Ouch! What to do when you sustain an injury

Pulled a muscle?

Sprains and strains to muscles and joints happen to all of us and for most they are a painful but temporary, reminder to be a little more careful.  Prompt action can help your body to heal faster and may prevent further injury or prolonged pain.

Strained or 'pulled' muscles often happen when we over exert untrained muscles, train without properly warming up or try to go beyond a joint's natural flexibility.  Sometimes we feel the pain straight away, however some injuries might not cause pain until later on.  What can you do?

Remember RICE (Relative rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation), using these can help to relieve the pain and start the healing process.

Relative rest:  The first thing to do if you feel pain is to reduce the offending activity - pain is usually your body's way of telling you that there is something wrong that needs your attention.  It can be normal to feel a little sore after exercises for a day or two, but if it is more than this, pushing through the pain is rarely beneficial.

However, movement stimulates the healing process so stay as mobile as you comfortably can.  Try to keep the joint moving through a comfortable range of motion, without forcing it to the point of pain.  This will help to encourage blood flow and keep your joint flexible whilst it heals.  This is particularly relevant for back pain as gentle exercise, such as walking, can help.  You should slowly build your activity levels up as soon as your symptoms begin to resolve and as soon as you are able.

Ice: Cooling the area using an ice pack can help to reduce swelling and pain.  Wrap a thin tea towel around the area so as to avoid direct skin contact and then apply the pack to the injured area for 10 - 15 minutes.  You should repeat this several times per day for the first 72 hours.  This will help to control inflammation, making it easier for your body to get blood and nutrients to the area and resolve the injured tissues.

Compression:  Gently applying a compression dressing may help to temporarily support the injured joint and reduce swelling, though remove this immediately if there are signs that this is reducing the circulation to the area (numbness, pins and needles, the skin turning white or blue etc).

Elevation: If the injury is in the lower limb (knee or ankle), elevating the area a little can make it easier for your body to drain fluids that might accumulate around the area, causing swelling.  For example, if you've hurt your knee, sitting down with the knee raised on a low foot stool may ease your pain.

Seek medical attention.  If you have pain that can't be controlled with over the counter painkillers, can't put weight on the injured limb, experience paralysis or loss of sensation or the swelling is very bad seek help from your local A&E department, urgent care centre or telephone 111 for advice.

If the pain or swelling fails to improve within a week, a visit to an osteopath may be beneficial.  They will be able to assess the injury, advise you on the correct treatment and can provide some manual therapy which may help it get better faster.

Fascial Release therapy at Absolute Health

Fascial Release pain relief therapy

Myofascial or Fascial release is a manual therapy that can often have profound effects on the body and is used to treat chronic pain conditions that often do not respond to other forms of treatment.

Fascia allows movement between structures in the body but can develop adhesions following trauma or injury, preventing normal function.  Fascia interweaves within and across muscle groups to form a silk-like bodysuit, which helps the body’s musculoskeletal system transmit and amplify force. It also acts as a natural shock absorber, making the body more resistant to injury. Fascia is a vital component of human physiology and there is growing evidence that fascia is the most pain sensitive tissue in the body.  Breaking down adhesions (and trigger points) can allow the brain to dampen down pain signals that are no longer helpful for the body, after healing has occurred.

Abnormal fascial tension can lead to chronic pain in areas such as the neck, shoulders, lower back, and hips. So, if you’re feeling slightly immobile or are in full-blown pain, dealing with any problem in your fascia is really important to help speed recovery.

Unfortunately, muscle fascia doesn’t show up well on an X-ray or MRI. Maybe that’s why most medical professionals aren’t looking at fascia as a contributing cause of injury, movement dysfunction and chronic pain.

Fascial Release Treatment

Fascial release therapy involves a gentle massage using fingers and thumbs and the 'Fascial Edge Tool' to find and release stiff and tightened areas. Normal fascia should feel pliable and elastic. The therapist will begin massaging and stretching the areas that feel rigid with light manual pressure. The process is repeated multiple times over any 'trigger points' that are found (areas of tight muscle that cause pain to radiate in a specific pattern) until the therapist feels that the tension is fully released.

Who benefits from Fascial Release?

Patients with myofascial pain syndrome frequently benefit from this type of therapy. People who experience chronic headaches may also find relief from Fascial Release. Gently massaging on tightened muscles in and around the neck and head may reduce headaches.

If you have a chronic back ache or pain in the upper back, then there could be an underlying trigger point or fascial problem which would benefit from Fascial Release.

If you have not had a diagnosis for your condition you should seek advice from your GP or an Osteopath before booking in for treatment, to ensure there are no other problems that have been overlooked (e.g. a joint problem or arthritis).

