Osteopathy for Neck Pain

Did you know that approximately 1 in 3 adults experience neck pain at least once a year? It’s not surprising that it is a common reason that our patients come into Holistic Hands Osteopathy seeking osteopathic treatment. Research shows that neck pain is more persistent in people who have experienced back pain. As osteos who regularly treat patients with neck and back pain, we’ll share some simple steps to follow to reduce the risk of strain in your daily life. Read on to find out about the types of neck pain, and how osteopathic treatment could help.

Function of the neck

The neck, or cervical spine, contains the smallest vertebrae in the spinal column. It has several very important functions: to support the head and its range of motion, to allow blood to flow to the brain, and to protect the spinal cord.

What are the common symptoms of neck pain?

Neck pain is usually acute, which means it resolves within a few days or weeks. If it persists for longer than 3 months, it is considered chronic.

The common symptoms of neck pain include:

●     Muscle tightness, stiffness, and a decreased range of motion

●     Persistent aching

●     Pain that worsens when moving

●     Stabbing or sharp pain

●     Pain that radiates to the head, shoulders, and arms

●     Headaches

What are the common causes of neck pain?

Neck aches can be caused by something minor like sleeping in an awkward position or sitting at your desk for too long.

Some common causes of neck pain include:

●     Poor posture

●     Overuse and strain from sitting for long periods at the computer, or straining while holding your smartphone

●     Slouching forward, or straining while driving

●     Tension/stress

●     Osteoarthritis

●     Awkward sleeping position

●     Whiplash caused by vehicle accidents

●     Sports injuries

Less commonly, neck pain can be caused by serious illness or infection. If you have severe pain accompanied by fever, or numbness in your arms or legs, or you have injured your neck in a fall or accident, be sure to seek medical treatment from a doctor promptly.

How to prevent neck pain?

While it can’t always be avoided, there are some simple steps to reduce your risk of experiencing a strain, including:

●     Practice good posture when sitting and standing, especially for prolonged periods of time. If you need help to resolve postural issues, come and see us!

●     Reduce stress/tension by stretching, practicing yoga or meditating regularly.

●     Use a backpack instead of a shoulder bag when carrying a heavier load to distribute the weight evenly.

●     Check the ergonomic setup of your workstation - adjust your chair or screen to make sure the top of your monitor is at eye level. Keep your head straight, and your shoulders tracking directly above your hips.

●     Check your pillow - is it too soft or too firm? When was the last time you replaced it? You may need to try different pillows to find the right fit.

How to treat neck pain at home

You can manage some mild neck aches at home. Some of the treatments we like include:

●     Heat or ice therapy.

●     Modifying activities that aggravate or cause discomfort.

●     Gentle movement and stretching to prevent the area from tightening further.

How can osteopathic treatment help?

As osteos, we commonly treat neck and back aches in the clinic. Whether your symptoms are acute or chronic, osteopathic treatment could help get to the bottom of them. When a patient comes into the clinic with neck pain or discomfort, we will use a range of soft tissue techniques, including massage therapy, joint manipulation, and stretching which may help to increase blood flow to the area, reduce tightness, and restore your range of motion.

If you need help to manage your symptoms, come and see us. We will assess your symptoms and come up with a treatment plan to get you back to your best.

Vertigo: symptoms and treatment

Welcome back readers! This month we are switching focus to the head, and specifically a condition which causes a person to feel dizzy. We welcome you to the world of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). In simple terms, a non-serious sudden attack of dizziness brought on by a change in head position.

What is vertigo?

Vertigo is a type of dizziness where a person experiences the sensation of whirling, spinning or swaying. A person will usually feel that they, or objects around them are moving when they are not. There are several causes of vertigo, with the most common cause being BPPV. Other common causes include Ménière's disease (vertigo with hearing loss and ringing in the ears) and labyrinthitis (inflammation of the inner ear).

