Melbourne Headache Centre

Melbourne Headache Centre The Melbourne Headache Centre is a centre of excellence in assessing & managing hypersensitivity disorders.

Upper cervical spine dysfunction is underestimated & poorly treated in many disorders; headache, migraine, cvs, Vestib mig, PPPD, POTS.

When most people think about dental health, they think about brushing, flossing and preventing cavities. Those things ab...
04/08/2026

When most people think about dental health, they think about brushing, flossing and preventing cavities. Those things absolutely matter.
But dental health is also about how the jaw, muscles, nerves and surrounding structures work together.
As physiotherapists working in headache and orofacial pain, we regularly see people who have spent months, or even years, searching for answers to persistent headaches, jaw pain or facial pain. Often, they’re surprised to learn that these symptoms can be closely connected.
Pain doesn’t always originate where you feel it. A headache may be influenced by the jaw. Jaw pain may be influenced by the neck. Tooth pain isn’t always caused by the tooth itself. That’s why a thorough assessment considers the whole person, rather than focusing on a single area.
This Dental Health Week, we’d like to encourage you to think beyond your teeth. If you’re experiencing persistent headaches, jaw pain or facial pain, know that these conditions are common, they’re often interconnected, and they deserve an accurate assessment.
Education is the first step towards better outcomes.
Have you ever been surprised to discover the source of your pain wasn’t where you expected? We’d love to hear your experience in the comments.

Do you wake at exactly the same time every night with a headache?It could be Hypnic Headache – a rare primary headache d...
03/08/2026

Do you wake at exactly the same time every night with a headache?

It could be Hypnic Headache – a rare primary headache disorder often nicknamed the “alarm clock headache” because it wakes people from sleep at a remarkably consistent time.

Did you know?
• Affects less than 1% of people with headache disorders.
• Around twice as common in women, particularly those over 50 years of age.
• Usually begins 3–4 hours after falling asleep.
• Episodes last 15 minutes to 4 hours and can significantly disrupt sleep.
• Unlike cluster headache, it is not associated with tearing, a blocked nose, or other cranial autonomic symptoms.

Current medical treatment often includes caffeine before bed or medications such as indomethacin, although these don’t work for everyone.

A recent case from our clinic involved a 58-year-old woman with a history of migraine who developed hypnic headaches two years earlier. Twice a week she woke at 2:00 am with pain across the back of her head and upper neck. The headaches lasted 1–3 hours, disrupted her sleep, and were unresponsive to medication.

Our assessment identified dysfunction affecting the upper cervical spine. Balance testing suggested altered sensory input from the neck, and pressure over the upper cervical joints reproduced her familiar headache.

Following treatment to restore normal movement at the top of the neck, her hypnic headaches resolved and the improvement has been maintained. Better sleep also had positive flow-on effects for several of her other chronic health conditions.

While hypnic headache almost certainly involves a brain mechanism that “switches on” the headache during sleep, this case highlights that the neck can still be an important contributor to the headache itself.

This is a single case study and doesn’t mean all hypnic headaches originate from the neck. If headaches regularly wake you from sleep, it’s important to seek assessment, as there are several possible causes that require different management.

Have you ever heard of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome?Despite its whimsical name, Alice in Wonderland Syndrome (AIWS) is a...
30/07/2026

Have you ever heard of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome?

Despite its whimsical name, Alice in Wonderland Syndrome (AIWS) is a real neurological condition that changes how a person perceives the world around them.

During an episode, objects may suddenly appear:
* Smaller than they really are (micropsia)
* Larger than they really are (macropsia)
* Much farther away (teleopsia)
* Much closer than they really are (pelopsia)

For some people, their own body can also feel distorted, with body parts seeming unusually large, small or altered in shape.

These episodes can be unsettling, but they’re not caused by problems with the eyes. Instead, they’re thought to occur because the brain temporarily processes visual and sensory information differently.

AIWS has been linked to a number of neurological conditions, including migraine (particularly migraine with aura), epilepsy, viral infections, and, more rarely, structural brain disorders.

Although considered uncommon, it’s likely under-recognised, particularly in people living with migraine.

Have you ever experienced objects suddenly looking too big, too small, too close or too far away? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments.

Why does light hurt when you have migraine?For many people with migraine, even normal daylight, supermarket lighting or ...
24/07/2026

Why does light hurt when you have migraine?

