Physiotherapists: It’s Time To Stick Your Neck Out And Manage Recurrent Nausea And Vomiting Disorders
From its very first descriptions in the literature, migraine has been indelibly coupled with nausea and vomiting, such that the presence of nausea with headache accurately predicts 76% of migraine, and diagnostically excludes tension-type headache.
Often regarded as an epiphenomenon of migraine coupled to pain intensity, there is growing evidence that nausea and vomiting are symptoms that make an independent contribution, accounting for disproportionately high degrees of disability and disease burden. Two to three percent of the paediatric and adult population, suffer recurrent nausea and vomiting as their only symptom, constituting the functional nausea and vomiting disorders, which also results in a disproportionate use of healthcare resources as desperate parents, patients and physicians search for answers.
By examining two cases - a patient with migraine with aura and nausea with vomiting her most bothersome symptom, and a 3year old girl with Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS), Roger will present the role of upper cervical afferents as a common therapeutic target in both conditions, and, highlight the implications for a shared pathophysiology. In this presentation, Roger, probably the most internationally experienced manual therapist managing patients with CVS, will present at the 2nd Watson Headache® Institute International Symposium Online, the neurophysiological evidence for the role of cervical afferents, and the role of manual cervical intervention in the (successful) management of those afflicted by this syndrome.
Bio
Roger O'Toole graduated with first class honours as a physiotherapist in 2002, and soon thereafter developed an interest in chronic conditions, completing post graduate training in advanced physiology and chronic pain management. Since 2004, Roger has focused his interest in chronic conditions into headache and migraine treatment and management.
This interest has involved taking on further study including completion of the Level I Foundation Seminar and Level II Advanced Seminar presented by the Watson Headache® Institute. In 2013 Roger was among the first group of therapists worldwide to become a Watson Headache® Certified Practitioner.
Roger has acquired a unique and highly specific skill set which has culminated in the opening in 2012 of one of the first headache and migraine treatment centres dedicated to using the Watson Headache® Approach (apart from Dean Watson's clinic in Adelaide).
Having consulted for over 5000 hours with over 1200 clients, Roger is one of the most experienced practitioners in Australia in using the Watson Headache® Approach. Roger's unique skill set and experience have seen him sought out by other therapists with an interest in headache and migraine. This sees Roger hosting clinicians from around Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, in his clinic to help them better understand the role of the neck in headache and migraine, with the hope that the Watson Headache® Approach will continue to broaden its reach.
