Common Conditions treated by Osteopaths

Spondylosis

As we get older we all develop a degree of degeneration/wear and tear in the vertebrae and discs . As the ‘discs’ degenerate, they become thinner. A disc sits between two vertebra, therefore as the disc thins the vertebra come closer together. This can reduce the gap that the nerve passes through as it leaves the spine and if the adjacent vertebrae develop small, rough areas of bone on their edges the nearby muscles, ligaments, and nerves may become irritated and painful.

 

Trapped Nerve

A trapped nerve refers to an irritated nerve. This may be due to inflammation in the gap that the nerve passes through as it leaves the spine, a disc bulge compressing the nerve or a tight muscle that a nerve passes through.

 

Neck Pain

Pain associated with spondylosis, postural tension and whiplash can result in neck pain. As with low back pain you can also suffer with a disk bulge or “slipped disc” in the neck, this can produce neck pain along with a “trapped nerve”. In this case you may experience pain, pins and needles and weakness in the arm.

 

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain can be due to many reasons and should be diagnosed correctly in order to give the correct advice and treatment especially as many conditions provide the same symptoms. Some common causes of shoulder pain are: Frozen Shoulder, Muscle tear, Rotator Cuff Dysfunction, referred pain from the neck, Acromial Bursitis.

Shoulder problems can not only arise from trauma but can be caused by poor posture.

 

Elbow pain / Wrist pain

The most common elbow condition seen at the clinic is RSI (repetitive strain injury) and is often seen in people who do a lot of computer based work. Osteopathy can help RSI by not only treating the affective area but also reliving tension through the upper back and neck as this may be contributing to the condition.

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Tennis Elbow and Golfers Elbow are both types of RSI. in these condition the forearm muscles become very tight due to repetitive use and start irritating the tendon as they attach to the elbow. If the tendon becomes inflamed it will result in pain around the elbow and is aggravated by use of the fingers or gripping. The medical term for this is epicondylitis.

 

Low back pain / Sciatica

Low back pain is the most common condition we see at the clinic. Pain can result from a disc bulge or “slipped disc”, facet joint irritation/locking, spondylosis/arthritis or muscle spasm. Many of these conditions can produce similar pain patterns and can cause irritation to some of the spinal nerves as they exit the spine and travel down the leg.

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A common nerve to be irritated or “trapped” is the Sciatic nerve. This will result in pain traveling from the buttock down the back of the leg and into the foot, there may also be pins and needles, numbness and weakness in the lower leg or foot, it may be referred to as Sciatica.

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Osteopathy can help by releasing tension in the back and by stretching tight muscles, as well as giving advise on rehabilitation exercises.

 

Pelvis pain / Sacro iliac pain

The pelvis is made up of 3 bones and consists of 3 joints that help with the fine movements of walking. If one of these joints become inflamed they can produce pain. Pain is commonly felt in the very low back and can also be referred through to the groin. Pelvic problems and pelvic pain can occur during pregnancy or often following a sudden slip. Pelvic pain can be referred to as Sacro iliac pain.

 

Knee pain

There are many reasons for knee pain such as: Arthritis, ligament tear, cartilage irritation, meniscus tears, poor knee cap alignment and refereed pain from the hip.

 

Foot pain

Plantar fascists is a common cause of foot pain. It is often found in people who do a lot of standing especially if wearing poor footwear and their arch is not correctly supported. Plantarfacitis is a condition where the small muscle in the foot become over worked and very tight. This can result in pain and irritation to the bone that they attach to.