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Migraine is often dismissed by those who do not suffer from it as “just a bad headache.” This could not be further from the truth. Migraine is a complex Neurological Disease. It is a state of global sensory dysregulation where the brain becomes hypersensitive to the world around it.
While the throbbing head pain is the most famous symptom, many migraine variants do not present with severe pain at all. You might suffer from Vestibular Migraines (dizziness and vertigo), Ocular Migraines (visual aura and blindness), or Abdominal Migraines (nausea and cramping).
At Breakthrough Pain & Performance, we understand that regardless of the symptom, the underlying mechanism is often the same. It is a Sensitised Brainstem. The filter that usually blocks out noise, light, and motion has failed. We treat the migraine brain by recalibrating these filters, raising your threshold so that you can live your life without fear of the next attack.
What happens during a migraine aura? It is a wave of electrical silence known as Cortical Spreading Depression.
Imagine a wave moving across a pond. In the brain, a wave of intense electrical excitation moves across the cortex, followed immediately by a wave of complete inhibition (silence). Where this wave travels determines your symptoms.
This wave is triggered because the brain cells are hyperexcitable. They are “twitchy.” They fire too easily and then exhaust themselves. Our goal is to stabilise the brain. We use specific metabolic and neurological inputs to calm the excitability of the cortex, preventing the wave from starting in the first place.
Vestibular Migraine is now recognised as one of the most common causes of vertigo. Patients feel like they are on a boat, or that the world is spinning. This can happen with or without a headache.
This occurs because the migraine activity affects the Vestibular Nuclei in the brainstem. These nuclei process balance information from the inner ear. When they are sensitised, normal head movement is interpreted as violent spinning.
We treat this with Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) tailored for migraineurs. Standard balance exercises can be too aggressive and trigger an attack. We use gentle, graded exposure to motion. We use Optokinetic Stimulation (visual motion training) to desensitise the brain to busy environments like supermarkets. By retraining the brain to process motion correctly, we stop the dizziness.
Migraine is a state of high energy consumption and high stress. The sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) is often dominant. This keeps the brain on high alert.
The antidote is the Vagus Nerve. This nerve controls the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). Stimulating the Vagus Nerve has been shown to abort migraine attacks and prevent future ones by inhibiting the pain pathways in the brainstem.
We use Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (using specific electrical or manual stimulation of the ear) and breathing protocols to activate this pathway. We teach you how to use these tools at the first sign of a prodrome (the warning phase) to stop the train before it leaves the station.
While migraine is a brain disorder, the trigger is often in the neck. The upper cervical spine (C1-C3) feeds directly into the Trigemino-Cervical Nucleus (the migraine centre).
If your neck is stiff or inflamed, it keeps the migraine centre at a boiling point. It lowers the threshold. A glass of wine or a late night might not normally trigger an attack, but combined with a stiff neck, it pushes you over the edge.
We treat the neck to protect the brain. We gently mobilise the upper cervical spine to lower the baseline input to the brainstem. This increases your “headroom.” It means you can handle more triggers (stress, weather, food) without having an attack.
The migraine brain is an energy-hungry brain. It does not tolerate drops in blood sugar (glucose) or oxygen well.
We look at your metabolic health. Are you skipping meals? Are you dehydrated? Do you have iron deficiency? Stabilising your blood sugar and hydration is a non-negotiable part of migraine management. We provide lifestyle guidance to ensure your brain has a steady supply of fuel, preventing the metabolic crisis that often sparks an attack.
1. The Threshold Assessment: We identify your triggers (neck, eyes, balance, food).
2. The Desensitisation: We use P-DTR and sensory drills to calm the brainstem.
3. The Rehabilitation: We improve your tolerance to light, sound, and motion using graded exposure.
4. The Toolkit: We give you acute interventions (breathing, vagus stimulation) to use when you feel an attack coming.
This clinic is for you if:
We provide a comprehensive, neurological solution.
