One of the commonest conditions I see in practice is shoulder pain. Patients will report pain on raising their arms above shoulder height, difficulty lying on the affected side in bed and sometimes struggle with every day tasks such as putting on a seat-belt or...
1. Rest cures back pain Actually, in all but the most serious cases, sufferers of back pain recover much more quickly when staying as active as possible. Bedrest is worse than useless and most patients are advised to stick as closely as possible to their normal daily...
1. Discs ‘slip ‘out of place. Discs are the fluid-filled rubbery pads that separate the bones of the spine. In fact, they are ‘glued’ to the bones above and below them and cannot ‘slip’ anywhere. They can, however, bulge (herniate) and occasionally burst (prolapse)...
Arthritis literally means” inflammation of the joints”. It is not one condition but more than 200 different ones with different causes and can affect anyone from small children to the elderly. Types include osteo-arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, ankylosing...
Muscle spasm means a contraction (tightening) of one or more muscles which is persistent. It can cause the body to change position e.g. an inability to straighten up fully when standing. It tends to happen in response to an injury and is your body’s attempt to support...
Lumbar disc injury is very common and is a consequence of walking on two legs, i.e. expecting our spines to move while bearing the weight of our upper body. Discs are the rubbery pads in between the vertebrae and their role is to allow flexibility and absorb shock....
The most common conditions I see in my clinic affecting the shoulder joint are rotator cuff tendonitisand adhesive capsulitis. Both conditions are often labeled ‘Frozen Shoulder’ and both can cause pain and restriction of shoulder movement making it difficult for...
Osteopaths can’t cure asthma, I hear you say and you’d be correct! Asthma is a condition caused by an irritability of the lining of the lung. In certain circumstances the lung chambers become constricted, the thin mucus lubricant of the lung thickens and clogs the air...
What is Manipulation and why do osteopaths use it? Manipulation is quite a general term and means different things to different practitioners. Osteopaths tend to use it to mean the use of High Velocity Thrust techniques (HVT) where a specific joint is put under...
I spend an inordinate time in practice telling patients how and why they should take their prescribed pain medication. Many believe that they “won’t work” or will only “mask” their symptoms so don’t give them a chance. I thought I would write a user’s guide to...
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