Call Absolute Health today on (0116) 282 7766 to make an appointment with one of our Registered Osteopaths.



Part of this article was extracted from: http://www.healthline.com/health/chronic-pain/myofascial-release

Persistent Pain

We all feel pain from time to time. When someone injures themselves, specific nerves recognise this as pain, which in turn triggers the body’s repair mechanism. As the problem resolves, the pain tends to improve and usually disappears within 3-6 months. This type of pain could be argued to be beneficial: if it hurts, you are likely to try and avoid doing whatever it is that has caused the pain in the future, so you are less likely to injure yourself in that way again.

Occasionally the pain continues even after tissue healing has finished. When pain continues after this point, it becomes known as persistent (or is sometimes referred to as chronic) pain. This type of pain is not beneficial and is a result of the nerves becoming over-sensitised, which means that a painful response will be triggered much more easily than normal. This can be unpleasant, but doesn’t necessarily mean that you are doing yourself any harm simply by moving. You could think of this as a sensitive car alarm that goes off in error when someone walks past.

Watch a YouTube video about Persistent (chronic) pain - http://youtu.be/RWMKucuejIs

Persistent pain is very common and effects over 14 million people in the UK alone. It often does not respond to conventional medical interventions and needs a different kind of approach, but there are many things that you can do to manage your pain yourself with the support of your osteopath, your family and loved-ones. Keeping active, performing exercises and stretches can help, learning to pace your activities so that you don’t trigger a flare-up of your pain as well as setting goals and priorities are all very important and can help you to maintain a fulfilling lifestyle.

For more information on how to manage your persistent pain, speak to your osteopath or visit http://www.paintoolkit.org/

Are you sitting comfortably?

Do you suffer from back pain whilst at work?

Did you know that back pain is one of the most common causes of absence from work?

Every year over four million working days are lost due to back pain, a pain which can affect on someones ability to do their job.

With the right measures, pain prevention and management, there is evidence to show that working can be effective in helping the employee's return to fitness or with pain management.

Even with preventive measures some employees will experience back pain at some stage, it is therefore important to implement some kind of policy in order to keep people active and in work.

Management requires identification of the relevant risk factors and flexible policies which deal with the individual case by case.

There are various measures which have been helpful for employees suffering back pain such as; avoiding heavy lifting and promotion of physical activity, however some period of sick leave may be unavoidable.

In recent years the number of office based jobs has risen resulting in many people sitting hunched over a desk for many hours a day. Lack of activity and bad posture have cumulated in a growing number complaining of back pain. However there are a number of things you can do, for example:

• Be aware of your posture
• Take regular breaks
• Exercise regularly
• Talk to employer to adapt the working environment

Here at Absolute Health Clinic we deal with many people suffering back pain and offer various treatments such as; Osteopathy, Acupuncture and massage.

Please call us on 0116 282 7766 for further information and a FREE consultation during BackCare Awareness week only - 6th to 12th October 2014. (Don't forget to tell us where you saw this offer)

Are you missing the point?

 *** Acupuncture treatment can help back pain *** 

Nearly a third of people admit to having poor posture, which means we are heading for a back pain epidemic.  

The recent Acupuncture Awareness Week highlighted back pain and how our lifestyle choices are putting our backs under too much strain.

Many of us sit at desks all day, then go home and sit for the rest of the evening - eating meals on laps, working with laptops, slouching on the sofa... some of the many things that lead to bad posture.

As your posture deteriorates it makes it much easier to strain the muscles and irritate the nerves around your back joints.  This can trigger bouts of back pain which if left untreated can go on for months or, in some cases, years.

Acupuncture is a great alternative to taking pain killers for back pain problems.  Rather than masking symptoms, it actually changes the way the brain perceives signals from the body.  It allows the brain to dampen down pain signals, especially useful if the pain response is no longer useful (e.g. if a body part has healed after an injury, but the brain is still protecting the area, as if it is damaged).

Acupuncture is based on ancient principles which go back nearly two thousand years.  Very fine, sterile needles are inserted painlessly at specific points of the body to trigger a healing response.  The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends acupuncture for persistent, non-specific lower back pain.  Its guidelines recommend that GPs should offer a course of 10 sessions of acupuncture as a first line treatment.

It is a shame then that 40% of people would only consider visiting an acupuncturist as a last resort!

The NHS admits there is reasonably good evidence that acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic back pain, as well as dental pain; pain and discomfort during gastrointestinal endoscopy; headache; nausea and vomiting after an operation; pain and discomfort during IVF procedures; and osteoarthritis of the knee.

Simple lifestyle changes together with acupuncture treatment could save millions of people taking pain medication every day.

