People suffering from intense headaches and dizziness may find relief at a new Oak Bay health clinic.
Founded by licensed chiropractor and mother-of-two Morgan Watson, the Health League, which sits above the Pure Vanilla Cafe in Cadboro Bay, specializes in the treatment of migraines and vertigo – conditions common among Canadians.
According to Migraine Canada, 12.5 per cent – or 4.5 million people – of Canadians suffer from migraines, which can be accompanied by confusion, vomiting, nausea and a sensitivity to sound and light. While eight per cent of men worldwide experience these blistering headaches, the condition is three times more common among women.
“For some people, for example, their migraine and headache pain is so, so severe, they're off work,” said Watson, who moved her practice from Victoria to Oak Bay in November. “This can be a very crippling condition that affects their life in very, very major ways.”
Less common than migraines, vertigo affects 1.5 million Canadians, according to the Ontario Blue Cross. Often confused with a fear of heights, those suffering from this illness can report dizziness and/or feel like they're spinning.
To address these conditions, the Health League boasts three chiropractors and a physiotherapist, who also treat general muscle pains, sprains and strains. What makes the clinic special, though, is one member of its five-person staff.
“There are lots of integrated health clinics where you'll see chiros and physios together. That's a very common pairing," said Watson. "What's truly unique about us is having that medical doctor."
Not only does having a doctor under the same roof as other health professionals simplify and streamline clients' experiences, it also offers many much-needed access to a physician, when visiting one can be so difficult.
An Angus Reid Institute survey found 33 per cent of Canadians polled are unable to see their doctor within a week, while 17 per cent more couldn't find a physician. The same study highlighted that 59 per cent of B.C. adults reported difficulties visiting their current general practitioner or simply couldn’t access one.
"[Our] doctor ... will ... do any imaging, blood work, manage the meds and be your single point of contact for these horrible conditions, and then co-manage you with the team as appropriate," said Watson.
Watson and her staff often help clients who have sought care at emergency rooms, many of whom have had to wait ten hours before being seen. The clinic also leaves appointments open every day to quickly treat people experiencing sudden migraines or bouts of vertigo.
“That's been a game changer for so many different people to not have to live in fear anymore when these episodes happen, because they actually have someone actively managing the condition," said Watson. “To give [patients] the opportunity that they can just have a point of contact that is theirs, where they're not struggling anymore to get medication or to get seen, is massive."
