About Us
Recurring pain doesn’t just affect your body — it drains your energy, interrupts your sleep, and impacts how you show up at work, at home, and in the moments that matter most.
Living with ongoing headaches and neck pain can feel exhausting. The constant discomfort often leads to fatigue, frustration, and even feelings of anxiety or low mood. Poor sleep only makes things harder, leaving you with less energy to concentrate at work, enjoy quality time with your family, or simply feel present in your daily life.
It’s not just about the physical pain. It’s about the missed opportunities — skipping social events, giving up on exercise or sport, or feeling like you can’t fully enjoy your hobbies anymore. Over time, these limitations can chip away at your confidence and sense of control.
If you’ve tried quick fixes like painkillers, single-modality treatments, or short-term strategies, you already know they rarely bring lasting change. What you need is a whole-body approach that looks deeper — addressing not just the symptoms, but the root causes behind them.
By combining the science of chiropractic with the healing principles of naturopathy, you can finally move beyond short-term fixes and experience relief that lasts.
Instead of masking symptoms, my approach looks at the whole picture. By integrating evidence-based chiropractic care with natural, holistic strategies from naturopathy, I work with your body to restore balance and reduce the cycle of recurring pain.
This means not only addressing the physical tension in your spine and neck, but also looking at the lifestyle, nutritional, and environmental factors that may be contributing to your discomfort. Together, we create a tailored plan designed to support lasting change — so you can get back to focusing on your career, your family, and the things you love.
Living better through science and nature.
Lasting Relief from Pain
No more living from one flare-up to the next. With a whole-body approach, you can finally enjoy consistent relief instead of relying on temporary fixes.
More Energy & Focus
Better sleep and reduced tension mean you can show up with more clarity at work and greater presence at home — without pain holding you back.
Freedom to Live Fully
Whether it’s exercise, sport, hobbies, or family time, you’ll have the confidence and energy to enjoy the activities that make life meaningful.
Dr Gerard Keown
Dr Gerard Keown
You deserve care that’s both natural and credible. My practice is built on decades of study, clinical experience, and a commitment to evidence-based practice.
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- Over 20 years in natural health, beginning practice as a naturopath in 2003
- Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) and Master’s Degree in Chiropractic
- Practising chiropractor since 2011, with a focus on neck pain and headaches
- Accredited member of Chiropractic Australia
- AHPRA registered healthcare professional
- Published research on neck pain in peer-reviewed scientific literature
- Contributor to continuing education modules for Chiropractic Australia, the Royal College of Chiropractors in the UK, and the European Chiropractors Union
- Taught myotherapy students and lectured anatomy and physiology at university
- Clinic supervisor overseeing final-year chiropractic students treating patients
Conditions We Treat
Headaches
Headaches impact your health and enjoyment of life. They reduce work performance, interfere with family, social and personal relationships, and stop you doing things you love, like exercising, playing sport or relaxing with your favourite hobby.
Headaches are very common — they are the 2nd most prevalent disorder affecting women. There are more than 200 types of headache with different causes, signs and symptoms, and varying frequency, intensity and duration of attacks. It’s also common for two different headaches to occur at the same time. Fortunately, most headaches are not caused by sinister pathology. A skilled clinician can accurately diagnose headaches, especially when they co-exist. Accurate diagnosis is important because different headaches require different treatments. What works for one type of headache will not work for another, or may make it worse.
Migraines
Migraines are very complex inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system. They are not just simply another type of headache. Headaches are just one of many signs and symptoms that can affect those who suffer migraines.
- They are the 2nd most common neurological disorder in the world
- 83% of people who suffer migraines also suffer tension-type headaches
- 75% of people who suffer migraines are women, usually of child-bearing age
- Hormones play a significant role in migraines
- 80% experience low back pain, higher than the general population
- 86% experience neck pain, tight muscles and stiff neck joints
- More than 78% experience jaw (TMJ) pain, which increases to 91% with chronic migraine
- 50% experience insomnia or poor sleep quality
- 84% suffer sinus pressure, 82% sinus pain, 63% nasal congestion, and 47% a runny nose (rhinorrhoea)
Dizziness/Vertigo
Dizziness and vertigo are amongst the most common symptoms, affecting up to 30% of people. Dizziness is an umbrella term that includes lightheadedness, vertigo (a false perception of movement), disequilibrium (a feeling of being unbalanced), or presyncope (feeling like you are about to faint). The terms are often used interchangeably, but they have very different causes and symptom patterns, and treatments. Dizziness, lightheadedness, vertigo, disequilibrium and presyncope involve different nerves and parts of your brain.
Neck Pain
Neck pain is the 4th most disabling condition in the world, and the most common chronic disorder. It affects 50% more women than men, 2.5 million Australians every year, and will affect two-thirds of people during their lifetime. One of the reasons it is the 4th most disabling condition in the world is that it is poorly managed by many healthcare systems. Pharmaceuticals may alleviate your symptoms, but they do nothing to treat the underlying cause of your neck pain. We see many people suffering neck pain every day in our clinic, and we have a high rate of treatment success.