If you are suffering with back pain (or any other problem that is causing you to reach for the paracetamol tablets), come along to Absolute Health for a consultation.  We will try to offer a suitable treatment to help you get back to health and help you reduce the need for pain killers. 

Call Absolute Health today on 0116 282 7766 - let us help you to Get The Most out of Life!

Look after your feet!

Read the NHS top 10 tips on how to look after your feet, with special advice for the over-60s.

The good news is that looking after your feet can prevent most of these problems.

Your feet take the weight of your whole body, so foot problems can quickly lead to discomfort and affect the way you walk. This can in turn cause knee, hip and back pain.

Investing a bit of time and thought into caring for your feet now can prevent them causing you pain later.

Foot facts

Each foot contains 26 bones and more than 100 ligaments.

Your feet contain more than a quarter of all the bones in your body.

The skin on your feet has more than 7,000 nerve endings.

There are more than 125,000 sweat glands on each foot, more than anywhere else in the body.

Your feet produce an eggcup’s worth of sweat each day.

Wash your feet often

Don’t go to bed without washing your feet. If you leave dirt on the skin’s surface, it can become irritated and infected. If your feet are dirty, wash them every evening with soap and water.

Dry your feet well

Dry your feet thoroughly after washing them, especially between the toes which is where germs such as Athlete's foot can easily breed. Then, apply a moisturising foot cream (not body lotion).

Remove hard skin

Gently remove hard skin and calluses with a pumice stone or foot file regularly. 

Cut toenails carefully

Always trim your toenails straight across, never at an angle or down the edges. This can cause ingrowing toenails which are painful and may require surgery.

Shoe shop in the afternoon

Shop for shoes in the afternoon. Feet swell as the day goes on and if shoes fit in the afternoon when your feet are at their largest, you can be assured they will always be comfortable.

Footwear tips for work

If you have to wear heels at work, wear comfortable shoes to and from the office and only wear your smart shoes once you're in the office. Also, try to vary the heel height, between low, medium and high. Ask your chiropodist for advice about the best footwear for you.

Change your socks often to avoid foot odour

Change your socks daily. Read advice from the Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists on buying socks.

Watch out for foot bugs in communal changing areas

Wear flip-flops to avoid catching athlete's foot and verrucas when you use public areas such as gym showers, swimming pools or hotel bathrooms. 

Take care with flip flops

But don't wear flip-flops all the time. They don't provide support for your feet and can give you arch and heel pain if you wear them too much.

Foot pain advice for over-60s

If you're over 60, foot care becomes even more important. Age takes its toll: your skin thins, your joints begin to stiffen and your feet become more vulnerable to the cold.  It can become difficult to care for your own feet if back or hip stiffness prevents you fully bending forwards.  Don't neglect your feet though - ask your local chiropodist to check the state of your toenails and skin on the feet if you have any discomfort when walking.  A regular check-up can prevent any serious problems developing, so give Absolute Health a ring to book your next foot health or chiropody treatment.

Advice provided by the NHS Choices website http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/foothealth/Pages/Healthyfeet.aspx

Benefits of Osteopathy

The benefits of seeing an osteopath

If you suffer from pain it might be a good idea to see an osteopath, but what can you expect from them and how much does it cost?

Massage and soft tissue stretching are some of the treatments an osteopath will use

One in four visits we make to the GP is for pain affecting the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves (musculoskeletal pain). Osteopathy, a hands-on therapy devised in the 19th century by the US physician and surgeon Dr Andrew Still offers a gentle way to help relieve such pain and stiffness without the need for medication and more invasive treatments such as surgery.

Who can benefit from seeing an osteopath?

Although often thought of as a treatment for back and neck pain, osteopathy can help a wide range of conditions, including repetitive strain injury, postural imbalances caused by driving or work strain, arthritis and minor sports injuries. People over 50 often have some osteoarthritis in the spine, which can manifest itself as stiffness and aching and the occasional acute spasm. Osteopaths aim to reduce chronic tension in the muscles and ligaments to improve mobility of the spine, which in turn can make the back or neck feel much easier and reduce the number of acute episodes. Osteopathy can also help with aches and pains associated with osteoporosis, although obviously it can’t cure the condition itself.

What does treatment from an osteopath involve?

An initial consultation usually takes from 45 minutes to an hour and subsequent treatments 30 to 40 minutes. At a first visit the osteopath will want to know all about the problem that brought you there and will ask about other medical conditions before performing a physical examination. You will be asked to perform a few simple movements so the osteopath can observe your posture and mobility, and he or she will gently palpate your joints, tissues and ligaments to detect any tenderness or imbalances. After this he or she will treat you using a number of different techniques. These include soft tissue stretching, massage, something called ‘muscle energy technique’ that helps to reduce muscle spasms, manipulation of the spine and other joints and other gentle techniques designed to rebalance the body and stimulate healing. Treatment is usually quite gentle but can be a little firmer depending on the patient.

