Bonitas Member Magazine B-Living Issue 3 | Page 30

Preventing and treating your migraines The most advanced permanent relief for all types of headaches and migraines is available from doctors to reduce and eliminate the need for and dependence on pain medications. These include the Posture Modifying Appliance (PMA), an oral plate assisting with the prevention of migraines, as well as treatment for the muscles such as physiotherapy, trigger point treatment and injections of Botox into painful muscles to relax them. However, the cause of the original headache can be diagnosed and treated so MOH subsides without the patient experiencing withdrawal symptoms. It is important to remember while pain medication may help a headache in the short term, it can cause migraine pain to become more severe and attacks to become more frequent over the long term, and may start a cycle where the individual takes more medication and experiences worse migraines. Stop your cluster headaches When scalp arteries are involved in the pain of the migraine, which is roughly 20% of headache patients treated by The Headache Clinic, the arteries are located using advanced sonic equipment that identifies pain by listening for the exact artery that is throbbing. The artery is then closed off by means of a ‘minimally invasive’ procedure through a very small incision. Posture Modifying Appliance helps prevent migraines The Posture Modifying Appliance (PMA), an oral plate unique to the Headache Clinic designed by Dr Shevel, is an alternative to migraine medication assisting with migraine prevention by relaxing muscles of the jaw and neck into the correct natural rest position. When the plate fits correctly, it is comfortable, does not interfere with an individual’s speech, and that they will not be aware they are wearing it. When migraines are caused by painful muscles, the PMA can be a permanent solution to a patient’s pain. Be aware of Medication Overuse Headache Using medication to control a migraine, whether prescription or over-the-counter, may cause unpleasant side effects or a condition known as Medication Overuse Headache (MOH). Taking migraine medication just two or three times a week is enough to cause MOH and should a patient try to remove themselves from medication once MOH has set in, they can experience severe withdrawal symptoms. Page 29 A cluster headache, also known as a suicide headache, is a type of headache closely related to a migraine. Although the pain in a cluster headache is caused by arteries, Dr Shevel has discovered an additional artery called the maxillary artery, which can cause the worst pain known to mankind so severe people actually commit suicide to escape it. Dr Shevel has developed a procedure to treat cluster headaches by permanently closing the maxillary artery giving permanent relief to cluster headache sufferers. You can find out more about this procedure from the Headache Clinic.