Backinhealth.ie

19/05/2016

Lots of patients with gardening related injuries this week. It seems we all took advantage of the sunny weekend! Come in and see me if you're sore after a weekend of working in the sun.

03/05/2016

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/70381.php?page=2

Not a bad article explaining what Osteopathy is and how it can benefit everyone.

Learn all about Osteopathy - the therapy that treats and strengthens the musculoskeletal framework. Find out all about the benefits of Osteopathy and the conditions that it treats.

25/04/2016

It's another bank holiday next Monday so the clinic will be closed, the popular times for the rest of the week are filling up fast so book soon to avoid missing out.

11/03/2016

Sick of the idea of spending Patrick's day sitting in a pub or negotiating the madness that is city centre? How about a decent walk for a good cause? Dun laoghaire to howth or vice versa . (don't forget to stretch!)
http://www.aware.ie/events/harbour2harbourwalk/

Walk from Dun Laoghaire to Howth or Howth to Dun Laoghaire on St. Patrick’s Day March 17th at 10:30am

01/03/2016

Back in the clinic this week after a much needed holiday. Nearly picked up a few injuries myself! I've only got a few free slots left this week so get in touch if you've got any aches or pains that need sorting.

18/01/2016

There really is a massive increase in the amount of people using cranial osteopathy to help their children, it's great to see!

Get a group of new parents together and it won’t take long before they start talking about sleep. Or more likely, the lack of it.

15/01/2016

As promised, some info about chondromalacia patella. It's a common cause of knee pain.

Chondromalacia Patella (Patellofemoral Syndrome)

Chondromalacia patella facts
• Chondromalacia patella is the most common cause of chronic knee pain.

• Chondromalacia patella has also been called patellofemoral syndrome.

• The pain of chondromalacia patella is aggravated by activity or prolonged sitting with bent knees.

• Abnormal "tracking" allows the kneecap (patella) to grate over the lower end of the thighbone (femur), causing chronic inflammation and pain.

• Treatment involves improving the alignment of the patella during contraction of the thigh muscle.
What is the chondromalacia patella?

Chondromalacia patella is abnormal softening of the cartilage of the underside the kneecap (patella). It is a cause of pain in the front of the knee (anterior knee pain). Chondromalacia patella is one of the most common causes of chronic knee pain. Chondromalacia patella results from degeneration of cartilage due to poor alignment of the kneecap (patella) as it slides over the lower end of the thighbone (femur). This process is sometimes referred to as patellofemoral syndrome.

What causes chondromalacia patella?
The patella (kneecap) is normally pulled over the end of the femur in a straight line by the quadriceps (thigh) muscle. Patients with chondromalacia patella frequently have abnormal patellar "tracking" toward the lateral (outer) side of the femur. This slightly off-kilter pathway allows the undersurface of the patella to grate along the femur, causing chronic inflammation and pain. Certain individuals are predisposed to develop chondromalacia patella: females, knock-kneed or flat-footed runners, or those with an unusually shaped patella undersurface.

What are the symptoms and signs of chondromalacia patella?
The symptoms of chondromalacia patella are generally a vague discomfort of the inner front of the knee, aggravated by activity (running, jumping, climbing or descending stairs) or by prolonged sitting with knees in a moderately bent position (the so called "theater sign" of pain upon arising from a desk or theater seat). Some patients may also have a vague sense of "tightness" or "fullness" in the knee area. Occasionally, if chronic symptoms are ignored, the associated loss of quadriceps (thigh) muscle strength may cause the leg to "give out." Besides an obvious reduction in quadriceps muscle mass, mild swelling of the knee area may occur.

How is chondromalacia patella diagnosed?
Chondromalacia patella is suspected in a person with anterior knee pain, especially in teenage females or young adults. With manual compression of the kneecap while the quadriceps muscle is tightened, there can be pain. This is referred to as the positive "shrug" sign. Generally, there is no associated swelling (knee joint effusion).

X-rays or MRIs may be done to confirm the inflammation on the posterior part of the patella.

More Information and Full Article Here: http://www.medicinenet.com/patellofemoral_syndrome/article.htm
Image by Medical Pictures

15/01/2016

I still encounter a lot of people who are under the mistaken belief that Osteopathy is limited to "fixing backs" so I thought I'd share a snapshot of some of the conditions I've dealt with in the last 2 weeks alone.

Several cases of pregnancy related pelvic pain (at the front and back)

Lots of runners with hip and knee pain and a good few with chondromalacia patella (I'll put up a post about that shortly, it's useful to know about)

2 cases of elbow pain (both were lateral epicondylitis/tennis elbow)

3 Ankle strains (2 recurrent, one a regular problem for over 20 years)

Lots of neck and shoulder injuries stemming from office posture. (This can be treated quite easily but goes on to cause permanent damage when not treated)

Several cases of electric shock-like pain going down arms or legs.