You may be asked to remove some clothing for examination and treatment. After the treatment the osteopath may prescribe specific exercises to help keep you supple and prevent pain returning and/or advise you on the use of ice packs and other non-invasive ways of easing pain, posture and other lifestyle habits. If you can’t get to a clinic the osteopath may be able to visit you at home, although this is likely to be much more expensive.

How many osteopathy sessions should you have?

Recent injuries can often be eased within just two to four sessions. More chronic problems may take longer to resolve – usually between six and twelve sessions but sometimes more. Some people find that coming in every few months for maintenance treatments helps keep them mobile and pain-free, in conjunction with exercising and a healthy diet.

How much does seeing an osteopath it cost?

At Absolute Health, initial consultation and treatment costs £60 with follow-up treatment sessions costing £37.

Original article by Patsy Westcott, Saga website, published 17 July 2012

Extract from http://www.saga.co.uk/health/body/osteopath-benefits.aspx

BackCare Awareness Week 7-11 October 2013

BackCare - the national back pain association - is promoting the roles of carers during this year's BackCare Awareness Week.

Carers provide invaluable help and assistance to their children, friends, relatives, and partners, but what happens when their work leads to back pain, compromising their ability to care? 

Back pain is endemic among carers: a 2011 survey found that 70% of carers experienced back and shoulder pain. This issue seriously affects the quality of life of those who should be most valued in our society, as well as impacting on their caregiving work, which saves the NHS and local authorities very significant sums of money.*

Becoming aware of how changes to posture can help to relieve back pain, and how Osteopathy can help to deal with sore muscles and stiff joints, you will then be able to help yourself get back to full strength and continue your essential work for others.

Absolute Health is committed to helping anyone suffering with back pain caused by muscle and joint problems and is offering a special rate for Osteopathy treatments between 7th to 11th October 2013.  As a new patient, mention BackCare Awareness Week to receive 50% off the cost of your initial consultation and treatment cost (normally £63).  Also, if you can refer any friends or relatives to us, we will also offer you a £10 gift voucher as a 'thank you'.  We rely on word of mouth referrals so if you have had a good experience please tell others.

To make an appointment or request any information about how Osteopathy can help you, please call Richard or Sophie on 0116 282 7766.

* http://www.backcare.org.uk

Poor Posture at Work

Many of our patients seek treatment for problems that stem from poor posture at work or when driving.  Getting the right advice is as important as getting the right treatment to help restore function in your spine and keep muscles and joints pain free.

Changing daily habits to correct posture problems will take some effort and perseverance, and will seem a little unnatural at first. It is typical to feel uncomfortable, and even feel a little taller, but over time the new posture will seem natural and more comfortable.

Following are some guidelines of how to achieve good posture and ergonomics in the workplace and other situations.

Sitting Posture for Office Chairs

• Be sure your back is supported against the back of the office chair. Avoid slouching or leaning forward, especially when tired
• For long term sitting, such as in an office chair, be sure your chair is ergonomically designed to properly support the back and that a lumbar support cushion is used if needed
• When sitting on an office chair at a desk, your arms should be flexed at a 75 to 90 degree angle at the elbows. If this is not the case, the office chair should be adjusted accordingly
• Knees should be even with the hips, or slightly lower when sitting in the office chair
• Keep both feet flat on the floor. If there's a problem with feet reaching the floor comfortably, a foot rest can be used 
• Don't sit in one place for too long, even in ergonomic office chairs. Get up and walk around and stretch every hour (even for just one minute).

Standing Posture

• Stand with weight mostly on the balls of your feet, not with weight on your heels
• Keep feet slightly apart (about shoulder width apart)
• Let arms hang naturally down the sides of the body
• Avoid locking your knees (don't extend them too much)
• Tuck the chin in a little to keep the head level
• Be sure your head is not pushed out forward too far
• Stand straight and tall, with shoulders as far back as is comfortable
• If standing for a long period of time, shift weight from one foot to the other, or rock from heels to toes to keep the joints mobile.

Walking Posture

• Keep your head up and eyes looking straight ahead
• Avoid pushing the head forward
• Keep shoulders properly aligned with the rest of the body

Driving Posture

• Sit with your back firmly against the seat for proper back support
• Use a wedge cushion and/or lumbar support cushion to discourage slouching
• The seat should be adjusted so your distance from the pedals and steering wheel doesn't require you to lean forward or over-reach
• The headrest should support the middle of the head to keep it upright. Tilt the headrest forward if possible to make sure that the head-to-headrest distance is not more than four inches.

