Most DIY back pain is due to the repetitive and prolonged movement or continuous static posture performed during different projects such as painting ceilings and walls, tiling or laying laminate flooring, hanging wallpaper and many other DIY jobs. The cause of pain is the prolonged stretching of the tendons and ligaments supporting the spine and other joints, along with the repetitive motion causing strain on the muscles and joint capsules.

Timescales and commitments mean that people often ignore the pain whilst working through their projects, hoping it is temporary and thinking it will be gone the following morning. Never work through the ache, it is a sign that there is something wrong! If you continue to push yourself the chance of further injury to the soft tissues is more likely. The body will always respond to injury by tightening up the muscles like a continuous spasm in order to protect the vulnerable area from further damage. This is when patients usually consult our clinic for Chiropractic or Osteopathic treatment with most people saying ” I got out of bed this morning and my whole back has locked up”. Whilst we are always happy to ease your DIY pains, we would much prefer that you try to prevent injury as much as possible.

Simple Guidelines

Here are some handy tips to ensure that home improvement does not become a pain in the back:

• Lifting and carrying: Assess heavy loads carefully, if you think it might be too heavy just wait until someone can help you. People often try to carry something thats too heavy for them in fits and starts in order to get it to its final destination, this can cause more damage to the discs of the spine because of the increased loading when you initially lift the object and place it back down. Approach heavy items slowly, getting a firm grip, bend your knees and keep your back straight, taking the weight with your legs and not your lower back. Keep the load close to your body and try not to pivot on your legs but turn your whole body. If there is no one to help you, use a wheel barrow or invest in a two wheel trolley from a DIY store.
• Kneeling: Its always better to kneel on one leg rather than bending down repeatedly from the hips. If you suffer from knee problems or osteoarthritis use a cushion to kneel on!
• Workbench levels: Make sure that the height of your bench stops you bending forwards from the hips. Try to avoid standing in front of it for long periods without taking a break.
• Varying the task: Working constantly at one task means that your movements are repetitive. This is the prime cause of strains and sprains. If possible, carry out short periods of activity on a variety of jobs rather than slogging away at the same one all day.
• Keep warm: Chilled muscles are more easily strained. Keep warm and covered, wear several layers and take them off as you warm up.
• Rest periods: However anxious you are to get the job done, it is sensible to take regular breaks. Not taking a regular break is as bad for your back as continuously working in the same position.
• The morning after: If you ache the next day, listen to your body – rest and recuperate! If the pain persists then consult your Chiropractor or Osteopath and they will advise as to whether to apply heat or ice packs to the area, or whether you require treatment.
• Remember: Be sensible about your capacity and ability. Take simple precautions to avoid injury and don’t let DIY become a pain.

Gardening may appear to be a relatively restful activity, however the actions required differ considerably to those performed during the rest of the year. Prolonged bending, stooping, lifting, twisting, mowing and digging can place considerable stresses on the ligaments, muscles and joints of the spine, causing them to become inflamed and tender. This in turn can trigger a protective muscle spasm, giving rise to a deeper, duller achy pain that can occur over the days that follow.

There are several ways to help prevent injuries occurring while gardening. The way you bend and move determines how much strain is placed on the spine. Using certain muscles while doing these activities can help to reduce the likelihood of developing an injury and pain.

Preparation

It is important to warm up before any activity is started. The simplest way is to go for a brisk walk. This helps to loosen muscles. Once completed, simple muscle exercises to improve stamina are helpful. These should ideally be started a few weeks before you start gardening as they can help protect your back, reducing the likelihood of developing pain.

