The package bundles three visits at a reduced combined price: an initial assessment and treatment with Stephanie Rea or Lexi Brough to identify what's driving your headache pattern, a 45-minute follow-up to progress hands-on treatment and your home program, and a 1-hour remedial massage to address ongoing muscle tension through the neck, shoulders and upper back. Booking it as a package means the follow-up and massage are priced lower than booking each visit separately.

Yes. While physiotherapy can't remove the underlying neurological drivers of migraine, a large proportion of migraine sufferers also carry significant neck and upper back dysfunction that lowers their threshold for an attack and adds a secondary headache on top. A physiotherapist assesses the cervical spine, jaw and postural muscles, and treats the mechanical contribution with manual therapy, dry needling and targeted exercise, alongside your medical migraine management, not in place of it.

A tension-type headache usually presents as a dull, band-like pressure around both sides of the head, linked to muscle tightness in the neck, jaw and scalp. A cervicogenic headache starts from a specific joint in the upper neck and refers pain forward into the head, typically on one side. Both respond well to physiotherapy, but the treatment emphasis differs, which is why an accurate diagnosis in the first session matters.

Dry needling targets tight, irritable trigger points, commonly found in the upper trapezius, suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull, and jaw muscles. Releasing these areas can reduce referred pain into the head, improve neck range of motion and lower overall muscle guarding, as one part of a broader treatment plan.

No referral is required. Physiotherapists at Revive West End can assess and treat directly, though if red-flag features are present, or medication review would help, involving your GP or specialist is recommended as part of a coordinated approach.

Private health fund rebates generally apply to physiotherapy and remedial massage depending on your level of extras cover, so check your policy for physiotherapy and massage item numbers. Medicare rebates are only available for physiotherapy under a GP-issued Chronic Disease Management plan for eligible chronic conditions. Our reception team can help confirm what applies when you book.

It varies with how long the pattern has been established and how much is driven by the neck and posture versus other factors. Many clients notice a change in symptom frequency or intensity within three to four sessions. After the package, Stephanie or Lexi will recommend whether further visits are needed or whether you're ready to move into a self-managed maintenance program.

Gentle, graded manual therapy is generally well tolerated by people who experience migraine with aura, provided treatment is tailored to their irritability level and never pushed through an active attack. A thorough intake, including red-flag screening, is done before any hands-on technique.

Sustained forward-head posture and a fixed desk setup place ongoing load through the upper neck and shoulder girdle, a well-recognised contributor to tension-type and cervicogenic headache, and a factor that can lower migraine threshold in people already prone to attacks. Addressing workstation setup and postural endurance is a standard part of headache physiotherapy.

The first session covers a detailed history of your headache pattern, triggers, frequency and any red-flag symptoms, followed by a physical assessment of neck movement, joint mobility, muscle tension and posture. Treatment usually begins in the same visit, and you'll leave with an initial home exercise plan and a clear idea of what your follow-up and massage will focus on.