Find out more about how our Osteopaths can help you by clicking here

[extracts from http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/ergonomics/guidelines-improve-posture]

Explore Pain at the Science Museum

Pain Less is a new exhibition featured in the Antenna – Science News gallery investigating the future of pain relief.

Last year, nearly 6 billion painkillers were sold in the UK. Pain is a constant reality for some people, especially if you're one of the 1 in 5 who suffer from relentless chronic pain.

We treat pain with drugs that haven’t really changed for decades. Is there a better way to control pain?

Explore pain through the stories of extraordinary people who deal with it every day – from the patient who suffers with chronic pain in his missing limb, to the man who feels no pain at all.

How are scientists working to create the perfect pain relief? Geneticists decode DNA to find out how pain works in the body. Neuroscientists examine brain activity to discover how emotion affects how we feel pain. Researchers ask, do we really feel no pain during surgery under anaesthetic? Or do we simply not remember it? How might this affect us?

Pain Less introduces you to the latest pain research, through personal stories, scientific discovery, fascinating objects, films and even games.

Check out their blog to explore the content and creation of Pain Less.

Bowen Therapy - gentle treatment for all ages

Bowen Therapy

How can a therapy that seems to do so little achieve so much?

Many patients receiving a course of Bowen Therapy treatment are genuinely  surprised and often delighted when they notice a significant improvement in their symptoms.  It can seem hard to understand how a treatment which is so gentle and 'light touch' can change the body in so many ways.

Both recent and chronic conditions including muscle and joint aches and pains can be helped by stimulating the receptors in the neuromuscular system using 'Bowen moves'.  

The aim of this therapy is to stimulate the body to speed up its natural healing response.  Sometimes, despite the body having recovered from an injury, the brain has 'locked in' muscle tension and seems unaware that there is a problem with reduced circulation, build up of waste products and unnecessary tightness in some muscles.  

The Bowen Technique offers a gentle reminder to the body that all is not well, and the body seems to take the hint by readjusting the nerve signals to these problem areas.  After a short course of treatment, the nervous system seems to have made subtle changes which affect the blood supply to areas of the body which have been causing unncessary pain.

Bowen Therapy is often reported to help other conditions which the patient wasn't complaining of at the time - for example, someone with back pain having treatment may report that as well as the aching in the low back improving they also noted they were sleeping better, or a student with elbow pain reporting that their concentration levels during exams was better.

If you are suffering from a condition that you think should have resolved by now and your doctor is happy that there is no underlying disease or serious problem, you may want to try a new approach.  Rather than masking your symptoms using pain killing medication, you could try Bowen Therapy to give your body a gentle 'kick start' to recovery - don't wait any longer, give Absolute Health a call on 0116 282 7766 and come in for a free health check and 10% off the cost of your first treatment.  

Back Care Awareness Week 8-12 October 2012

From 8-12 October 2012 it's Backcare Awareness Week, and this year the theme is 'Builder's Back Pain'. 

Focussing on the back problems builders encounter and the also the stresses and strains on construction workers as the building industry has the highest rate of back related injuries.

The aim of the week long event, which is organised by BackCare, the charity for healthier backs, is to raise awareness of the problems back pain can cause, as well as prevention and treatments.

You can visit the Backcare shop and order one (or all!) of their information packs, based on back problems found at home, at work and at play. They also have a great selection of back friendly bags to help ensure that you reduce the chance of any potential problems.

While we might all know the best way to pick up boxes safely, we tend not to think about the effect every day tasks like picking up shopping or children's toys have on our backs.

It's thought that 4 out of every 5 adults will experience back pain at some point in their life, so why not get an information pack and find out what you can do to prevent it?

For treatment information and advice about how to deal with your aches and pains before they turn into something more serious take up our Backcare Awareness Week offer - 3 Osteopathy Treatments for the price of 2 (new patients only).

Drivers at risk of whiplash

15 MILLION DRIVERS AT RISK OF WHIPLASH DUE TO BAD SEATING POSITIONS

Drivers who fail to wear seatbelts correctly are at risk of injury according to the British Osteopathic Association (BOA). While most people are fully aware that wearing seatbelts saves lives the majority are not aware that the way they sit in a car plays a huge part in their personal safety.

The result of a survey by the BOA, released ahead of Back Care Awareness week (8 – 12 October) has found over one in ten drivers (13%) sit too far back for their seatbelt to offer effective protection in a frontal crash.  To be effective, the belt should be sitting over the bones of the pelvis and not the stomach preventing internal injuries and in contact with the shoulder to prevent a serious neck injury.  Sitting too far from the belt can often lead to submarining - where the occupant slips under the belt which can cause catastrophic injuries.