The ear is made up of an outer, middle and inner section. The outer ear is the ear that we see on the head and the opening that leads into the head itself. This connects to the middle ear — a small area inside the head which houses the ear bones, connects to the inner mouth and also the inner ear. The inner ear is the section which houses our hearing and balance organs — the cochlea and the vestibular system. It is this most inner section which is involved with BPPV.

What causes BPPV?

The structure of the inner ear is quite complicated. It is a maze of hollow chambers and canals all connected together and filled with fluid. There are three semi-circular canals which are expertly positioned to detect movement in the 3 planes that our head can move (nodding up and down, tilting left and right, and looking left and right). Inside the chambers live tiny crystals which, when movement of the head occurs, move and send important information to the brain about what type of movement is occurring. Sometimes these crystals become detached from the chamber and move into the canals where they can play havoc.

Basically, the crystals move through the fluid which stimulates nerve endings in the canal. The nerves then send a message to the brain which the brain perceives as movement, even though the head isn’t actually moving. Because this information doesn’t match with what the eyes are seeing and the ears are detecting, we experience vertigo. It is one big mismatch of information which is tricking the brain. And the effect is quite unpleasant!

An attack of BPPV can be brought on by a quick change in head position, when rolling over in bed, sitting up from lying down, or when looking up to the sky. A recent head injury or degeneration of the inner ear system can precede episodes of BPPV.

Signs and symptoms

The main symptoms as discussed include a sensation of spinning or swaying. People may also experience feelings of light-headedness, imbalance and nausea. Attacks will usually only last a period of a few minutes and may come and go. It is not unusual for a person to have a period of symptoms followed by a period of no symptoms for months at a time. If symptoms persist for longer than a few minutes at a time, then it is likely the vertigo is from a different cause.

Some conditions that cause vertigo can also give symptoms of headache, hearing loss, numbness, pins and needles, difficulty speaking, and difficulty coordinating movements. Episodes of vertigo may also be much longer or constant. If you experience any of these symptoms they should be reported immediately as they could be signs of more serious issues, which will need to be investigated.

Can it be treated?

BPPV is very treatable. Many people with dizziness end up seeing their GP first, but it is common for a GP to refer these cases to us here at Holistic Hands Osteopathy for ongoing management. After a thorough session of questioning and assessment, if we are happy with our diagnosis of BPPV, then we can get to work right away.

BPPV can affect any of the semi-circular canals mentioned above. For treatment, we need to first bring on the symptoms. It sounds sadistic, but it is necessary to ensure we resolve the symptoms for you. Treatment for BPPV consists of a series of head and body movements where you start seated, move into a lying down position and end sitting upright again. This series of movements is known as the Epley Manoeuvre and is used to treat the most common form of BPPV. If the source of the problem is coming from a different canal, then the treatment will be slightly different.

We then send you away with some general do’s and don’ts. You may have to keep your head relatively still for the rest of the day (sorry, heavy exercise is not recommended at this stage) and to sleep propped up for the first night after treatment. We will then organise for you to come back in within a few days to reassess and if necessary continue with another treatment.

Final comments…

Interestingly, we often get patients come in who think they have vertigo, but in fact, it’s other structural issues contributing to their dizziness (which we diagnose and treat). That’s why it’s so important that we have a thorough consultation, to ensure we develop the right treatment plan for you. If you think you are experiencing vertigo, please come in and speak to us. Osteopaths are highly trained medical practitioners who can help treat more than you think. Call us today on 0439379847 to book your consultation.

Let’s talk TMJ dysfunction

Hello and welcome to our November blog! The end of 2019 is fast approaching which means soon there will be an influx of social gatherings, work Christmas parties and family get togethers coming our way. What do we do at these gatherings? We talk, eat, drink… And maybe have a good catchup or two! Therefore, it’s very important that you have a good functioning jaw right?! Do you get jaw pain or clicking? Do you also suffer from headaches or neck pain? This month we’re focusing on our jaw joints - what we use them for, how these joints can cause issues and what we can do to help.