1 case of TMJ (jaw) pain when chewing.

Several cases of headaches (often caused by forward head posture which is very common these days)

1 recurrent hamstring strain in an athlete (caused by bio-mechanical compensation from his other which no-one had treated yet)

Lots of babies with flat head syndrome, cranial compression, wind issues and lots who were just in for a routine check to see if everything was ok like they do in a lot of other countries.

(And yes, lots of back injuries as well)

These are just some of the cases I've come across in the last 2 weeks, I could provide many more examples if I went back into December, November etc but I think my point is clear.

You'd be amazed at the different pain areas and problems Osteopaths are trained to treat and we're also trained to refer on as necessary if we need further examinations or if something is beyond our remit so you're perfectly safe in our hands.

And most importantly, if you're unsure how Osteopathy can help you, ask me. You can reach me here, email [email protected] or call me @ 086-393-2650. I'm always happy to give out free info and answer any questions.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Jonathan.

11/01/2016

It's not one of the techniques I usually use to fix shoulder problems but to be fair this was a unique case.

10/01/2016

Bone Spurs (Osteophytes)

Basic Bone Spur Facts
• A bone spur is a tiny pointed outgrowth of bone.
• Bone spurs are usually caused by local inflammation, such as from degenerative arthritis or tendonitis.
• Bone spurs develop in areas of inflammation or injury of nearby cartilage or tendons.
• Bone spurs may or may not cause symptoms. When they do cause symptoms, the symptoms depend on their location.
• Bone spurs can be associated with pain, numbness, tenderness, and weakness if they are irritating adjacent tissues.
• Bone spurs are detected by radiologic testing, such as with plain X-rays, ultrasound imaging, MRI scan, CT scan, and myelograms.
• Bone spurs are treated only if they are causing symptoms. Initial treatment is directed toward decreasing inflammation and avoiding reinjury when possible.

What causes bone spurs?
Bone spurs are usually caused by local inflammation, such as from degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) or tendinitis. This inflammation stimulates the cells that form bone to deposit bone in this area, eventually leading to a bony prominence or spur. For example, inflammation of the ligament that surrounds a degenerating disc between the vertebrae (the bony building blocks of the spine) is a very common cause of bone spurs of the spine. Inflammation of the Achilles tendon can lead to the formation of a bone spur at the back of the heel bone (calcaneus bone). Inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot, plantar fasciitis, can lead to a bone spur at the underside of the heel bone. These bone spurs are sometimes referred to as heel spurs. A bone spur is medically referred to as an osteophyte.

Where do bone spurs occur?
Bone spurs develop in areas of inflammation or injury in nearby cartilage or tendons. Common locations for bone spurs are in the back, or sole, of the heel bone of the foot, around joints that have degenerated cartilage, and in the spine adjacent to degenerated discs.

What are symptoms of bone spurs?
Bone spurs may or may not cause symptoms. When they do cause symptoms, the symptoms depend on their location. Bone spurs can be associated with pain, numbness, and tenderness if they are irritating adjacent tissues, such as skin, fat pads, nerves, or tendons.

Heel spurs cause local foot pain, tenderness, and sometimes swelling. This can lead to difficulty walking due to pain at the bottom of the foot with weight-bearing. Sometimes there is accompanying inflammation of the entire bottom of the foot (plantar fasciitis) when the heel spur occurs in the bottom of the heel bone. Occasionally, bone spurs in this location are a result of inflammatory arthritis, such as from reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH or Forrestier's disease).

Spurs in the spine can pinch adjacent nerves to cause numbness, tingling, and pain as well as weakness in the area of the body supplied by the affected nerve.
Some bone spurs do not cause symptoms and are incidentally detected by X-ray tests that are performed for other reasons. These spurs may have formed because of past injury to nearby tissues, such as tendons, that caused local inflammation of the bone, leading to the development of the bone spur.

How are bone spurs diagnosed?
Bone spurs are detected by radiologic testing, such as with plain X-rays, ultrasound imaging, MRI scan, CT scan, and myelograms.

REFERENCE:Fauci, Anthony S., et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008

09/01/2016

I have lots of friends who are new mothers (Congratulations to you all!) and I also constantly work with new mothers and babies. This article is for you guys. A 73% pain reduction on average is impressive! http://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-subjects/pain-management/osteopathy-may-reduce-lower-back-pain-in-new-mothers/5087358.fullarticle ( you may need to register as a guest for free access) A more indepth analysis can be found at http://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2362399

Osteopathic manipulative therapy can significantly reduce lower-back pain after pregnancy, according to German researchers.

04/01/2016

And we're back!! How's everyone feeling after the holidays? If you're not feeling 100% this Jan then come in, get rid of your pain and start the year right. Even I need it after the last few weeks!