Half (45%), 15 million, of all UK drivers do not drive in position where their head is close enough to the head restraint or they sit too far back for their seatbelt to be effective, so that in an accident, they would be at risk of sustaining a serious whiplash injury. Furthermore, only 6% of people adjust the head restraint regularly, despite the fact that most people travel in a variety of vehicles (as drivers, passengers and in taxis for example) and half of all drivers surveyed (51%) said they never adjusted their head rest at all.

Head restraints work by catching and supporting the head in the event of a rear end crash and so reduce the chance of permanent soft tissue damage. A correctly adjusted head restraint should be as close to the back of the head as possible and as high as the top of the occupant's head, meaning head movement in relation to their body is reduced as the car and seat is punted forward when hit from behind. In addition the driver's seat should be at the correct distance so that a properly positioned seat belt is low across the hips and pelvis, with the shoulder belt firmly across the chest and collarbone.

Receiving a serious chest injury as a result of being hit by an air bag during an accident is also a very real possibility for one in seven drivers (14%) who admitted sitting too close to the steering wheel. Drivers with a gap of less than 12 inches between themselves and the steering wheel when driving are at risk of receiving the full force of an airbag deploying in a crash involving the front of the vehicle.

Airbags have to inflate very quickly (some at over 200 mph) in order to protect the head and chest of drivers and passengers in the event of a frontal crash.  Therefore an airbag needs enough space in front of the steering wheel in order to inflate properly. People who are shorter than around 5' 2" (1.57m) often sit too close to the steering wheel and may be injured by the inflating airbag.  A safe distance is around 12 inches - the size of an A4 piece of paper placed lengthways.

Danny Williams, BOA Council Member, said: "While most of us are aware that seatbelts save lives, it's fair to say that the majority of us don't know that the way we sit in a vehicle also plays a huge part in our safety and wellbeing.
"The position of the head restraint, how far or close we sit to the steering wheel and how long we spend sitting at the wheel without having a break can cause long-lasting neck and back injuries."

Matthew Avery, Crash Research Manager at Thatcham, said: "Vehicle safety has moved on at a pace with numerous new technologies now available designed to help avoid or mitigate injury during a collision. Whilst many seats and head restraints perform well in protecting the occupants, this research goes to show that too many drivers are still subject to avoidable risks by not taking the time to adjust their head restraints correctly."

Reduce Anxiety and Stress with Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy - help for anxiety and stress disorders

Hypnotherapy is commonly used to relieve stress and anxiety, as people look for natural, safe alternatives to medication.  


Stress and anxiety are a normal part of our natural defences, and enable us to deal with demanding and taxing situations.  This may be in any part of our lives including in the home, family life or in the work place.  Chronic stress and anxiety are both considered medical conditions, due to the potential for them to lead to further health complications.

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy that aims to make use of the untapped potential of the unconscious mind to effect real world changes.  This is primarily achieved through the use of hypnosis, which is an altered state of consciousness or trance.  This state can be used to relieve a range of conditions and ailments including: smoking, weight issues, poor sleep, concentration, pain, phobias and stress.  Most hypnotherapists will use their voice to induce a state of hypnosis.  It is not possible to become trapped in a trance, though you may feel the need to sleep if you are especially relaxed. 

Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety often lead to one feeling overwhelmed, which is when the body’s natural defences are triggered, and the hormone cortisol is released into the blood.  This has the effect of raising heart and breathing rates – in preparation for the stress of the situation at hand.     If not properly managed this scenario can lead to a perpetual feeling of pressure or nervous tension, which can be exhausting for sufferers.  Addictions, phobias, poor work performance and poor sleep patterns can result. Both conditions can be better managed by including the following coping strategies into your life:

• Plenty of exercise
• Healthy diet and eating
• Ample sleep
• Sufficient rest and relaxation time; and by
• Limiting stress or stressful situations in your life 
• Other disciplines such as yoga, meditation and hypnotherapy are increasingly utilised alongside these techniques to aid recovery and healing.

Hypnotherapy often leads to a very relaxed state being reached, so is potentially beneficial in relieving stress and anxiety.

Read more about Hypnotherapy at Absolute Health clinic: click here

Special Offer for new Osteopathy patients!

Now that Summer is here, we are getting more active.  Playing more sports and working harder in the garden can contribute to muscle or joint injuries.  

If this happens to you, give yourself a few days rest and if your pain or discomfort isn't getting better after a week, don't wait any longer before getting help. 

An Osteopathy treatment can give your body a gentle nudge in the right direction to speed up your recovery.  

For a limited time, new Osteopathy patients will receive 15% off the cost of initial consultation and treatment (normally £46, discounted price £39.10).

Mention the Absolute Health blog offer to get your discount - valid until end of September 2012.

