Osteopathy
what do we treat?
Osteopathy - What do we treat?
Back pain in pregnancy
Pregnant, and post-partum, mothers respond really well to osteopathic treatment.
Osteopathy can help the body as it adjusts to the changing pregnancy posture and prepare the pelvis for delivery. Your osteopath can also advise on optimal foetal positioning and birthing techniques.
Cranial osteopathy is a gentle form of osteopathy commonly used in the later stages of pregnancy and with babies/children. Our osteopaths are specifically trained in this specialised form of treatment to give you the highest level of care.
After delivery mums can get a little forgotten as the beautiful new bundle takes all attention! However it is important to make sure that the pelvis returns to it's pre-pregnancy posture. This is most easily done within the first six months post partum. Regaining the integrity in the pelvis can make the physical demands of motherhood more comfortable and is especially advisable if you intend on having more children.
RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) wrist and hand pain
RSI typically affects the neck, shoulder, arm, wrist, fingers and thumb,with conditions such as tendentious, De Quervain and carpal pain.
These problems are often a link between a repetitive job; typing, filling, use of mouse, and a poor working environment.
This working environment may include poor work station set up, posture at your desk or lay out of you office.
The problem is initially often quite unremarkable, a slight lean or twist to one side to talk to a colleague or a monitor positioned slightly off centre.
Over months this will lead to muscular tensions and in turn lead to the foundations of more serious problems.
With a long history of advice on workstation set up, we are particularly good at treating these types of complaint.
Osteopathic treatment involves explaining the causes behind the injuries, giving advice on prevention (see workstation set-up), direct treatment and goal based rehabilitation.
Whiplash
The compressive forces through the spine from a car crash, especially a rear end shunt is staggering.
Even at relatively low speeds (less than 20mph) the force from the shunt forces the person up off their seat and their head is violently whipped forward and back.
Whiplash injuries result not only from road traffic accidents, but also heavy falls, horse riding falls, or any time when a person moving at speed stops suddenly!
These forces will cause tearing to the soft tissues of the neck, shoulder and spine (muscles, ligaments and tendons) The spinal discs are often damaged or even prolapsed (popped), leading to nerve damage and referred pain into the arm and leg.
Pain from whiplash injuries may take a few days to start and the pains may increase over the first few weeks.
Often as one set of pains ease a second set of pains starts as the body compensates for the initial damage.
Osteopathy is very effective at treating whiplash injuries, initially talking through how the injuries were caused, treating the injuries, giving a realistic prognosis and helping with home rehabilitation exercises.
Low back pain, back pain, Spondylosis (spinal arthritis)
This is the area that Osteopaths are perhaps best known for.
Low back pain is the curse of man, leading to millions of work hours lost every year.
The Osteopathic approach to low back pain is the same as with all other areas of the body, to fully understand the underlying mechanical basis to the problem.
This involves building up a picture of the mechanical stresses and weakness in the back including any specific spinal problems including wear and tear, spinal arthritis or Spondylosis, postural problems, muscle weakness, sporting technique, and trauma.
With a full understanding of the problem we will then explain our diagnosis and the factors causing the pain.
Osteopathic treatment involves hands on treatment as well as self help exercise and advice.
Our goal is always to promote self reliance and confidence in the patient with their particular back problem.
Tennis elbow golfers elbow
The forearm muscles can generate a large amount of power such as when hammering and playing squash.
The muscles start from a thick tendon on each side of the elbow, which attaches to the bone.
There is a limit to how much tension a tendon can cope with and they are particularly vulnerable to violent quick contractions.
If one of these tendons is over used the junction between the tendon and bone will become irritated and painful.
The area on the elbow where the tendon is irritated will become tender to touch and if the muscle is used the same area will be very painfull.
The muscle/tendon on the outside of the elbow is used for backhand shots in squash
opening jar lids and many DIY jobs.
If the muscle tendon is over used, as in tennis where wrist movement should be kept to minimum, irritation develops and is called tennis elbow.
The muscle/tendon on the inside of the elbow is used for hammering, doing up a jar and using a knife.
If the muscle /tendon is over used as in golf, again where wrist action should be minimal, then irritation develops and is called golfers elbow.
Osteopathic treatment of golfers and tennis elbow involves direct work to the elbow and often the use of supports.
It also involves fully understanding the mechanical basis behind the injury, which could be from a stiff /weak shoulder or back, nerve irritation from the neck, poor technique or poor posture at work (RSI).
Using this knowledge we can then provide a rehabilitation program and prevent re-occurrence.
Shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, impingement, rotator cuff injuries
The shoulder, unlike the hip, has a great deal of flexibility. In order to have this flexibility the shoulder is a relatively unstable joint.
The shoulder`s stability is maintained by muscles directly around the shoulder joint (rotator cuff) as well as muscles on the arm, chest and around the shoulder blade/scapular.
To fully lift the shoulder forward up to the ceiling requires muscles of the back, scapular, arm and chest to co-ordinate as well as flexibility in the upper back/spine. When this muscular co-ordination breaks down whether through wear and tear/arthritis, trauma, poor sports technique or poor posture, a shoulder can become painful very quickly.
If the muscles, which hold the shoulder joint together are damaged either through trauma or ageing it is called a rotator cuff tear.
If on lifting the arm there is bone, tendon or muscle compression inside the shoulder joint this is called impingement.
