The Watson Headache® Approach

The Watson Headache® Approach is the only hands-on technique with research supporting its ability to treat the underlying cause in headache and migraine – an overactive brainstem.

It is a structured, gentle method of assessment and treatment focused on the upper cervical spine (C0–C3). It is used to identify when the upper neck is contributing to headache or migraine by testing specific segments with precise, sustained palpation while closely monitoring symptom behaviour. As well as assessing positional faults caused by muscle spasm in the sub-occipital muscles, a key decision sign is Reproduction and Resolution: your familiar head pain appears briefly during specific tests on your upper neck and then settles while the same gentle pressure is maintained. When this sign is present, it suggests a treatable mechanical driver in the upper neck that may be lowering your threshold for headache and migraine.

It then uses input to the upper neck to calm the overactive brainstem. Treatment aims to reduce abnormal sensory input from the upper neck into brainstem pathways (primarily the Trigeminocervical Nucleus), helping to calm sensitivity and raise the threshold at which symptoms are triggered. Where appropriate, this hands-on care is paired with a small number of targeted exercises and practical routines to support lasting change. It is designed to sit alongside medical management from your neurologist, or other medical consultant and your GP.

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