Back pain, sciatica and disc problems

Back pain affects almost everyone at some time, causing restricted movement and untold misery, stress and discomfort. It also causes millions of people to take valuable time off work, costing companies enormous sums in sick pay and lost production.

What causes back pain?

• poor lifting or incorrect carrying of heavy weights
• poor posture
• unsuitable seats or beds
• sports or other injury
• stress
• pregnancy
• general 'wear and tear'

Osteopathic manipulation has been recognised as highly effective in treating back pain, and the Royal College of General Practitioners issued guidelines for GPs in 1996 which recommended manipulation within six weeks of onset for the relief of acute low back pain.

Osteopaths are trained to identify and treat the specific cause of your back pain, and once you have been treated, they may also advise you on an appropriate rehabilitation and maintenance care plan to prevent a recurrence.

The bones of your spine protect the spinal cord; if they lose their normal motion or position, this can irritate the nerve roots that branch from the spinal cord to the organs and tissues of your body. Sciatica is a general term describing pain in the sciatic region, which extends from the base of the spine down the back and side of the leg. Unless there is a specific injury to this region, pain here is 'referred' from other areas. (The irritation of the nerve in one area can sometimes lead to pain, known as 'referred' pain, in other parts of the body). The nerves that supply the sciatic region come from the lower back.

In order for the spine to be flexible, the vertebrae are joined together by soft tissue structures known as discs and ligaments. Each disc is made up of two parts - a central soft core and outer rings of tough cartilage. The discs allow movement and also help to absorb shock. A slipped disc is the rather inaccurate term used to describe the condition, often in the lower back, where trauma or 'wear and tear' have caused damage to the outer rings of cartilage, so that the core is squeezed outwards. This can eventually result in a bulge which can press on the spinal cord, the nerve root or the nerve itself. It can cause excruciating pain, either in the back or referred elsewhere - for example in the lower leg or foot. Osteopathic treatment can mobilise the spine to reduce any inflammation around the spinal cord or nerves.

Trigger points (sometimes referred to as 'fibrositis') are very common and related to back pain. They occur in the neck or shoulders (often caused by bad posture or stress) or sometimes in the buttock area at the base of the spine. Painful 'knots' form within muscles which have gone into spasm - a reaction which the body triggers in order to tighten muscles round a problem area to prevent further injury. This is why the condition so often occurs in patients who have had a back pain problem for some time.

Your Osteopath will therefore use manipulation to adjust the relevant joint, and also deep massage and soft tissue work to relieve the condition. Since the 'knots' of muscle are often very tender, the soft tissue treatment may be painful at first.

"23 and 1/2 hours" - watch this video!

A Doctor-Professor answers the old question "What is the single best thing we can do for our health?" in a completely new way. Dr. Mike Evans is founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and a staff physician at St. Michael's Hospital.


This video reminds us that the best way to stay healthy remains one of the simplest.  At least, there seems to be plenty of time to do it, when put this way!


Click on the following link to view Dr. Evans' website:
www.myfavouritemedicine.com/23-and-a-half-hours/


or watch the video here:

The Great British Pain in the Neck

• Britons are more likely to suffer from neck pain
• Massaging the spine is more effective than medicine in short and long term

People living in Britain are among those most likely to suffer neck pain according to an article* published in January 2012 which states those living in high-income countries are more susceptible to the problem than those living in low or middle-income countries. The study of neck pain treatment, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, also reveals that women are more likely than men to experience neck pain and that the problem is particularly prolific among office and computer workers.

Britons are exceptionally hardworking and driven with the UK ranked as the 13th most prosperous country out of the 130 countries measured in the 2011 Legatum Prosperity Index. Much of the work in high-income countries including the UK is conducted at a desk where ergonomics and stress are common factors that can result in neck pain and exacerbate existing conditions. 

According to the article, spinal manipulation, which is practiced by osteopaths and some other health practitioners, was more effective at relieving symptoms than medication. Medication, whether over-the-counter or prescribed by GPs, is often a popular choice among time-poor workers who are reluctant to take time off for expert treatment. However patients who were taught self-massage techniques rather than solely having to rely on treatment provided by professionals also benefitted more than those taking medication.

Kelston Chorley, Head of Professional Development at the British Osteopathic Association says: “These research findings are positive for individuals, employers and employees. Pain relief medication can be expensive and learning self-massage techniques mean individuals can be empowered to help manage their pain. Further, where medication is ineffective, this can result in ongoing problems that could have been resolved earlier and may even worsen as a result.  This can mean people have to take time off work for extended periods.

“An osteopath will usually provide some initial treatment to help correct any underlying cause for the condition and will always provide self help strategies for neck pain so patients can manage their condition in the future.”

