We treat a very wide range of people who bring us a variety of problems for us to try and help.

Every individual is different and brings with them a unique history. People are different ages, shapes and sizes and have different levels of activity and health. Our approach is tailored to the individual and we work with you to solve the problem.

 

The following are common reasons that people come to see us:

 

Back pain

4 out of 5 people experience back pain at some time in their lives.  Although it can be very painful, it is usually not serious and can be effectively treated with osteopathy or physiotherapy.  There are many causes of back pain and our practitioners are trained to diagnose the cause of your particular symptoms. 60% of what we do is treat back pain, which is a much higher percentage than any other similar profession.

 

Sports injuries

Please see our sports injuries page

 

Neck and shoulder tension, and headaches

Incorrect posture and cervical spondylosis can cause the muscles in your neck and at the base of your skull to tighten and lead to headaches.  An osteopath is trained using touch (palpation) to assess joint movement to identify the cause of your symptoms.

 

Pain from some types of arthritis

We all wear and tear. It is a normal process and will affect us all to some extent at some time in our lives. Osteoarthritis is a condition characterised by pain and stiffness in the joints accompanied by loss of movement. We can often reduce the pain and improve the amount of movement but this is dependent on how advanced the arthritis is and at what stage it is.

 

Frozen shoulder

Not every painful and stiff shoulder is a true frozen shoulder. Shoulders are complicated and should be examined carefully. The medical term for frozen shoulder is adhesive capsulitis and it requires a very specific treatment approach.  We are experienced in diagnosing and treating this condition and can give you advice on how to exercise it.

 

Postural strain

Osteopaths and physiotherapists are highly skilled at assessing a person’s posture. Many of the strains from which we suffer are due to postural imbalances or compensations. Often the pain is some distance from the cause of the problem and one of the things that makes the osteopathic approach different from other therapies is that we find and treat the causes of a problem rather than just trying to treat the symptoms.

 

Asthma

Manual treatment may not be the first approach that many people would consider as a therapy to help asthma but there is research evidence to show that it can help. Manual treatment cannot cure asthma nor can it directly affect the course of the condition but it can help a person’s ability to breathe. People with asthma tend to breathe with the upper part of their chest and during an attack will tend to over-breathe in the effort to get more air in. This causes the muscles to over-work and they become very tight over time. An osteopath will try to restore the normal length of the muscles of respiration in the chest and neck and therefore relax them. It is likely that the joints of the neck and upper back are also tight and these can be restored to their normal movement.

Once the muscles and joints have been returned to their normal function then breathing becomes easier, even during future attacks. The osteopath will help you achieve a good posture, and to avoid hunched and rounded shoulders. The most important thing to help alleviate an asthma attack is to try to relax and most especially to breathe out, slowly. This allows air to be taken in more effectively and helps prevent over-breathing and hyperventilation. It may take a little time to maintain the muscles at their normal length and an osteopath can provide some simple stretches to maintain the improvement. Such treatment can be given to anyone of any age and can be a useful addition to a normal regime of medication.

 

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, the extra weight of your growing baby alters your posture, which puts a strain on your low back.   Normal hormonal changes relax ligaments, which can lead to instability and pain in your joints. Osteopathy can help your body adapt to these physical and chemical changes.

 

Labour and Birth

The pelvis needs to be mobile during the birth.  Osteopathy can assist with labour and birth by increasing the motion of restricted pelvic joints and relieving tension in local muscles.

 

After Your Baby Arrives

The first few months following the birth are an ideal time for the osteopath to assess your pelvis for correct alignment while the ligaments are still soft.  Your pelvis may otherwise become fixed in an abnormal position and lead to long-term back pain.  Osteopathic treatment and advice can also help you to regain strength and tone of stretched and weakened muscles.

 

Child-care

Breastfeeding your newborn baby is demanding.  At the same time, you are recovering from the birth and suffering from disrupted sleep.  It is not surprising that mothers commonly complain of neck, shoulder and mid-back tension.  This can be relieved with osteopathic treatment.

Caring for an infant or toddler involves lifting, carrying and bending.  Your osteopath can advise you how to lift and carry, thus preventing trauma to your back.

 

 

 

 

 

TENS

TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) is an effective and natural method of pain relief with no known side effects.  Small electrodes are applied to specific areas of your spine.  These send electrical impulses that block pain signals reaching your brain, and encourage your body to produce natural pain-relieving substances called endorphins.  It is particularly effective for soothing low back pain in the early stages of labour, and throughout.  It is advisable to acquire a TENS machine a few weeks before your expected delivery date.

 

 

 

Strains and sprains

Calf

Calf strains are annoying and painful and tend to recur if not treated properly. Straining or tearing a muscle can leave it shortened and potentially at risk of repeating the strain if the muscle fibres do not heal themselves in an organised fashion. Deep soft tissue massage and a routine of stretching the muscles will bring about a good repair.

 

Hamstring

The hamstrings are a group of three large muscles at the back of the thigh. Straining or tearing any of these muscles is a painful experience and they tend to take a long time to repair. Early intervention leads to a quicker recovery and a better repair then if they are left alone. If you are very active then this injury can interfere significantly with your ability to run or climb a hill. We have an established method of encouraging tissue repair and getting you back to full activity, and we will show you how to prevent this injury from happening again.

 

Ankle

Anyone can sprain an ankle and because it is a ligament injury it can take an exceedingly long time to heal. Ligaments do not have a great blood supply but they have lots of nerves in them and this explains the slow healing time and the pain. Early intervention is important because ligaments have an important role to play in maintaining the stability of a joint. Treatment can reduce the repair time significantly and help to ensure the normal function of the ankle.

 

Shoulder

Elbow

Wrist