 

A bit of anatomy…

The jawbone (or mandible) is the bone which hangs from your skull, creating the lower part of your head. It houses the lower teeth and attaches either side of the head just in front of the ears. Put your fingers just in front your ears in line with the ear holes, gently open and close your mouth and you will be able to feel movement at these joints. These joints are called the temporo-mandibular joints, or TMJ. Movement at these joints occur when we open and close our mouth during activities such as eating and talking. As well as opening and closing our jaw, we can move it side to side and forwards and backwards!

Movements of the jaw, such as chewing, are controlled by various muscles. Three main muscles close our mouth, and one main muscle aids with opening it. This makes sense when you think about gravity's effect on the body. We need a bit more help to close our mouth and bite into our food than we do to open it and let it hang.

Problems with the TMJ

A common jaw condition us osteo’s treat is TMJ dysfunction. This is a relatively broad term we use to describe an issue with this specific joint which affects women twice as much as men. Problems can arise from many structures in and around the joint, including the muscles, joint surfaces and a small disc which sits inside. Muscle imbalances are common and can lead to stiffness or pain (or both) when opening and closing our mouth. Tightness in the surrounding muscles could be a result of trauma to the jaw (like with being punched or hitting your chin after a fall), clenching when sleeping (known as ‘Bruxism’), a neck dysfunction/restriction, or from dental problems such as having an uneven bite. People who are highly stressed will often clench their jaw in their sleep, which may lead to waking up with a sore jaw or headaches.

Inside the joint itself is a small disc which slides and moves during jaw movements. Sometimes this disc can become ‘displaced’ and may not slide and move as smoothly as it should. This may often lead to a jaw that clicks or cracks when opening the mouth. For the most part, the click is painless, however some people may experience pain alongside a click. In some severe cases the jaw may temporarily lock, which as you can imagine would be quite distressing to experience. Pain from the jaw joints can sometimes also present as ear pain.

Osteopathic treatment for TMJ dysfunction

Treatment for TMJ dysfunction will greatly depend on the cause of the dysfunction. A simple muscle imbalance may be corrected by soft tissue release of the jaw muscles, joint mobilisation, and corrective mobility and strengthening exercises. It is rarely that simple though. More often than not, a TMJ dysfunction will come hand in hand with a problem in the neck and shoulders, be it restriction of movement or poor stability and strength in the region.

An osteopathic approach to treating TMJ dysfunction will include a thorough assessment of the head, jaw, neck, shoulders and mid-back (and quite possibly further afield than that!). Because of the proximity of the jaw and neck, you rarely get dysfunction in one without the other. Your osteo will question you about your occupation, sleeping habits, hobbies, and current stress levels - all of which may be playing a part in your condition. If your osteo believes your TMJ issues stem from a dental issue, they may advise a visit to the dentist for a check-up as sometimes problems can be resolved with input from both professions. If clenching is an issue, you may find it useful to wear a gum shield or mouth guard to bed to alleviate pressure on the jaw and teeth. We appreciate it’s not the best look in the world, but it can be a game changer! Stress management including breathing, relaxation and mindfulness techniques can also be a great way to beat that stress in your life. Don’t worry, your osteo will have some tricks up their sleeve for this too. Always let them know if you feel like you need help with this aspect of your life.

If you think you might have a jaw problem, then don’t keep it tight-lipped. Open up that mouth and reach out to us (by talking we mean!). We’ll have you ready for copious amounts of food, drink (we say copious, but we mean in moderation, of course) and chin-wagging in the upcoming festive season before you can say ‘temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction’… Don’t worry, we struggle with that one too :) #tonguetwister

Osteoarthritis: aging and your body

Hello readers and welcome to October’s blog post! This month we are turning our focus to the elderly - an ever-growing population. Did you know that there are approximately 700 million people in the world aged 60 and over? And did you know that it is estimated that by 2050, there will be around 2 billion people on the planet that fall into this age bracket? That’s just over 30 years away! That’s quite difficult to comprehend, but with people beginning to work and live longer, it’s important that the elderly population get the attention and care they need to stay healthy and active; so they can enjoy the quality of life they deserve.

