Case study: Paul

Paul

A 33 year old roofer presented to us with low back pain which had come on 6 weeks previously after lifting awkwardly at work; the pain was on the left side. During the exam he told us that he had been suffering with right sided low back and left hip pain for over 10 years.

He’d had several investigations for this including an MRI, and was now resigned to taking prescription anti-inflammatory medication for it on a permanent basis.

Our examination revealed stiffness in the hips and in the low back on the left. We also discovered he had a twist in his pelvis, causing excessive pressure on the hips; he also had a loss of the normal curves in his low back and his neck, predisposing him to back pain.

His progress has been very good, with ups and downs due to the physical nature of his job. Now he is doing great and reports that he can play football without any pain at all, for the first time in years. He felt the medication was disagreeing with him, so he has stopped it completely, and now finds that he doesn’t need it at all.


To quote him: “I’ve been struggling with this for years, it’s nice to have finally found someone who can crack it” (no pun intended)

Case study: Lucy

Lucy

A 53 year old lady called Sofia presented to us with chronic pain from her neck down to the middle of her back. She described it as a constant dull ache, and had suffered ever since she broke a collar bone in a bad fall at 18 years old. 

The pain affected physical activity and was aggravated by standing. She had received various forms of treatment over a 30 year period, including osteopathy, Bowen technique, shiatsu, and long-term chiropractic care; however she described her attempts as “like painting the Forth Bridge”, as there never seemed to be a resolution to the symptoms.

When we took x-rays we could see that her spine was misaligned, and was causing excessive stress and wear to the discs. For her treatment to be effective we needed to include specific techniques and a simple exercise to help improve the alignment of her spine.

After her first treatment session she reported a “massive reduction in pain”. By session 7 she was feeling much more movement in her mid-back, and after 15 sessions she said she had “forgotten what it’s like to be in constant pain”.

She also wrote us a lovely testimonial which you can read here.

(NOTE: Improving the underlying alignment of the spine helps us to get far better long-term results than treating the symptoms alone. In cases where people have received multiple forms of treatment over a long period, but are still getting pain, this can really help to break the cycle and make significant progress).

Are You Wilting?

I just heard a great analogy, which sums up how i feel about wellness.
If you saw a wilting plant, what would you do?  Would you give it a drug?  Or maybe some water?

If you're not feeling well, have you considered that there may be nothing WRONG with you?  It could just be your body reacting normally to unfavourable conditions.  Now obviously serious illnesses do occur and a proper investigation is always the best course of action.

But if the tests come back inconclusive, and the 'treatment' is just to dose up on symptom-suppressing medication, then a better solution might be to look at why your body isn't thriving.

Example:
Low energy, can't get up in the mornings, no motivation and generally run-down.

Thyroid, iron levels, blood works all normal.  No evidence of anything sinister.

Next questions:  Do you like your job?  Are you lacking regular movement?  Eating too many grains?  Using caffeine and sugar more and more to get through the day?  Still smoking?

Solution:  Keep a food diary for a week, you'll be surprised.  Go for a walk at lunchtime instead of eating at your desk.  Buy a paper and circle the jobs you quite like the sound of.  Nothing more, just start with that.

Make a start, then change course along the way.  Worth a go huh?

How to Get Rid of Most Headaches

So many people just put up with headaches, and it’s not necessary.  Some people even think it’s normal to have pain on a weekly or daily basis! 

Pain is your body’s way of telling you to address a problem.  So whilst painkillers might help you get through the day, it’s not a good idea to keep ignoring the symptoms.  There’s even a new classification of headache called an analgesic rebound headache – believe it or not it’s caused by taking painkillers regularly.  So what could a headache mean, and what can you do about it?  

When it comes to health care the best thing to do is look at the most obvious factors first and whittle it down.

Dehydration.  You’ve heard it all before, drink some water because it’s good for you.  It really does make sense though, especially if you’re rushing around all day.  Think of it as bathing your brain in pure, detoxifying, cooling water.  To create a new habit you just need to have a visual trigger to remind you, like a bottle of water in your bag or a glass sitting in the kitchen.  Do it for 21 days and it’ll become second nature.

Low blood sugar.  If you live on sugary snack bars (even ones claiming to be nutritious) then it’s likely your blood sugar goes up and down like a rollercoaster.  The crashes can cause food cravings, low energy and headaches.  Making an effort to have a good source of protein at every meal helps your body repair and also minimises those cravings for instant energy.  Even though mornings can be chaos, a couple of eggs however you like them can have a great impact on the rest of the day.