Inflammation in a shoulder joint occasionally leads to the shoulder joint contracting and sticking together. This is often called a frozen shoulder.
Osteopathic treatment of the shoulder involves looking at the whole shoulder complex, including the movement of the spine, scapular and arm and relating this to posture, age, trauma, and sporting technique.
Our treatment will aim to reduce the pain and improve flexibility but also empower the patient with a full understanding of the problem and the ability to prevent reoccurrence.
Sciatica, trapped nerves, nerve pain
The spine is composed of vertebrae all interlocking with each other.
Between each vertebrae there are discs of cartilage and running down the middle of each vertebrae is the spinal common. Between each vertebrae nerves leave the spinal cord to reach all parts of the bodt.
These nerves trigger muscles to contract, provide a sense of touch and temperature
as well as provide you with knowledge of your body position.
Each nerve supplies a distinct area of the body. The sciatic nerve exits from the lowest vertebrae in the spine and triggers muscles and sense of touch down the back of the leg into the foot.
If for any reason a nerve is compressed, the nerve will react and produce pain, numbness, pins and needles, muscle spasm and weakness. The more the compression the worse the symptoms.
A nerve can be compressed by a popped prolapsed disc where some part of the disc compresses the spinal nerve, or can be due to spinal arthritis or spondylosis where some part of a worn vertebra pushes on a nerve.This is often called a trapped nerve
If the nerve is the sciatic nerve it will produce pain, numbness, pins and needles, muscle spasm and occasionally weakness down the back of the leg.This is called Sciatica.
Osteopathic treatment is very effective at treating these conditions, explaining the causative factors, treating the problem and helping to prevent re-occurrence.
Neck pain vertigo headaches
Problems with the neck or cervical spine can cause a large number of problems including vertigo, headaches migraines sinus irritation, dry eyes as well as a sense of pressure in the head and a lack of concentration.
Trapped nerves in the neck or referred pain from the neck can cause, or be a contributing part of, arm problems such as RSI, tennis elbow and achy and stiff hands.
The neck is also often the cause of pains around the shoulder blade, chest and mid back.
Osteoarthritis and wear and tear
Trauma, repetitive use and age can all lead to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis leads to cartilage and bone damage as well as contraction of the soft tissues (muscle ligament tendons) around the joint. This in turn leads to a reduction of blood flow through the area.The combination of tension, poor blood flow and joint deterioration will increase the speed of osteoarthritis damage and reduce co-ordination around the affected area.
Osteopathic treatment of osteoarthritis will reduce the localised muscle tension as well as help to increase blood flow.
Osteopathic treatment can not repair worn cartilage or bone, however treatment can reduce muscle tone and increase joint mobility as well as provide advise and help with increasing co-ordination and muscle strength. This will greatly help decrease the symptoms of osteoarthritis and produce a noticeable affect on the patient`s quality of life.
Ankles, feet & achilles pain
Ankle, feet and achilles pain are often the result of long standing mechanical problems.
These may be from trapped nerves, stiff hips, muscle tares in the leg or long standing back problems all having the ability to alter the way the patient walks and in turn putting inappropriate pressure on the ankle and foot.
Over time the ankle and feet will be unable cope with the increased pressures and tensions, leading to many of the commonly experienced problems in this area.
These problems include bunions, ankle pain, sore and tired feet, painful heels,
achilles pain, sprained ankles that fail to fully hea,l and many more.
Our treatment is aimed at educating the patient explaining the cause of the condition, improving the function in the area whether with direct hands on treatment, improving technique or prescribing home exercises.
We work closely with are Podiatrist Gina, as it is often necessary to use orthotics/insoles to help balance the foot and hold it in correct alignment.
Painful and uncomfortable feet aren't a natural part of life or growing old or something to "put-up with". A lot can be done short and long term to put the spring back into your feet and greatly improve your quality of life.
Knee pain
Knee pain is often the result of tensions and pressures applied on the knee from the hip, thigh and back above and the ankle and foot below. Our osteopathic approach to treating the knee is always to look at the mechanics of the whole patient and not just examing the knee .
Knee pain can be caused by traumatic damage such as torn cartilage/meniscus, cruciates or osteoarthritis.
Treatment involves hands on work often sing treadmill analysis with rehab and education to prevent re-occurrence.
The treatment of knee pain from Osteoarthritis is aimed at increasing strength and co-ordination in the joint and reducing muscle tension.
We also often refer to our podiatrist for help as correct foot wear and often insole/orthotics make a big improvement in knee function.
Hip and groin pain
The hip is an obvious link between the spine and leg. Hip and groin pain can be caused by indirect factors such as, referred pain from trapped nerves, disc injuries, muscular tensions and imbalances or injuries in the leg. These problems are often a result of poor work posture and workstation set up, or direct irritation from osteoarthritis and hip inflammation.
Our treatment is aimed at both reducing tension in the hip and, as far as possible correcting the underlying causative factors. This will often include workstation advice and occasionally visiting your work place and looking at your workstation.
Osteoarthritis, or worn hips, greatly benefit from osteopathic treatment reducing the tension around the hip and reducing unnecessary loads put through the hip.
Sports injuries
A large number of sports injuries are caused by poor technique, fitness or strength
We aim to help the patient from the first days of the injury through to playing sport again.
Initially treating the presenting symptoms then understanding the root cause of the problem taking
the patient through a rehabilitation program and correcting the causative factors.This will in turn prevent reoccurrence, and often improves the patient's ability at their sport