1. Abdominal bracing is an excellent way to provide support to the back. Pull in your belly button towards the spine using just your stomach muscles – don’t forget to breathe whilst doing this! Brace your stomach muscles for 10-15 seconds and relax. Repeat this as often as you can, increasing the time the brace is held for, eventually aiming to brace your stomach whenever you do any physical activity such as standing from seated, or lifting.
2. To strengthen your back, lie on your stomach with your arms and legs outstretched. Lift one leg backwards off the ground whilst lifting the opposite arm a few inches off the ground, as if swimming, and hold for up to five seconds.  Repeat this exercise 10 times in sets of three.
3. To exercise your buttocks, clench your buttocks together and hold for three-five seconds. Relax and repeat 10 times. Do this several times throughout the day.
4. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your tummy braced. Gently push your hips off the ground towards the ceiling, keeping your back straight and hold for three-five seconds. Gently lower yourself down and repeat 5-10 times.

These exercises can usually be done with ease and are designed to increase the stamina in the abdomen, back and buttocks. If at any time these exercises cause pain, seek advice from your Chiropractor or Osteopath.

Gardening Tips

A few very simple tips and changes in technique can also help keep injury at bay:

• Vary the tasks into short bursts of different activities rather than working all day at a particular task.
• Use a cushion to kneel on or a gardening stool rather than bending down repeatedly from the hips. Try to keep the stomach braced as much as possible.
• Resist the temptation to swing a hover mower from side to side – mow forwards and backwards as you would with a conventional cylinder mower.
• When digging, try and keep your abdomen braced with your legs comfortably well spaced apart. Use your legs rather than your back.
• Exercise and keep fit so that you can enjoy your gardening, rather than using your gardening as an exercise to keep fit!

Dr Brian Hammond accepts PPQM Award for Chiropractic excellence

The award was initiated in 2006 by the College of Chiropractors to recognise excellence in meeting the expectations patients have about their chiropractic care.

Maureen Atkinson, Chair of the Chiropractic Patients Association (CPA), said that “as one of the sponsors of the Patient Partnership Quality Mark, the CPA knows from their  members how valuable the award has been in encouraging clinics to go that extra mile in the care they provide for their patients.  We congratulate the Chiltern Health Centre on achieving such a standard of excellence.”

Once they become a regular smoker, eventually they no longer smoke at a conscious level. Smoking becomes a subconscious action (habit) and the conscious mind is then no longer in control.

If you are at that point in your life when you have decided to stop smoking but are finding it difficult to put it into practice, hypnotherapy can help you stop smoking for good.

My “Stop Smoking for Life” program helps you overcome those unwanted cravings, irritability, stress and anxiety surrounding the smoking habit. Using Hypnotherapy, Neuro-linuistic Programming (NLP) and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to give you an ongoing belief in your own ability to remain free from smoking.

What Happens When You Come to See Me?

Remember you are always welcome to come and see me for an initial FREE consultation, to ask any questions, or lay any fears you may have about hypnotherapy, NLP or EFT.

The “Stop Smoking for Life” program is carried out over three 1 hour sessions.

Session 1

In this session you prepare and decide a date for the big day when you finally become free from the smoking habit. Research shows that if you prepare properly you have a much higher probability of success. How you smoke, how many you smoke, when you smoke is discussed and an individual set of tasks are set in this session, to enable you to begin the process of stopping smoking. You are also given a “Stopping Smoking” pamphlet, which gives you everything you need to stop smoking for good.

Session 2 (The Hypnotherapy Session)

You will probably find that hypnosis is nothing like you expected. Hypnosis is actually a very pleasant experience. Afterwards, it feels like you have had a good nights sleep. Importantly hypnosis erodes those strong subconscious binds that have tied you to the smoking habit for so long. By the end of the session you will be a non-smoker. You will also be given a “Stop Smoking” CD to help maintain an ongoing belief in your ability to succeed.

Session 3

Your one-hour follow up session is designed to weed out any difficulties you may have and give you another major boost in the right direction. This session is usually one week after you have stopped smoking. You will receive an ongoing success CD to help you achieve your new non-smoking habit and enjoy the freedom from smoking.

Fees

FREE initial consultation
Stop Smoking for Life Hypnosis Program (3 x 1 hour sessions) £180.00

CALL NOW ON 020 8661 1613 and book your free consultation!

