Rob's Personal Story
Rob talks about his personal journey starting the Sydney Headache and Migraine Centre.
My Journey as a Headache Sufferer
I was always a bit of a ‘headachy’ person, but over many years my headaches began to get worse. It was a very insidious process which I learnt to deal with by taking medication. The major problem with using medication to ‘fix’ my headache problem was that it was needed on a more frequent basis. As I began to develop more significant and associated problems with headaches, such as nausea, vomiting and light sensitivity, the medication I required needed to be stronger.
After a bout of Viral Meningitis in 2001, my problems seemed to get worse. Eventually, I was suffering debilitating migraines every 4-6 weeks that would write-off my days, without prejudice. I missed 3 out of 5 Christmas days due to migraines!!
Eventually, in 2008, I decided to attend a course run by Dr Dean Watson, a physiotherapist from Adelaide. He presented techniques that were based on very sound biomechanical and technical knowledge, practised on thousands of clients over a 25-year period. Putting into practise these techniques was the beginning of significant change, both in my health and in my career.
My first headache client using the Watson Headache Approach
Not long after completing my first Watson Headache course, my first headache patient was a farmer, who had a nasty head injury involving a huge hay bale – he had suffered migraine headaches every day for 18 months!
After the initial treatment, he reported being “headache-free” for three days. It made me take notice that the Watson Headache Approach had the potential to make some major changes for people suffering headaches and migraines.
Sydney Headache and Migraine Centre was established in the Sutherland Shire in 2008. Since then we have opened a further three practices across Sydney, including the CBD, Kogarah, Moore Park and Caringbah, providing accessible treatment for the greater Sydney region. By 2024, I have assessed and treated over 2600 headache and migraine sufferers, and enjoy making a difference for people suffering the debilitating effects of headaches.
