Tension: The Diaphragm, Thorax, and Beyond
Tension is a problem that affects us all to some extent, and often it has mechanical implications within the body. Stress changes the gear your nervous system runs in, making digestion less of a priority and breathing less efficient. These changes in turn can have a knock-on effect on the rest of the body, so […]
Rheumatic Pain: AS and RA
Osteopaths are qualified to help manage your rheumatic pain. As rheumatic conditions are autoimmune, medication is often a key part of management, as we cannot address the root cause. However, we can help to counteract the way the body reacts to elements of the condition. This includes treatment for the joints that are directly affected, […]
Ergonomics: desk posture
Like sleep, you can spend about 1/3 of your day at your desk. Make sure your desk’s impact on your body is minimal. These pointers are for guidelines only, and I argue that sitting in even the “perfect” position all day is worse for you than moving through various “bad” postures. The points only apply […]
Osteoarthritis: the most common arthritis explained
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, which we often refer to as “wear and tear”. More recently, the more optimistic “wear, tear, and repair” has been the explanation of choice. It’s a normal age related change like grey hair or wrinkles. For a lot of people it won’t cause any symptoms, and it […]
Sciatica
Sciatica specifically refers to symptoms arising from the sciatic nerve. It is an example of a “trapped nerve”. Symptoms The term is a commonly misused. Technically it only refers to pain in the distribution of the sciatic nerve, which typically presents as a clear line of pain down the back of the thigh (fig. B). […]
Degenerative Disc Disease
Each disc in the spine is well attached to the vertebrae directly above and below it. The discs act as a cushion for shock absorbing, and they can be twisted and squashed to allow for movement through the spine. A good analogy for their anatomy is to imagine a jam doughnut, where the outside is […]