You might think that as people get older, they become less active and therefore are less likely to injure themselves. This may be true to a degree, especially once reaching retirement age, but the elderly population are generally an active population and are just as much at risk of injury as the next person. A 60-year-old person might not play footy or run around the basketball court as much as a teenager might, but they have other things to contend with - an ageing body with years of gradual degenerative change and weakening that we all experience at some point as we go through life. One of the most common causes of injury in the elderly is falling. Unfortunately, as the body ages, it becomes more prone to falls. This usually boils down to a combination of individual factors (i.e. having multiple diseases, poorer eyesight, or general weakening of the body) and environmental factors (e.g. trip hazards around the home setting). Some of the most commonly seen injuries sustained from falls include fractured hips, arms and forearms, cuts and lacerations, as well as head injuries.

In a clinical setting, us Osteos see our fair share of older patients. It’s less likely we’ll see someone in the acute setting immediately following a trauma like a cut, laceration or in many instances where a fracture is suspected, but it does happen. It is much more likely however, that we will see patients experiencing pain related to postural strain (think about the retiree who sits around a lot), or from degenerative changes in the body. A common degenerative condition affecting the elderly population is osteoarthritis (OA). This most commonly affects the joints in the hips, knees and spine - particularly those of the neck and lower back. It’s no coincidence that these are the main weight-bearing joints of the body.

So what is OA?

OA is a condition affecting the synovial joints in the body (the joints between two bones in the body that have a lubricating fluid between them). It is characterised by changes to the cartilage and underlying bone, as well as inflammation and irritation to the soft tissues that help to hold the joints together - known as the synovium - it’s the tissue that forms the lubricating fluid that sits between the joints.

Primary OA refers to changes in the joints that relate to the ageing process. It will often run in the family, so if your granny or dad has it, you may be more at risk to develop it. Secondary OA is arthritic change from any other cause. For example, following on from trauma, repetitive stress, poor posture, or from diseases such as gout.

Signs & symptoms

The main symptoms (things the person experiences) of OA include pain, stiffness, poor joint function and muscle weakness. Signs (things we look for in the clinical setting) that a joint is degenerated include popping and clicking, poor range of motion, bone and joint swelling, deformity and instability.

What to do if you have or think you have OA

First things first, book an appointment to see your local Osteo. After questions and assessment, we’ll get to work on your body and putting you on a pathway to moving better. There is a good chance your arthritic joint is paining you because you aren’t moving well, and the joint is being loaded incorrectly. The good news is, we know how you should be moving, and what needs to be done to get you there. We’ll aim to reduce your pain down by releasing tight and over-worked muscles and mobilising your stiff joints. Mobilising the joints helps to increase range of motion and will help promote production of the lubricating synovial fluid that sits between the joints to allow smooth fluid movement. You should get off the treatment table feeling less pain and moving better. There is a good chance you’ll need to do some form of strengthening to the surrounding weakened muscles, so the joint is more supported when you move it. More good news, we know which exercises will be beneficial to get you on the path to stronger muscles. Unfortunately, we cannot claim to cure your OA, but we can certainly get you moving with less pain or in an ideal situation, no pain at all.

What’s the outlook with OA?

More often than not, if caught early, significant changes can be made to stunt the progression of this degenerative condition. So, don’t ignore pain, it’s your body’s way of telling you something isn’t right. With early treatment, the best possible outcome will be achieved. If you pop into the clinic and we determine your issue is not OA-related, we can provide you with a sense of relief and get you on the right track for your situation (a positive outcome, either way!). In severe cases, you may require the opinion of a specialist orthopaedic surgeon. Sometimes people require joint replacements and can go on to live a very good quality of life with a new hip or knee for example. Always see your Osteo first though. Using our skills, we can possibly keep you from having to go under the knife a bit longer, and maybe even at all. Worth a shot don’t you think?!