For many people with migraine, even normal daylight, supermarket lighting or a phone screen can feel overwhelming.

This is called photophobia (light sensitivity), but despite the name, it’s not a problem with your eyes.

It’s a symptom of the brain becoming overly sensitive to sensory information.

During migraine, the brainstem becomes sensitised, meaning it struggles to appropriately process the constant stream of information arriving from your eyes, ears, neck and the rest of your body. Light that would normally feel comfortable can suddenly become painful, uncomfortable or simply “too much.”

This is one reason migraine is far more than “just a headache.” Along with nausea, dizziness, sound sensitivity and brain fog, light sensitivity reflects changes in how the nervous system is functioning.

An interesting finding from research is that living in the dark isn’t always the answer. While reducing light exposure during an attack is often necessary, constantly wearing sunglasses indoors or avoiding light altogether may actually make the brain even more sensitive over time.

Understanding why light sensitivity occurs is important. Rather than thinking of it as an eye problem, it’s more helpful to see it as a sign that the nervous system has become overloaded.

Have you ever found yourself reaching for sunglasses on an overcast day or turning your phone brightness right down during a migraine?

Could your neck be part of the reason GLP-1 medications make you feel dizzy? This real patient case highlights how persi...
17/07/2026

Could your neck be part of the reason GLP-1 medications make you feel dizzy?

This real patient case highlights how persistent dizziness and vertigo became significantly worse after starting a GLP-1 medication. While the medication may have played a role, it wasn’t the whole story.

A detailed assessment identified a neck-related problem affecting the brain’s balance system. After treatment, the patient experienced an immediate improvement, with no vertigo episodes over the following two months—all while continuing their GLP-1 medication.

Take-home message: Sometimes medications don’t create a new problem—they may uncover an existing weakness in the balance system. If the neck is contributing, treating it may make a significant difference.

This is a single case study and doesn’t mean everyone experiencing dizziness on GLP-1 medications has a neck-related problem. Individual assessment is essential.

Retinal Migraine vs Migraine with Aura: They’re Not the SameMany people use these terms interchangeably, but retinal mig...
17/07/2026

Retinal Migraine vs Migraine with Aura: They’re Not the Same

Many people use these terms interchangeably, but retinal migraine and migraine with aura are two different conditions.

Migraine with visual aura is the most common type of aura. The visual changes come from the brain, not the eye and are bilateral, but affects one side of the visual field Symptoms often include shimmering zig-zag lines, flashing lights, blind spots or sparkling patterns. These changes usually affect both eyes (even if it initially feels like just one) and typically last 5–60 minutes before completely resolving.

Retinal migraine(previously referred to as ocular migraine), on the other hand, is much rarer. It is thought to be related to local blood flow changes in the eye and causes temporary vision loss or visual disturbances in one eye only. People may notice blurred vision, flashing lights, or partial or complete vision loss affecting a single eye. Episodes usually last 5–60 minutes and vision returns to normal afterwards.

IMPORTANT: Because retinal migraine affects only one eye, it’s important not to assume it’s migraine. Temporary vision loss in one eye can also be a sign of serious conditions such as retinal detachment, retinal artery occlusion or transient ischaemic attack (TIA). If this is your first episode, the symptoms are different from usual, or your vision doesn’t fully recover, seek urgent medical assessment.

If you’re experiencing visual symptoms with migraine, a careful history can help determine whether the problem is coming from the eye or the brain. This is an important distinction that can guide appropriate investigation and management.

Have you ever experienced visual symptoms with migraine? Let us know below.

GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic® (semaglutide) and Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) have revolutionised the treatment of type 2...
16/07/2026

GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic® (semaglutide) and Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) have revolutionised the treatment of type 2 diabetes and have helped millions of people improve their health.

However, as their use continues to grow, we’re also alearning more about their potential side effects. Emerging research suggests these medications may be associated with an increased risk of developing certain vestibular (inner ear and balance) disorders, including BPPV, Ménière’s disease and vestibular neuritis, with some differences also observed in conditions affecting the central vestibular system.

It’s important to remember that this research shows an association, not that these medications directly cause vestibular disorders, and for many people the benefits of treatment will far outweigh these potential risks.