Stress.  Easier said than done!  It’s not what’s around us but how we deal with it that matters, so they say.  Time to yourself can be a rare luxury, but prioritising “me-time” makes you more effective at everything else you do, not to mention more relaxed and more fun to be around.  Walking is a great stress-buster, even 20 minutes a day can be enough.  Yoga, pilates, art, music, meditation, the gym, writing thoughts down, and even knitting are some ways people choose to de-stress. 

 Learning to delegate and to say no is also an invaluable skill which can help free up some time. It’s important to put yourself first sometimes.

Your neck.  Ever heard of cervicogenic headaches?  Because the nerves to your scalp come from your neck, underlying neck stiffness can irritate these nerves and be a significant cause of headaches.  Think of the accumulated stress on your neck from years of desk work, driving, falls or minor road traffic accidents years ago, carrying a heavy handbag, fairground rides, etc.  All of this can add up, causing stiff joints in your neck and subsequent headaches.

Try this little test: turn your head to one side then tilt it backwards.  Not the most comfortable position, but it shouldn’t hurt.  If you feel a pinching pain in your neck when you do this, that’s a sign the joints are unhappy, and a visit to your chiropractor would help to free them up.  Chiropractic is excellent for helping your spine work properly, and all the many health benefits that brings.

Food intolerances. Some of us just can’t eat certain things, and unfortunately it’s often the stuff we really like.  Wheat, dairy and food additives are common ones.  You can have allergy tests (either medical or more alternative options like kinesiology), but the simplest way to find out for yourself is an elimination diet.  Basically cut out the food you suspect, either individually or several at once, then re-introduce them one at a time and see if they disagree with you.

There are different opinions on how long you should abstain for, but a week or two should give you chance to notice the difference.  If you find you are intolerant to something then the biggest challenge is just to change eating and shopping habits.  A bit of planning ahead can make a huge difference and reduce the number of sneaky sandwiches bought out of convenience.  Like with water, do something differently for three weeks and you’ll create a new habit which is easy to keep doing.

This article is not intended to be diagnostic, and there are many types of headaches.  If you’re experiencing severe pain you should see your GP.  For the majority of us though, the simple solutions are often the right ones.  If you cover the bases mentioned here, the difference in your quality of life could really surprise you.

FOODS TO HELP OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis occurs when your bones become depleted of minerals and lose their density. One of the functions of bone is to store minerals which can be released to help regulate the body chemistry.  For example, helping nerves to function properly, giving muscles the energy they need, or balancing the acidity of the blood.

A key factor in maintaining and improving bone density is a diet which is not too acidic, as calcium is drawn from the bones to neutralise the acidity.  Vegetables are alkaline producing, so they should make up the bulk of your diet.   

The highest acid-producing foods are grains, hard cheeses, salted foods, meats, and legumes.  Other culprits include processed foods, sugars and sweeteners, caffeine and carbonated beverages, yeast products, fermented foods and alcohol. A healthy alkaline diet consists of around 80% vegetables.

Minerals and the Calcium Debate

Whilst we do need calcium to maintain strong bones, there is some controversy over calcium supplementation, which has been the standard approach to dealing with osteoporosis for many years.

  

Some experts now believe that over-supplementing with calcium actually depletes other minerals from your body and can lead to various health problems, and even make osteoporosis worse.  A far better alternative is said to be Himalayan salt, which is rich in many minerals and untouched by modern agriculture.

Virgin coconut oil helps the body to absorb minerals better and has many other health benefits. 

The Role of Vitamin D

 Vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium, which makes up a significant part of bone tissue. We can synthesise vitamin D through the skin and get it from our diet. The most readily available source of vitamin D is exposure to direct sunlight. Fifteen minutes sunlight on the face and forearms each day is usually enough, even in Britain! Vitamin D is also found in fatty fish, eggs, liver, butter, fortified foods such as milk and multivitamins.
 

The known health benefits of Vitamin D are numerous and growing all the time. The website vitamind3world.com, which sells vitamin D supplements, also has a lot of information about it. 

The Grain Debate 

Whole grains may not be a healthy food for everyone, especially people at risk of low bone density health issues. Studies have shown that grains can have numerous detrimental effects on the body, including gut irritation leading to malabsorption of minerals, autoimmune responses and an acidifying effect.   

Reducing the amount of grain in our diet in favour of more vegetables is an easy and effective way of improving our overall nutritional intake. 

Alcohol 

An occasional drink may be good for your bones: A number of recent research studies have shown an association between moderate alcohol intake and stronger bones in post-menopausal women. A study reported in the November, 2000 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol hadd significantly higher bone density than did non-drinkers.

Exercise 

Walking and strength training are essential elements to creating strong bones.  There are various walking groups available in this area, and Impulse Leisure in Southwick and Lancing have great facilities and numerous exercise classes to suit everyone.  Please ask us if you would like a free 7 day guest pass.

