between five to eight forty minute appointments to completion. We define completion as resolution of the presenting complaints to virtual pain-free status. Appointments are ideally scheduled twice weekly, for three to four weeks. Patients routinely report ongoing and often dramatic improvement throughout the short series of treatments.
We discourage ongoing “maintenance” appointments. If we have done our part, and you have done your “homework” assignments as instructed, there should be no need for an ongoing schedule of maintenance appointments. Once treatment has been completed, and our patients are no longer experiencing pain or well on their way, they assume responsibility for ongoing preventative maintenance. Returns have been extremely low, usually only requiring one or two "tune-up" sessions to get the patient “back on track.”
Are there any potential side effects?
Drugs are not a part of what we do, so side effects, as in reactions to prescription and over-the counter-medications are minimal. If there are any at all, they will take the form of brief episodes of muscle soreness, particularly following the initial appointment, as the body begins to adjust to the realigned pelvis. This would be similar to the settling of an old building given a new foundation.
Will I have to take more drugs?
Definitely not. Drugs have no place in our approach to acute and chronic pain. Drugs cannot correct a structural fault.
Is a physician’s referral required to come for treatment?
A referral is not required to come for treatment here in British Columbia. A referral may be requested by your Extended Medical Plan if you are making a claim for your treatments at the Clinic.
I do not live in your area. Is this treatment approach available anywhere else? If I decide to come to you for treatment, how long would I have to be there? What accommodations are available?
At this point in time there are no other facilities offering this specific treatment approach outside of Victoria, B.C. If you are considering traveling here for treatment, we recommend you plan to be here a minimum of one week in order to derive maximum benefit. ( Tourism Victoria)
Would my Family Doctor know of this Clinic and the work being done there?
Your doctor may not know of this approach to Migraines. To the best of our knowledge, this new approach represents a significant departure from current disciplines (based on feedback from physicians, other therapists, patients and internet and other research to date) in addressing acute, recurrent and chronic conditions. It is completely drug-free and involves no electrical or invasive manipulation techniques.
Will I be required to remove any clothing in order to come for treatment?
No. All work is done with the patient lying on a treatment table. You will be required to remove shoes, glasses, etc., but there is no need to disrobe. We recommend loose, light clothing. Patients scheduling appointments during their working days are encouraged to bring such garments as shorts and a T-shirt to change into.
I have been told that my problems are caused by having one leg shorter than the other.
A prevalent medical opinion is that this pelvic asymmetry is due to a leg length difference. To be horizontal and balanced, the pelvis must be supported by legs of equal length. If there was a true leg length difference, one hip would be lower, and this would be apparent in the level of the iliac crests (the tops of the hips). Where this pattern is present, the iliac crests are level.
The torquing of the pelvis creates the illusion of a difference in leg length, with the left leg appearing shorter. The left leg will commonly be less developed muscularly and will have areas of compensation on the inside of the left knee and ankle and the bottom of the left foot. This imbalance contributes to low back pain and myofascial imbalances above and below the pelvis , imposing chronic muscular strain and overload.
Some degree of Scoliosis is common where this pelvic torsion is chronic and/or pronounced. The most common findings are a left lumbar curve, a right mid-lower thoracic curve and a left upper thoracic-lower cervical curve. These compensations are not simply pulls to the left or right. A spine with Scoliosis has abnormal curves with a rotational deformity. The spine actually spirals upward similar to a corkscrew.
These structural curves correspond completely with the adaptive myofascial compensations identified in this Pattern and can respond favorably to this treatment approach.
Is there a connection between Migraines, headaches and Vertigo, dizziness and motion sickness?
Yes, we believe there is. Vertigo, dizziness and motion sickness problems are believed to result from a disturbance somewhere in the equilibratory apparatus in the inner ear, within the temporal bones. Nature intended that the temporal bones and the semicircular canals of this inner ear apparatus be in absolute orientation and remain so to maintain balance.
The tight musculature in the front of the neck on the left in this Pattern, specifically the Sternocleidomastoid muscle, creates an imbalanced tension on the left temporal bone, pulling it into posterior rotation.
This posterior rotation of the left temporal bone has the potential to disrupt this delicate inner ear coordination, disturbing equilibrium by causing the right and left semicircular canals to be mechanically disoriented with each other. This sends confused images to the brain, resulting in balance and dizziness-related problems. These problems tend to worsen as pain increases in head and neck pain situations, decreasing as pain and concomitant muscle tension lessens.
If the pelvis is out of alignment, the temporal bones and their equilibratory mechanisms will be out of alignment. Successful treatment hinges on realignment of the pelvic girdle! Pump air into a leaking tire, or fix the leak!
Is there a connection between Migraines, headaches and TMJ problems?
Yes, we believe there is there is. TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) problems, also known as Craniomandibular Dysfunction, describes a collection of symptoms which result when the chewing muscles and jaw joints do not function correctly.
The upper and lower teeth must meet firmly when swallowing. An unstable bite can cause both joint displacement and muscle strain. With the jaw out of alignment, the teeth don’t meet properly (dental malocclusion) and this can result in pain, limited jaw movement, clicking or popping of the jaw joints, teeth clenching and/or grinding, uncomfortable, uneven, or out of alignment bite, all worsening over time. Can also affect vertigo, balance problems, nausea, vomiting and headaches.
The skull and the sockets in the temporal bones the lower jaw fits into have generally been considered as rigid, providing a solid base for the lower jaw to work with. In reality, there is a motion of the temporal bones which causes these sockets to be independent of each other. The lower dental arch is in a single bone, whereas the upper dental arch is split. The lower jaw is, in fact, the relative solid base to which the movable upper jaw halves are fitted.
The tight muscles in the front of the neck on the left, specifically the left Sternocleidomastoid muscle create an imbalanced tension on the left temporal bone, pulling it into posterior rotation. This causes the mandibular fossa (the sockets that the lower jaw fits into) to be shifted out of alignment with the lower jaw.
If the pelvis is out of alignment, the temporal bones and the neck musculature will be imbalanced. Successful treatment hinges on realignment of the pelvic girdle! Pump air into a leaking tire, or fix the leak!
Is there a connection between Migraines, headaches, and stress?
Yes. When you are under stress your body’s natural reaction is to tighten muscles in a fight/flight response. When your body is out of alignment in this pattern, the areas that are having to constantly compensate for the misaligned pelvis, specifically the left buttock and left lower back, the right mid-back, on the left between the shoulder blades, the back of the neck on the right and the front of the neck on the left, are always in a state of heightened tension. Under stress, it doesn’t take much to push one or more of these hypertoned muscles over the edge adding the “final straw,” initiating the headache response.
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