The article also says that mobilisation, described by the BOA as repetitive movements of joints to free up restrictions and increase the movement of joints and surrounding tissues, may be a better first treatment for non-specific neck pain than manipulation, described as unlocking restricted joint and surrounding tissues with a single highly specific movement, which can be an uncomfortable experience for some patients.

Kelston from the BOA concludes: “In many cases of acute or chronic neck problems manipulation is not always the first line of treatment by an osteopath. Using a combination of soft tissue massage, mobilisations and self help exercises often proves to be a more appropriate solution than the “neck clicking” commonly associated with manipulation.”

About the British Osteopathic AssociationThe British Osteopathic Association (BOA) is the professional association for osteopaths in the UK, acting as an independent representative body whilst promoting osteopathy to the general public and government. The BOA is committed to supporting, protecting and caring for its members and promoting opportunities for individual and professional development in osteopathic practice. There are nearly 4,000 osteopaths on the UK register who carried out over seven million treatments last year, and many of these are members of the British Osteopathic Association.  For more information and to search for an osteopath, visit the website www.osteopathy.org

* To read the article in full visit: http://www.annals.org/content/156/1_Part_1/1.abstract?aimhp

Teachers at risk of pain!

Teachers are at particular risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) such as neck, back and shoulder pains, new research has revealed. 


A report from the British Osteopathic Association found that there was a high prevalence of teachers reporting problems such as a pain in the back, neck and upper limbs and believes this is due to the stressful working conditions, large class sizes and lack of resources faced by teachers. 


"Psychosocial factors have also been positively associated with MSD among school teachers, and the current review suggest that psychosocial factors such as high workload / demands, high perceived stress level, low social support, low job control, low job satisfaction and monotonous work are most likely associated with MSD among school teachers," the report reads. 


The research revealed that nursery school teachers are more likely to suffer from lower back pain due to the time spent on tasks which involve sustained periods of kneeling, stooping, squatting or bending. School teachers spend a significant amount of time in a 'head down' posture such as reading, marking assignments on writing on a whiteboard, so are most likely to suffer from a wider variety of problems including pain in the back, neck and upper limbs. 


According to the latest figures from the Labour Force Survey 2010-2011, musculoskeletal disorders were responsible for 15 sick days per case. "Physical stress imposed on the body by protracted periods of poor posture, sitting on chairs designed for children not adults etc. will produce muscle and joint imbalances, strains and soft tissue stresses which become habitual leading to more chronic recurring pains and episodes of pain," says Osteopath Kelston Chorley, Head of Professional Development at the British Osteopathic Association. "It is the chronic build up of strain and habitual bad posture that leads to many of the problems that osteopaths frequently see related to the teaching profession - particularly towards end of term. Osteopathy, as recommended by NICE guidance for low back pain, can have a very beneficial outcome both in the acute period of pain but more importantly, preventing the acute episode from turning into a chronic condition". 


Earlier this year, 96 per cent of teachers who responded to a Teacher Support Network e-newsletter survey said their health and wellbeing had been affected by their workload. 


"I have chronic neck pain which is mostly ignored or laughed at at work. I have to beg people to help me do things, which is humiliating at the very least," explained one respondent at the time. 


"I have constant exhaustion, forgetfulness, sore throats, aching body every day," added another. 


Are you struggling with back, neck or shoulder pains at school? 


Here are some helpful tips for teachers from the British Osteopathic Association:  


Health tips for teachers 


The main problem for primary and nursery teachers is that they are stuck in static postures and need to move their bodies around. With teachers of older children the problem tends to be stress. Both make the body stiff and tense. The following exercises done at the end of every working day will help teachers to combat the daily strains on their bodies from working in a physically strained environment. 

• To loosen your neck, turn it slowly and gently from side to side ten times
• To relax tense shoulders, roll them 15 to 20 times. 
• Lie on your back on the floor and bring your knees to your chest, hug them, then release your arms while keeping you legs in the same position. Twist your legs gently across the left of your body, hold for a few seconds. Bring back to the middle then twist your legs over to the right. Release your legs back to full extension on the floor. Repeat this 15 times. 
• Regular exercise such as swimming - anything to get the whole body moving 
• Start an after-school exercise club for teachers! 

Download the British Osteopathic Association's free app which has video exercises individuals can follow to loosen their neck, back and shoulders:

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/osteopathy/id427802141?mt=8&ls=1

Android: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.oakley.osteopathy

Want to try Osteopathy?

Absolute Health clinic in south Leicester is offering a free consultation and initial treatment to any teacher in the area.  

When you book 3 treatment sessions in advance you only pay for 2. Save £46!

Offer applies to new patients only.  Payment by cheque, debit card or cash - book in clinic or over the phone - 0116 282 7766.

Offer ends 31st October 2012.