Jaw Pain
The jaw is a very active part of your body, always moving throughout the day as you eat and speak. Your jaw (mandible) connects to your temple bones. This is where the name of the joints comes from: the temporomandibular joints, or TMJs. These are the most complex joints in your body. Problems can occur in these joints, the muscles around them, of a combination of both. These problems are temporomandibular disorders, or TMD. TMDs are the 2nd most prevalent chronic pain condition in the world, 2nd only to low back pain, and the most common orofacial disorder affecting the mouth, jaw, and face. Prevalence among women is about 10%, compared to 3% in men. It typically occurs between 18–44 years of age. It is associated with:
- Clenching and grinding the teeth (bruxism)
- Malocclusion of your teeth
- Stress
- Depression
- Migraines
- Tension-type headaches (TTH)
- Whiplash
- Hypersensitivity to pain
- Increased prevalence and severity of spinal pain (especially neck pain and dysfunction)
TMD affects more than 20% of those who have suffered whiplash. There is a 10-fold increased risk of TMD with migraine, and a 3-fold increased risk with TTH.
Your First Visit
If this is your first time visiting The Headache and Neck Pain Clinic then our step by step guide will help you to get the most benefit from your first visit.
- When you make your first appointment you will receive a confirmation email containing important details, including a link to a New Patient Form that you can complete online. This provides us with important information for your diagnosis and treatment. This link is secure and uses encryption. Please allow about 15 minutes to complete the form. If you do not receive this email in a short time please check your spam folder.
- Complete the New Patient Form This provides us with important information for diagnosis and treatment. For your convenience, and to save time, the Form can be completed and submitted online on your device. You can also download and print a hardcopy for completion by hand. Return the completed form by email info@headacheneckpainclinic.com.au. or bring it with you to your 1st appointment. Otherwise, arrive 15 minutes before your appointment and our staff will provide you with a paper form for you to complete.
- Bring scans, x-rays or MRIs, and any test results, such as blood tests to your fist appointment.
- Wear clothes that allow you to move freely, such as gym wear or similar clothing.
- HICAPS and EFTPOS are available for immediate on-the-spot health fund claims and electronic payments.
- We value your time and do our best to be punctual. We ask that you arrive on time so that you can receive enough time for your consultation. We also realise that your plans can change and it may be necessary to reschedule an appointment. We ask that you give us as much notice as possible, preferably at least 48 hours notice. This enables us to make the appointment available for someone else who is in need of treatment. Otherwise the full appointment fee may be charged for a missed appointment.
- Allow 40 minutes for your first consultation. This includes a detailed health history, physical exam, functional assessments, orthopaedic or neurologic tests. These tests require unrestricted movements. This is why gym wear is recommended. Some tests may require access to the skin on your arms or legs.
- If necessary, you may be referred for imaging such as x-rays or MRI, or for other tests such as blood tests.
- Once your history, physical exam and necessary tests are complete you will be given a diagnosis. Different treatment options will be discussed with you, and the likely prognosis. Throughout this process you are encouraged to ask questions. Once you have decided on a treatment approach we will begin treatment.
- At the end of treatment certain tests will be repeated. This will determine your response to treatment. You will be shown specific exercises to help your recovery, and to reduce the likelihood of relapses. You will also receive specific dietary, lifestyle or occupational strategies. You may also be prescribed nutritional or herbal medicines specific to your circumstances.
- It is likely that you will require a follow-up appointment. It is rare for a disorder to completely resolve with one treatment, especially chronic disorders. This will provide important information about how you have responded to treatment. It also helps identify any difficulties you may be experiencing with exercises and strategies. As your condition improves you will graduate to more advanced exercises and strategies. This is important for reducing the frequency, severity and duration of relapses. We aim to make you as self-sufficient as possible and not reliant upon treatments. Follow-up consultations are only recommended when necessary. Allow 20 minutes for follow-up appointments. Our receptionists will be able to make an appointment for you.
- Our professional relationship with you continues after you leave our clinic. You are encouraged to continue to ask any questions or raise any concerns at any time by calling, messaging or emailing our clinic. This is all part of our service to you.
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Getting here...
By Car
There are 2-hour metered street parking spaces in Queen Street, and adjacent streets, as well as a Wilson carpark 50 metres from the clinic at 200 Queen Street.
by Tram
Tram routes 86 and 96 stop on Bourke Street at the corner of Queen Street (stop #4), just 80 metres from the clinic.
by Bus
Bus routes 200, 207, 216, 220, 234, 236, 250, 251, 303, 309, 350, and 605 stop on Queen Street near the corner of Little Bourke Street, within metres of the clinic.