Treatments

Some of the treatments we offer

Osteopaths are medically trained and can diagnose and treat the underlying cause of your pain, not just the symptoms. Although we are best known for treating bad backs and necks we actually treat a large range of problems. Explore this section of the site to find out more about the types of problems we can treat.

Headaches & Migraines

With over £1 billion being spent on over-the-counter medications to try and treat migraines and headaches it is logical that many people are now turning to Osteopaths to help ease the pain.

Cervicogenic headaches arise as muscles in the back of the neck and scalp tighten. These headaches are at the back of the head and often above the eyes. They can occur as a result of poor posture or sitting at a desk for prolonged periods of time and tend to be regular.

A migraine is much more than a bad headache, Migraine sufferers experience nausea, extreme sensitivity to light and noise, and sometimes dizziness or lightheadedness. If you are a chronic sufferer of migraines then there will be a long-term knock on effect to the muscles and structures of the neck which exacerbate the symptoms.

If you suffer from any form of headache please contact us as we have a wealth of experience of treatment.

Neck Pain

At our clinic we see patients suffering from neck pain almost as often as low back pain.

Generally neck problems are caused by localised inflammation in the cervical spine and can often be attributed to muscular strain brought about by poor posture. Patents complain of a range of symptoms ranging from a dull ache in the neck or head to shooting pains and pins and needles in the arms, nausea and dizziness.

Other causes of neck pain include disc damage, wear and tear arthritis and whiplash type injuries which occur when the neck is forced into a sudden unexpected movement as seen in road traffic collisions.

Although it is tempting to “wait and see” if your neck pain goes away, it is important that you ask our professional help as normally the sooner we treat you the faster your symptoms will disappear.

Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is a mobile joint between the shoulder blade, arm and collarbone allowing the arm to move forwards and backwards, rotate in a circular motion and move away from the body. Running around and between the joint and bones are blood vessels, nerves, muscles, tendons and ligaments – all competing for space.

Pain can be in the joint, running down the arm, up into the neck or in the elbow. Some patients complain of pins and needles or lack of strength but everyone experiences pain with movement and quite often rest.

Because of the complexity and lack of space, the causes of shoulder pain are varied and complex and require careful examination and diagnosis.

Once the underlying cause is understood then a plan can be arranged to effectively treat and ease the symptoms.

We treat patients with shoulder issues on a daily basis so we have a lot of experience and knowledge with which to help you.

Lower Back Pain

Did you know that 4 out of 5 of us will suffer from back pain sometime in our lives? Pain can be referred or direct, acute or chronic so it is important to look after your back.

There are many causes of low back pain and a lot of misinformation and incorrect diagnosis. It is therefore important to make sure that a professional who knows and understands the bio-mechanics and underlying causes of low back pain assesses and treats you.

Get in touch with us and we will discuss your back pain with you and determine whether Osteopathy is appropriate for you.

Sciatica

The sciatic nerve runs from your back down into your buttock to the back of your leg and is the size of a thumb. No wonder then it causes so much pain when damaged.

If you have been told you have sciatica it is important to understand that sciatica is not a diagnosis but a symptom. This means that the nerve is being pinched or trapped elsewhere up the nerve towards the back.

Causes can include a herniated (slipped) disc, a misaligned joint in the low back or pelvis, overuse of the back leading to localised inflammation, spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the canal in the vertebrae that the nerve runs through) and muscle spasm in the buttock trapping the nerve.

The result is pain in the leg and sometimes the foot. You can experience shooting pain, pins and needles, numbness and burning pain. Normally the sufferer complains that the pain is aggravated when standing or sitting still for too long.

If you think you have any of these symptoms then we can help. Please contact us and we will get to the underlying problem to mange and improve the pain.

Knee and Foot Pain

Locomotion of the body begins at the feet and any changes in the way we walk will have a direct affect on the knees, hips, low back and so on up throughout the whole body. Walking 10000 steps a day, running and jumping will only aggravate this.

There are many foot and ankle problems: Ankle sprains, inefficient foot joint movement, nerve damage, Achilles tendon damage, plantar fasciitis to name but a few, and all of which need to be correctly diagnosed if the patient is to improve and walk more normally.

Knee problems are common and varied, from muscle imbalance in the quadriceps leading to knee cap pain to ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) damage, cartilage tears, arthritic changes to the kneecap and knee joint and damaged hamstrings, which attach to the back of the knee. Again it is important to diagnose these and provide the correct treatment.

Osteopaths are highly trained and perfectly positioned to treat all knee, ankle and foot issues. We have experience with recommending and fitting orthotics – shoe inserts and can help you with any injury you may have suffered.

Arthritis Associated Pain

Many of our patients come to us with pain that is the result of arthritic changes in their joints. Although there are over one hundred different types of arthritis, we generally treat the symptoms of two: Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

When your Doctor tells you that you have wear and tear what they are actually talking about is osteoarthritis. This is a degenerative condition that affects the smooth hyaline cartilage covering the ends of our bones at the joints. The cartilage starts to wear away and bone grows through the worn areas causing friction and pain. For diagnosis you will require an X-Ray.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto-immune inflammatory disease that attacks the joint capsule leaving it sore and inflamed. The inflammation causes chemicals to be released that will damage the cartilage, bones and ligaments at the joint. To be diagnosed you will need to have a blood test.

Osteopaths regularly treat patients with arthritis. Although neither can be cured, they do however respond well to manual therapy. Treatment is gentle and careful with the aim to ease the joint pain and improve the range of movement available to that joint. We have found that many patients respond well to acupuncture as part of the treatment.