Common aches and pains
Lower back pain
Lower back pain is very common, with most episodes being acute, meaning lasting less than 3 months. There are many causes of lower back pain including: muscles, pinched nerves, joint strains, disc injuries, arthritis and many more. It always pays to get it checked out to rule out any nasty causes. Osteopathy can be very beneficial to back pain. Treatment is specific to the patient, aiming to relieve the pain and identify what caused it. Tailored advice is given to the patient to ensure a fast recovery.
Headaches & Migraines
Headaches are very common but can be very debilitating. The pain experienced with a headache is felt in the head region, stemming from tissues and structures around the brain including; muscles, ligaments, joints and bones. There are many types of headaches, which include; tension, cervicogenic, cluster, sinus and migraines. Another form of headaches is those secondary to an illness. An osteopath will treat the muscles, ligaments and joints of the cranium, neck, back, jaw and shoulders.
Back pain
Back pain mostly refers to the thoracic spine, which is from the base of your neck to your lower back. There are many factors that can cause back pain including; posture, occupation, stress, injuries and so on. Osteopathic treatment is of the back but also the surrounding areas aiming to identify the cause, rather than just treat the sore area.
Shoulder injuries
Shoulder injuries are not limited to sports. You could be lifting something heavy, gardening or develop ‘frozen shoulder/adhesive capsulitis'. Osteopathic treatment is never confined to just the shoulder, often the hand, elbow, neck, ribs, back and so on are also treated as they all play a role in shoulder pain. Corrective exercises are generally given too.
Osteoarthritis (OA)
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a very common form of arthritis. Osteopathy is a very effective form of treatment for OA. Treatment is aimed at reducing pain, increasing function of the affected joint/joints, reducing stiffness + swelling, improving function of other joints which are used to compensate to the effected OA joints. Treatment also includes tailor advice to the client in ways they can manage the pain and try continue a normal life.
Ankle sprains
Your walking along and trip, stand on something unevenly, fall down a few steps, playing sports...there are so many scenarios that rolling your ankle can happen without your preventing it. Symptoms of a sprained ankle can include: pain, bruising, tenderness, unability to walk on that foot & swelling. Spraining the outside (lateral) ankle ligaments is the most common. Ankle sprains are graded 1-3 depending on their severity.
Sporting injuries
Sporting injuries can be from any sport which may be running, soccer, swimming, netball, rugby and so on. Every treatment is tailored to the individual and when appropriate, the patient may be sent for imaging (Xray or ultrasound) or referred to a specialist. Return to sport is a very common question but the answer is always tailored to the individual and their circumstances. Often it is best to reframe from rushing back to sport as this can cause further damage.
TMJ/Jaw pain
Osteopaths commonly treat TMJ dysfunction and the associated symptoms that may occur with it. Diagnosis is aimed at looking to identify the cause of your pain. This may be referred from your neck, shoulders or back, stress, Bruxism (see above), posture or structures with in the TMJ. Treatment addresses any tight muscles affecting the joint, reducing tension on the joint, addressing other body areas of pain or importance. Tailored advice is given to clients which might include; stretches, exercises and lifestyle changes.
Knee pain
Clicking, grinding, popping, pain, numbness, weakness, swelling, giving way...the knee can cause a variety of types of pain. There can be a multitude of causes to knee pain, making a thorough case history and examination vital to addressing knee pain. Treatment is generally never limited to just the knee. Often treatment includes the spine, hip, ankle and often the other side, as it works harder to compensate for your pain. Stretches, exercises and tailored lifestyle advice is given where appropriate.
Neck pain
Neck pain is very common and can be debilitating. Your head houses vital nerves, connecting the brain with the rest of your body. The cervical spine (neck), also carries the weight on the skull, which is rather heavy. Common causes of neck pain include; muscles, ligaments, cervical disc's, nerves, joints. Neck pain is a common presentation to Osteopaths. The main symptoms of neck pain can include; pain, pins and needles, reduce movement, headaches and pain radiating from the neck.
Tennis & Golfers Elbow
Tennis elbow ‘lateral epicondylitis’ and Golfer’s elbow ‘medial epicondylitis’ are the most common causes of elbow pain. Osteopathic treatment is always aimed at identifying what is causing the pain both physically and lifestyle wise, to reduce the pain and try prevent the pain from reoccurring. Treatment to the elbow is aimed at reducing muscle tension, increasing blood flow and lymphatic drainage, improving the mechanics of the surrounding areas and tailored advice to suit the patient.
Breathing issues
When you are feeling anxious, stressed or over excited, breathing is a simple way to relax your system. We can often feel 'threaten, anxious, overwhelmed’ with work stress, personal life situations, pressure we put on ourselves, family stress and anxiety. These all 'turn on' our sympathetic nervous system as our body feels threatened. The diaphragm is a muscle attached to the lower ribs that moves during breathing, increasing the amount of oxygen able to get into the lungs.
Whiplash
Whiplash and car crashes can cause a variety of aches and pains. Dizziness that can be caused by car crashes can relate to the upper neck. Osteopathic treatment is aimed at alleviating the aches and pains that can be caused by whiplash and any other injuries you may have obtained. When necessary your osteopath may refer you for imaging to rule out any additional damage that may have been caused.
Sciatica
Osteopaths aim to identify the underlying cause of the Sciatic nerve irritation. In some cases imaging may be required if osteoarthritis or disc involvement is suspected. Treatment is aimed at reducing any pressure or irritation to the Sciatic nerve and its nerve roots in the lower back. Lifestyle advice and stretches may be given (like above) to further reduce the pain. Identifying the root cause of Sciatica is always the key to resolving the pain, rather than just treating the symptoms.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Osteopaths commonly treat carpal tunnel syndrome, with the aim of treatment, relieving the tension on the median nerve and therefore relieving the symptoms in the hand. Stretches and lifestyle advice may given. Lifestyle changes may include frequent breaks at work, changing your desk set up, where possible using the opposite hand and so on. Stretches are aimed at improving the flexibility and reducing muscle tension in the forearm, as these muscles via tendons attach to the hand, to make it move.
Plantar Fasciitis
Osteopathic treatment is aimed at identifying the cause of the plantar fasciitis. Next treatment is focused on looking at the entire biomechanics chain (Lower back to foot and comparing sides) to identifying imbalances and areas influencing the pain. This might include your lower back being restricted, glut's being weak, calves being too tight etc. Next is identifying ways you can alter your lifestyle to reduce the strain on your plantar fascia.
Shin Splints
Shin splints is the pain runners commonly feel in the front of their lower leg when running. To osteopaths, the correct term is medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). MTSS refers to 'stress' on the tibia 'shin' bone from the muscular attachment to the bone. This is generally a combination of tendonitis (tendon inflammation), periostitis (bone inflammation) and periosteal remodelling (bone remodelling). It is an overuse injury or receptive stress injury.
Disc injuries
The spine is made up of bones with discs which act like pillows between each bone. These act to absorb shock/energy from walking, running, lifting etc. Sometimes we can injury these discs which can cause bulges, tears and irritation. MRI imaging is need to definitively diagnose a disc injury. Osteopathic treatment is aiming reducing pain and pressure on the disc and improving the spinal mechanics.