Summary 

Health science is starting to acknowledge the benefits of whole foods over individual supplements.  A healthy lifestyle which closely follows what the body is deigned for is often a better long term approach to health than using medication to try to fix a problem.

What you choose to put in your body is always your choice, and we recommend that you do your own research on the benefits and drawbacks of certain treatment approaches before embarking on them.

Sources 

For more information on osteoporosis, mercola.com is an excellent source of information. Dr Joseph Mercola is an American medical doctor who sources cutting edge information on natural health.

Virgin Organic Coconut Oil is available in the clinic and Himalayan Crystal Salt can be found at Sugar & Spice Health Food Store, 33 East Street, Shoreham-By-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5ZD. Tel: 01273 464716.

Cyndi O’Meara’s 21 Day Weight Loss Programme is also available at the clinic and is a great place to start for inspiration and motivation.  You don’t have to want to lose weight to enjoy Cyndi’s programme.

To learn more about omitting grains from your diet, visit marksdailyapple.com.

Toys for Adjustment Day - Wed 15th December

Giving something back to the community makes us feel good, and in this case makes a massive difference to a lot of children in the Brighton area.

Toys for Adjustment Day - instead of paying for your adjustments on this day, bring along a toy (or a few toys), and we'll give them to the Salvation Army - they'll be distributed to local children who otherwise wouldn't get very much this Christmas.

Such a great cause, and such an easy way to help.

Do you have any toys the kids have grown out of? Obviously good quality ones please, and preferably around the value of an adjustment.

If you don't have an appointment but would like to drop something in as a donation anyway - you'd be very welcome!

Here's the United Chiropractic Association PDF which explains a bit more.

How to Manage Back Pain in Pregnancy

You don’t have to put up with back pain before and after childbirth, but unfortunately many people do. About a third of pregnant women suffer with back pain during pregnancy, it even has its own initials: PGLBP (pregnancy related low back pain).

Painkillers are of course an option, but a lot of pregnant women choose to limit the toxins they put in their body and look for natural approaches instead.

What hurts?

Most back pain comes from the muscles and joints in your back, which are letting you know they’re under abnormal strain and generally unhappy. As your posture changes and you gain weight (in a very beautiful way!) your back will have more stress that it’s accustomed to. 

As you become less mobile in the later stages this will affect it too, since movement is an essential ingredient to keeping your body in good working order. Also around this time the hormone relaxin, which helps the pelvic bones move during childbirth, can affect other joints in the body causing misalignment and pain.

If you are planning on conceiving, this is of course the best time to start looking after yourself. When you’re in good shape, your muscles are toned and strong, and your posture is well aligned before you get pregnant, you’re more likely to have a comfortable pregnancy.

Natural Pain Relief

Ice is a great natural painkiller and anti-inflammatory. A bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea-towel will do the trick, or you can get a gel pack for about a fiver which you can use repeatedly (without fear of accidentally eating the multi-defrosted peas!).  Put it on for 10 minutes, then back in the freezer and repeat half an hour later.

Putting a pillow between your knees when you sleep can make you more comfortable

Exercise makes a massive difference, by maintaining mobility, strengthening your muscles and also the natural endorphins you get from it. There are lots of classes for mums-to-be, including yoga and water-based ones. If you’re a fan of the gym you can still carry on training by modifying your exercises, even up until the late stages. Ask your gym if they have a personal trainer who specialises in exercise during and after pregnancy.

A fantastic simple exercise which helps immediately is the Cat. 

• On all fours, inhale as you arch your back down towards the floor, raising your hips and your head.
• Now exhale as you arch your back upwards, allowing your head to drop down and tucking your tailbone under.
• Do this 10 times, nice and slowly and gently. 

There are very effective natural therapies including chiropractic, which help to get your joints and muscles working properly again, and correct your posture. They are safe at any stage of pregnancy and a popular choice of care among many health-minded women. 

Alexander Technique is also excellent for learning how to minimise the stress on your body, whether you are sitting, standing or even lying down.

When we see pregnant women in our clinic, something we often notice is a small difference in leg length. This is very common and many people don’t even notice they have it, but it can exaggerate the physical stresses of pregnancy. A small insert in the shoe can make all the difference here.

A Final Note

When your baby has arrived, you can save yourself a lot of discomfort and pain by learning good postural habits from the start. Don’t start carrying your child on the same side all the time or it will throw your back out and be a hard habit to break later. The same goes for your handbag.

If you get any severe pain during pregnancy you should see your GP. 

The take-home message here though is that although some discomfort is common, you can feel in control and make this time as enjoyable as possible!