If you’ve recently started a GLP-1 medication and have noticed dizziness, vertigo or balance problems, don’t ignore your symptoms. Speak with your prescribing doctor, as early assessment can help identify the cause and guide appropriate treatment.

Vertigo VestibularDisorders Dizziness Migraine VestibularMigraine MelbourneHeadacheCentre

JulEYE: Migraine with Visual AuraImagine looking at the world and suddenly seeing shimmering zig-zag lines, flashing lig...
10/07/2026

JulEYE: Migraine with Visual Aura

Imagine looking at the world and suddenly seeing shimmering zig-zag lines, flashing lights, blind spots or swirling patterns. For many people living with migraine with aura, these visual changes are a reality.

Visual aura is a temporary neurological symptom that usually develops gradually, lasts 5–60 minutes, and then completely resolves. It can occur before a migraine headache, during one, or sometimes without any headache at all.

Did you know?

Some researchers believe that Vincent van Gogh experienced migraine with aura, and have suggested that the swirling sky in The Starry Night may have been inspired by the visual disturbances he experienced. While this has never been proven, it provides a fascinating perspective on how migraine can influence the way some people see the world.

Visual aura occurs when a temporary wave of altered brain activity passes through the brain’s visual cortex, temporarily disrupting how it processes visual information. This is what causes the visual changes experienced during an aura—even though the eyes themselves are healthy.

If you experience visual symptoms for the first time, if they are different from your usual aura, or if they don’t completely resolve, seek urgent medical assessment to rule out other neurological or eye conditions.

This JulEYE, we’re raising awareness that migraine is much more than “just a headache.”

This JulEYE, we’re looking beyond the eyes. July is Australia’s National Eye Health Awareness Month, and to mark the occ...
01/07/2026

This JulEYE, we’re looking beyond the eyes.

July is Australia’s National Eye Health Awareness Month, and to mark the occasion, we’re introducing a new series exploring the connection between vision, eye-related symptoms, migraine, and the nervous system.

While visual symptoms can understandably feel like an eye problem, they don’t always originate in the eyes. Migraine and other neurological conditions can also affect how we see, process light, and perceive the world around us.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be taking a closer look at four important topics:

* Retinal Migraine – What it is, how it differs from migraine with aura, and why an accurate diagnosis matters.
* Light Sensitivity (Photophobia) – Why bright lights can trigger or worsen symptoms, and what may be happening in the brain and nervous system.
* Visual Aura – From flashing lights and zig-zag patterns to blind spots, we’ll explain what visual aura is and why it occurs.
* Alice in Wonderland Syndrome – A rare but fascinating neurological condition that can alter the perception of size, distance, and reality, and is sometimes associated with migraine.

Whether you live with migraine, experience visual symptoms, or are simply interested in learning more, we hope this series helps you better understand these often misunderstood conditions.

Follow along each week as we explore each topic in more detail.

June is Men’s Mental Health Month When we talk about men’s mental health, we often focus on stress, depression and anxie...
26/06/2026

June is Men’s Mental Health Month

When we talk about men’s mental health, we often focus on stress, depression and anxiety. But chronic pain and neurological conditions like migraine and cluster headache are also an important part of the conversation.

Many men feel pressure to “push through” pain leading to isolation, anxiety, depression, and delays in seeking treatment.

This is especially true for men living with headaches following head or neck trauma, concussion, persistent post-concussion syndrome (PPCS), or whiplash. While anxiety and depression can arise from the impact these injuries have on daily life, research also suggests they may be related to the trauma itself and the physiological changes that occur in the brain, neck, and nervous system (Al-Khazali et al., 2022). For people with ongoing symptoms after trauma, it’s important to assess whether dysfunction of the neck may be contributing.

Cluster headache deserves special mention. Although less common than migraine, it affects men more frequently than women and is recognised as one of the most painful conditions known to medicine. Because of its extreme severity, it has historically been referred to as the “S******d Headache*” due to the sheer intensity of the pain.

If you’re a man living with migraine, cluster headache, or persistent headaches, please know:
- Your pain is real.
- You don’t have to “tough it out.”
- Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
- Effective assessment, treatment and support are available.
- Check the Neck!

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, support is available.
- Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14 (24/7)
- SuicideLine Victoria: 1300 651 251 (24/7)
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.

Address

World Trade Centre, Tower 4, Level 9, 18 Siddeley Street
Melbourne, VIC
3008

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Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
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