Pregnancy and Osteopathy

Pregnancy is a time of rapid change in all aspects. Hormones and mechanical factors work together to quickly demand something completely new of the body. It’s not unusual for these demands to cause aches and pains, but that doesn’t mean it’s something you necessarily have to tolerate. Changes in Pregnancy Whereas some patients expect pain […]

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 […]

SPD & PGP: Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction & Pelvic Girdle Pain

The abbreviations “SPD” and “PGP” are thrown around a lot in pregnancy. SPD refers to dysfunction of the pubic symphysis, which is the joint at the front of the pelvis. “Dysfunction” in this case is a broad term, and typically does not refer to any injury or damage. PGP stands for Pelvic Girdle Pain, which […]

NSLBP: Non-Specific Lower Back Pain

See video below for a concise version of this blog Non-Specific is probably not how you want anyone to diagnose you. Depending how the diagnosis of NSLBP is packaged, you might have questions like: “Why can’t you tell me exactly what’s causing my pain?”“Do I need an X-Ray or MRI done to find the cause […]

Diastasis Recti: abdominal muscle separation post-partum

During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles have to come apart to make room for the bump. If they don’t knit back together after while the body heals post-partum, the patient can be diagnosed with diastasis recti. Diastasis means separation, and recti refers to the 6-pack muscles: rectus abdominus. Diastasis is not exclusive to women who have […]

Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)

Frozen shoulder (FSS) is a syndrome, meaning it is defined by its signs and symptoms. Typically someone with a frozen shoulder will have pain and stiffness in the shoulder, but the diagnosis only applies to people whose movement is restricted passively. This means that when the shoulder is relaxed, movement is still limited when someone […]

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, […]

Arthritic Hands

It’s not often that someone books in with me for hand pain alone (arthritic or otherwise), it tends to be something they mention later. We can absolutely help if your main or only concerns are arthritic hands. The two main forms of arthritis that affect the hands are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Osteoarthritis […]

Bursitis

There are over a hundred fluid filled sacs called “bursae” in the body. Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. Symptoms can include focal pain, swelling, heat, and redness. In areas where tendons run closely to bone, you can often find bursae, as their function is to prevent friction. The two areas in which I see […]

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)

The thoracic outlet is a space where blood vessels and nerves leave the torso on their way to the arm. It is formed by the first rib and the collar bone. The outlet is tightly packed, and there are a number of things that can cause compression to those blood vessels, or nerves, or both. […]