Stiff and painful neck? Facet joint injury explained

Treating stiff and sore necks has to be up there as one of the most common areas of the body we Osteo’s see on a day-to-day basis. The causes for neck pain are numerous, with some of the common causes including muscle strain, joint restriction and degeneration, and disc-related injuries. Out of those, we regularly see injuries relating to the facet joints of the neck, which are small joints formed by two vertebrae in the spine.

What are facet joints there for?

In a nutshell, there is a facet joint on either side of the spine at each level. Depending on their position, they restrict and allow certain movements, based on how the joint surfaces are orientated. In the neck, the joints are orientated in such a way that allows for relatively large amounts of movement through forward and backward bending (flexion and extension), side-to-side bending (lateral flexion), and some twisting (rotation) too. If you move your head around, you will notice your neck is the most mobile part of your spine. This can leave it a little susceptible to injury.

How do these joints get injured?

It could be something as silly as a quick glance over the shoulder like checking your blind spot in the car, or spending an extended period looking up like when having to paint a ceiling in a house. There are usually some underlying movement issues that lead you to this point. For example, joint restrictions higher up in the neck or in the mid-back. That quick glance over the shoulder could be enough to sprain the soft tissue capsule of the joint that holds it together, or the long period spent looking up could over-compress the joint surfaces and lead them to become inflamed and lock up. Mums who spend hours looking down at their bubbas can also put these joints under strain and end up with a very stiff and painful neck.

 Can an Osteopath help?

Of course! We can help, and in many ways other than just using our hands. When you come into Holistic Hands Osteopathy we will take you through some questions to get an in-depth look into your life and the issue you’re currently experiencing. There are likely to be many things in your life that have led you to this stiff and painful neck and we want to make sure we tick off and address all of those risk factors. We’ll look into your personal and work life, hobbies and sports and even how you spend your time relaxing and sleeping. These are all areas that can play a part.

We will of course assess you physically. You may have a neck issue, but we will take a keen interest in what your shoulders, mid and low back are doing, as well as the pelvis and beyond into the legs. Once we can see how your body is working as a unit, we will discuss the treatment plan with you and get to work. Initially we will focus our attention on relieving your pain. We’ll use our hands to massage the muscles, mobilise the joints and we may use manipulation to achieve optimal joint motion and muscle relaxation. We’ll then give you some pointers on exercise and lifestyle advice so you can leave knowing how to manage the problem and continue to improve further at home.

A locked facet joint will typically take a few days to calm down following injury. Once the initial inflammation reduces, the pain decreases, movement improves and you should start to feel normal again. Within a few treatments, we’ll have you pain free and moving better than you have in a long time - this is where our work on the rest of the body comes in to play. It’s never JUST a neck issue!

Stiff neck anyone? Call us today and we’ll get you on the mend :)

The most common headache

Did you know it is estimated that 50% of the global adult population have experienced a headache within the last year alone - that’s over 3.5 billion people! Unfortunately, there are too many types of headache to be able to cover them all in one blog, unless you fancy reading through about 50 pages of text… Yeah we thought not! We figured a good place to start would be the headache that is most commonly experienced throughout the general population. We introduce you to the ‘Tension-Type Headache’ (or TTH).

WHO DOES IT AFFECT?

It is estimated that around 7 million Australians experience TTH, affecting approximately 42% of women and 36% of men. A person will commonly begin to experience them during teenage years and may experience a peak in headaches around their 40’s, as headaches begin to tail-off after this period in life. People who experience TTH on less than 15 days per month are classified as having ‘Episodic TTH’. Those experiencing them for more than 15 days per month are classified as having ‘Chronic TTH’.

KNOWING YOUR HEADACHE

Different types of headache come with different signs and symptoms. For TTH, there are some common things to look out for. These include:

 

•   A tight band or ‘vice-like’ sensation of mild to moderate pain around the head

•   Pain across both sides of the head

•   Constant pain that may last anywhere from 30 minutes to several days

•   Scalp, neck and shoulder tenderness accompanying your headache

•   Difficulty concentrating or sleeping

•   Restricted neck movements

•   Depression and/or anxiety

Symptoms of TTH and migraine (another type of headache) may overlap slightly, but TTH are not usually described as throbbing, one-sided, or accompanied by visual disturbances, light sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, or worsening with activity; whereas migraines regularly are.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?

