Rohan Osteopathy Posts

Non-specific low back pain

by rohan iswariah on 03/09/24

Non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) refers to pain and discomfort in the lower back that does not have a specific underlying cause, such as a spinal stenosis, a herniated disc or a vertebral fracture for example. It is a very common presentation caused by a variety of factors including poor posture, muscle strain, overuse injuries, and degenerative changes in the spine.

Osteopaths, as primary healthcare practitioners, focus on the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and are well-trained to use a variety of manual techniques such as manipulation, massage, stretching, and mobilisation in a refined and focused manner to address many musculoskeletal issues that subsequently helps patients to improve their overall health and well-being.

the potential benefits are far-ranging and include:

Pain Relief: Osteopathic manipulation techniques can help reduce pain and discomfort in the lower back by improving joint mobility, relieving muscle tension, and promoting better alignment of the spine. Muscle tension is often the precursor to joint problems, which can be reolved with soft tissue techniques, alone, in many cases.

Improved Function: Osteopathic treatment aims to restore normal function to the musculoskeletal system, by improving blood supply and fluid exchange, flexibility, range of motion, and by extension overall physical performance.

Individualized Care: A very important osteopathic principle is the holistic approach to treatment, considering the patient's overall history, health, lifestyle, and any contributing factors to their back pain. This allows for a personalized treatment plan tailored to the specific needs of the individual. The word tailored is important, as holistic treatment doesn`t mean do everything, but aprraise as many known factors as possible. Osteopaths can be specific in their treatments, as a result of good provisional diagnosis.

Prevention of Recurrence: By addressing underlying musculoskeletal imbalances, promoting better posture, blood supply and movement patterns, osteopathy can help reduce the risk of future episodes of low back pain.

Non-Invasive Approach: Osteopathic treatment is generally non-invasive and does not involve the use of medication or surgery, making it a relatively safe and low-risk option for managing low back pain.

It's important to note that the effectiveness of osteopathy for non-specific low back pain can vary from person to person. However most patients find a good improvement within 3 or 4 treatments. Additionally, osteopathic treatment is often used as part of a comprehensive approach to managing low back pain, which may also include exercise and lifestyle modifications. As with any form of healthcare, it's essential to consult with a qualified healthcare professional to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for your specific needs.

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Ebook: "An Osteopath`s Guide to Nutrition"

by rohan iswariah on 01/13/22

An Osteopath`s Guide to Nutrition

Yes, I have finally written a book. It is available as ebook on Amazon: "An Osteopath`s Guide to Nutrition". I hope you find it interesting and of some assistance. I have been an osteopath for over 38 years since qualifying from The British School of Osteopathy in 1983. As an osteopath I recognise that many factors can cause or contribute to ill health. Osteopaths try to provide a whole-person approach to health, and use various techniques tailored to the individual to achieve or provide effective care and treatment. Patients will often discuss a host of factors that can illuminate causes of their presenting symptoms - nutrition can be one of these contributory factors. It was the famous German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach in 1848 who more than alluded to the essential nature of a good balanced diet in his famous phrase, “We are what we eat”. As osteopaths, we take a holistic approach to promoting well-being and preventing disease where possible, and good nutrition is absolutely vital for overall healthy functioning. Good nutrition is vital for growth, providing energy, building and maintaining the immune system, and contributes to proper digestion. It protects us against many chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, gut health, and cancer. Good nutrition is also important for maintaining our memory, and contributes to good mood and general disposition. For convenience, all the entries in this book have been organised in an A-to-Z format, and include all the vitamins and minerals, and additionally most herbs and many food supplements. The book references in excess of 520 authoritative papers, abstracts, and websites – with historical information regarding discovery and traditional uses, including traditional Ayurvedic herbs (Ayurveda is the traditional medicinal system used for thousands of years across the Indian subcontinent, which may be more than 5,000 years old) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (this also uses a variety of plants and Chinese herbs, and is over 3,500 years old itself)

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Persistent Pain

by rohan iswariah on 10/30/19

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.

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/

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Shoulder Pain And Some Causes

by rohan iswariah on 10/28/19

Shoulder Pain and Some Causes

Shoulder pain can arise from a number of conditions:

· Rotator cuff problems – This is an injury or strain to the muscles of the shoulder girdle, particularly the intrinsic rotators. Pain can be felt in the shoulder or the upper arm.

· Biceps tendonitis, which affects one of the tendons of the biceps muscle and is experienced at the front of the shoulder mainly (anterior aspect)

· Frozen Shoulder or Adhesive Capsulitis – This is where the shoulder capsule becomes inflamed and gradually stiffens and is often very painful. Range of movement becomes reduced which can limit daily activities.

· Acromioclavicular joint pain – This is pain in the joint where the collarbone and shoulder blade join at the tip of your shoulder

· Osteoarthritis – Gradual wear and tear of the cartilage and shoulder joint. You may feel swelling, stiffness and aching pain which can be sharp on movement.

· Referred shoulder pain – Pain in the shoulder can be referred and coming from a problem in the neck or upper back.

· Shoulder instability – Dislocation or excessive movement at the shoulder joint leading to pain.

Treatment of shoulder pain

As an experienced osteopath, I am trained to try and help you understand what is causing your shoulder pain. Once you have been examined, I will determine whether osteopathic treatment could help you. Scans or other tests may be required to make a diagnosis and I may refer you to your GP for further treatment or investigation.

Treatment varies to suit your individual case; you may receive massage, shoulder articulation or/and manipulation of the neck and thoracic spine with rehabilitative exercises.

If you have any questions about your shoulder pain and want to ask any questions, feel free to get in touch on 01491-838866.

Speak to Rohan or Jane and feel free to ask any questions before consultation.

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Recent You Gov Public Perception Survey Results

by rohan iswariah on 12/18/18

"powerful evidence of patient satisfaction...that typifies osteopathic care"

Commissioned by the GoSC in April 2015 (n=1566) and published in The Institute of Osteopathy booklet dated September 2015 www.localosteopath.com

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