Hypnotherapy

What’s New?

The introduction of a derma-roller to the existing treatment has significantly amplified already impressive results in cosmetic acupuncture. Existing clients who have already experienced this relatively new treatment are reporting experiencing fantastic results that gradually accumulate over the course of treatment. Derma-roller treatment is known to be used successfully by celebrities including Angelina Jolie. So, what is a derma-roller and how does it work?

After the initial shock of what appears to be a torture instrument, you see that the roller is a handle with a small wheel attached. This wheel has eight rows of very fine needles evenly distributed across its surface.  In your treatment the derma-roller would be used after the ultra fine intra-dermal needles, used for lines and wrinkles, have been removed (see previous blog). The roller will be used very lightly across all areas of the face in a criss-cross motion for best effect. This is not at all uncomfortable and more pressure may be applied where appropriate. Most patients describe this as a pleasurable and relaxing part of the treatment. Side effects may include some minor redness that will fully reduce in no more than 2-3 hours and as ever with acupuncture there is a risk of bruising. However, bruising is considered to be much more severe in other forms of cosmetic procedures.

What’s the Benefit?

With the rolling there is a very high level of micro-needling across the skin surface. Something that would take hours with intra-dermal needles alone! Just like the original cosmetic acupuncture treatment this induces the production of collagen and elastin within the skin cells but to a greatly increased level. This helps to naturally create a new, thicker layer of skin that will reduce most skin imperfections such as wrinkles, stretch marks and acne scarring. One of the greatest benefits the derma-roller offers is the ability to maximise any skin cream that you may be using. Your skin will be highly absorbent and receptive so using any specialist anti aging or high vitamin C, E and aloe-vera cream is advised. In the treatment a specialist vitamin wipe would be used followed by a vitamin rich cream that would be massaged in to the skin with a jade roller. This is especially soothing for your skin.

What Else?

The derma-roller is only on offer for use when you book a course of 10 cosmetic acupuncture treatments. However, the derma-roller used would become your designated roller and will not be used for anyone else. The derma-roller is sterilised between every treatment. Throughout the course of treatment you will be taught how to use and care for your derma-roller so that after your 10 sessions have concluded you may take it home for regular personal use.

Fees

*Cosmetic Acupuncture £58.00 per session

**Cosmetic Acupuncture course of 10 treatments £520
(£60 discount + FREE Derma-roller worth £70.00)

* Does NOT include use of derma-roller*

**Does include use of derma-roller**

All questions and enquiries are welcome via email to theacuzone@hotmail.co.uk or visit my website www.acupuncture-zone.com for further information.

Call now to book an appointment on 020 8661 1613

Sadly, the mechanisms of ageing are numerous and will occur right down to the macro-cellular level. Everything from brain and immune system to tissue and skin cells will all inevitably age in time. There are too many scientific theories behind the mechanism of ageing to list all of them here but they all have their relative pros and cons. The dramatic changes in the appearance of the skin with increasing age are due in part to a progressive destruction of the delicate architecture of tissue components (collagen, elastin, extracellular matrix and fibroblasts). The skin is damaged by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are produced by skin cells in reaction to things like UV exposure, smoking, bacterial infection and imbalances in oxidant/antioxidant states. Ultimately damage in any form leads to its ageing. But that’s enough of the bad news… what can we do about it?

What Can Cosmetic Acupuncture Do?

Cosmetic acupuncture also known as facial rejuvenation/revitalisation is a brilliant, non surgical method to counter premature ageing, fight wrinkles, sagging skin, acne, dull complexion and many other beauty problems. More than just a superficial treatment it will address underlying health issues making you beautiful from the inside out. When we are fit and healthy we generally look vibrant and when illness and stress are prominent we look more withered. Cosmetic acupuncture given an appropriate course of treatment can achieve the following:

A 1996 report in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture reported that among 300 cases treated with Facial Acupuncture, 90% had marked effects with one course of treatment. The effects included: the skin becoming delicate and fair, improvement of the elasticity of facial muscles and leveling of wrinkles, a brighter complexion, and overall rejuvenation–not confined to the face.

