Head, neck and jaw.
Cervicogenic and tension-type headaches (those caused by muscle tension, joint stiffness and stress) often respond well to osteopathy. Osteopaths can help to decrease pain and help you to prevent and manage your headaches by considering their pattern and timing, your posture, lifestyle, medical history and physical and mental stressors.
Some people find osteopathy helpful for their migraines. However, there are several different types of migraines which have many different triggers. We recommend discussing your migraines with us first before booking an appointment.
Neck pain can be dull, sharp, electric, one sided, both sides, shoot up to the head or down the back, stiff, sore, or cause a headache. It may also happen at the same time as nerve pain anywhere from the shoulder to the fingertips. Neck pain is often due to muscle tension and joint stiffness and can be associated with sudden awkward movements or the more subtle way we use our head and neck on a daily basis. Osteopaths aim to find the cause, reduce your pain, explain how you can help yourself to prevent the problem coming back.
The jaw and temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
The TMJ is very closely linked to the neck and head through location and because of overlap in the muscles, nerves and blood supply which serve them. People who clench their jaw a lot can often end up with a headache, as can people with who grind their teeth. When treating someone with a headache, neck pain and even shoulder pain; the TMJ will also be assessed and treated where appropriate.
Shoulders, elbows, wrists and hand pain.
Shoulders
Depending on the cause, people may complain of a generalised ache, sharp pain, stabbing pain, pain in the front of the shoulder, a dead arm, pinching, stiffness, or weakness.
Solving shoulder problems can often involve treatment of several small but interrelated issues. Shoulders are complex and intricate, with each shoulder girdle being made up of three separate joints. Common things which can cause pain in and around the shoulder are: impingement, rotator cuff problems, labral tears, repeated dislocations or subluxations, biceps tendinopathy and frozen shoulder. Shoulder problems tend to occur either as a result of a specific incident or repeated strain which builds up over time.
Elbows
Tennis elbow and Golfer’s elbow are very common problems in this joint. Strains and pain in this area tend to relate to repetitive activity in sports or work but may also be due to trauma. There are two joints at the elbow which are directly linked to the wrist and shoulder. It is important to make sure the whole arm and shoulder unit is working well and not just focus on the elbow.
Wrists
Wrists are vulnerable to repetitive strain problems and can also be left feeling weak after a fracture and cast have been removed. There are lots of small bones in the wrist and hand as well as many tendons and nerves. All these structures need to be assessed in order to work out the cause of the problem and to provide the best treatment.
Hands
Pain and strain to the thumb and fingers can often be due to joint strain as well as problems with the tendons and muscles that control them. Your forearm and upper arm will be assessed to minimise unnecessary stress on the wrist and hand.
Upper back pain.
Pain and tightness in the upper back can be caused by numerous factors. It may be linked to stress and tension. It could be related to long hours spent doing desk based or repetitive movements which lead to strain over time such as carrying and lifting small children. Upper back pain may also relate to a more sudden incident such as a fall.
People often complain of gripping or burning between the shoulder blades, a feeling of hunching or that their shoulders feel “up around their ears” and they cannot relax them down.
As well as looking at how your upper back is moving, the biomechanics of your ribs and breathing will also be analysed in order to fully assess this area.
Lower back pain and Sciatica.
Lower back pain is very common. Most adults can expect to experience an episode of lower back pain at least once in their lives. Peoples’ experiences of lower back pain vary; from feeling a dull ache, to feeling that the back is weak or even a shooting or stabbing type pain. Sciatica (pain in the leg due to an irritated sciatic nerve) is often associated with lower back pain. Lifestyle factors, age, previous injury and genetics can contribute to lower back pain. If you find that your lower back pain is not getting better with self help then osteopathy is recommended as a specialist treatment by the NHS as a way to speed up your recovery and reduce pain.