Despite the name, TTH are not always caused by tension or stress in a person’s life. TTH may be triggered by many things, including:

•   Excessive frowning

•   Teeth grinding or jaw-clenching (called ‘bruxism’)

•   Postural strain from work or driving

•   Exposure to bright lights or loud noise

•   Prolonged reading

•   Stress, anxiety and depression

•   Excessive tiredness or fatigue

•   Medication overuse

This last one is of particular importance, as the overuse of painkillers to treat TTH can ignite the onset of another type of headache known as ‘Chronic Daily Headaches’. These headaches are usually unaffected by pain medication and the person may also begin to experience migraines. Symptoms tend to be more severe than your average TTH.

CAN THEY BE TREATED?

Fortunately, there is a lot of help out there for such headaches. Usually the best course of action is to remove the trigger for your headache. This can be sometimes hard to work out, and we can help you identify what might be the root cause of your headaches. Your therapist can help to resolve those tight and sore muscles around the head, neck and shoulders by performing soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation and possibly manipulation techniques. They will also look at your posture when standing, sitting and lying down to try and highlight areas for improvement.

Other forms of treatment may include:

•   A visit to the dentist if you grind or clench excessively

•   Relaxation, breathing and stress-relieving techniques

•   Improving sleep patterns and cycles

•   Psychological therapy which may or may not include anti-depressant/anxiety medication

•   A visit to your GP to discuss medication use, if the cause of your headache has been highlighted as potentially relating to the amount of medication you are taking – remember those chronic daily headaches we mentioned earlier?

So, please do not suffer headaches in silence. Speak out (it’s good to talk after all) and book an appointment with your friendly Osteo to start your journey to beating headaches. You’ll feel the tension just melting away!

Choosing the Right School Bag

How To Guide: Choosing the Correct School Bag for your Child

DID YOU KNOW: Australian studies have found that poor fitting backpacks that are heavily loaded can lead to postural problems causing neck and back pain in children, which could lead to permanent spinal damage in later life?

Back pain is more frequently a condition we associate with growing older, but there Is a growing number of children reporting back pain and discomfort. Risks that can be involved in carrying a heavy or incorrectly fitted school bag include:

• Muscle strain
• Distortion of the natural ‘S’ curve of the spine
• Rounding of the shoulders

Why not take the proactive step to protecting your child’s spinal health?

Here are some easy steps and handy tips for you to follow to ensure your child’s school bag is properly fitted:

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BACK PACK:

• A light weight bag so it doesn’t add extra weight and load
• Appropriate for your child’s size – don’t choose one that they will ‘grow into’. However, you may need to re-adjust the shoulder straps as your child grows
• A padded back providing comfort and back support that adjusts to the back of your child. The padding also ensures sharp objects don’t poke through
• Two, wide adjustable shoulder straps and a waist belt to allow weight to be distributed more evenly across the body. A chest strap may further allow this
• Multiple compartments for a more even distribution of weight

HOW TO FIT YOUR SCHOOL BAG:

• The bottom of the bag should sit on or just below your child’s hips, but not too low that it hangs over their buttocks
• The top of the back pack should sit no more than 3cm higher than their shoulders, so they can tilt their head back without hitting the top of the bag
• The back pack should be no wider than your child’s chest
• The shoulder straps should be tight enough that the bag is held against the torso, without digging into their underarms
• If the bag features a waist strap it should sit just below the bony part of your child’s waist. This allows some of the bags weight to be taken by the hips rather than the back and shoulders

HANDY TIPS WHEN PACKING YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL BAG:

• Plan ahead to limit your child’s load so they are not carrying more than what is needed
• Your child should never carry more than 10% of their body weight for an extended period of time
• They should always wear their bag over two shoulders. They should also be educated on the risks of musculoskeletal pain associated with wearing their bag slung over one shoulder
• Pack heavier items closest to the spine