How Does it Work?

A combination of specially selected acupuncture points, technique and the use of ultra fine intra-dermal needles will bring about changes to the skin on a molecular level. This triggers the generation of collagen and elastin, key components and naturally occurring proteins of the skins connective tissue. This helps the skin become firmer due to the filling out of collagen and helps the skin to hold its shape due to improved elastin levels. Consequently, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles is improved and new ones are prevented from forming.

The use of specialist technique with ultra fine intra-dermal needles accentuates specific results for each individual and also reduces the risk of bruising and discomfort for the patient. A course of 10-12 appointments is preferred as this is a progressive treatment with real improvements to be seen around the sixth treatment. However, it is not uncommon for patients to see some improvement after one appointment. All treatments will last up to 60mins and will include the cosmetic acupuncture procedure finished with gentle facial massage and moisturising of the skin.

Fees

£58.00 per session

All questions and enquiries are welcome via email to theacuzone@hotmail.co.uk or visit my website www.acupuncture-zone.com for further information.

Call now to book an appointment on 020 8661 1613

Muscles need to be used regularly to make them strong but they also need to be stretched regularly to make them flexible. A healthy muscle is one that is well-toned but also relaxed! Unfortunately modern society puts demands on us meaning that more and more of us are travelling by car rather than walking and spending long hours sat at desks, neglecting the health of our muscles. If a muscle is not used very much it becomes weak and loses its elasticity, which makes movement more difficult.

If a muscle becomes tight or overcontracted, then it will stay tight even if you are not moving. This can lead to poor range of movement, stiffness and wear and tear on a joint. If a muscle becomes weak or overstretched it is not able to support the joint properly and sudden quick movements can lead to irritation of the joint and damage to its surrounding ligaments.

Upper Cross Syndrome is a very common uncomfortable and painful postural complaint that is seen in adults of all ages who adopt prolonged static postures. Secretarial or administrative staff, teachers, designers, bank clerks, taxi drivers, cyclists, hairdressers, gym junkies and X-box or Playstation fanatics are to name just a few examples of the kind of individual that can be affected.

This static postural overuse causes the anterior neck and chest muscles to become tight and shortened, the muscles that attach to the shoulder blades become weak and stretched and the anterior neck muscles are held in a permanently shortened state. This all results in a posture where the head is held forward over the chest, the shoulders are rounded and a hunch develops through the upper back. With the spine and muscles now held in this position, strain is put through the joints of the neck and upper back and can cause symptoms such as headaches and pain in the neck, upper back and shoulders. It can also lead to a condition called thoracic outlet syndrome where the nerves that supply the arms and hands become irritated from shortened tight muscles in the neck and chest and can cause symptoms such as pins and needles, pain or weakness in the arms, hands or fingers.

People with upper cross syndrome may also find that they suffer from breathing problems due to the rib cage not being able to fully expand for lung inflation. As well as the lungs being compromised, there is less cavity space for the stomach and intestines and this can lead onto IBS type symptoms such as constipation, diahorrea, abdominal pain and bloating or regular bouts of indigestion.

So how can upper cross syndrome be treated?

Your Osteopath or Chiropractor will assess your posture and establish which muscles are tight or overcontracted and which muscles are weak and overstretched. They will assess the range of movement you have in your neck, shoulders and back and will discuss your daily working activites and social activities with you to establish what is maintaining this muscular imbalance.

Treatment is different for each individual and may include a range of mobilization techniques that encourage freer movement in your back, neck and shoulders and manipulation of the spine to remove any restricitions in the joints. They will work with the muscles using massage, interferential treatment, stretches and sometimes dry needling to help bring back lost elasticity and strength. Ultrasound is sometimes used over the tendons in the shoulder.

Your treatment plan will also involve some home activities that you can perform between each visit to speed up the healing process, such as neck and back stretches, self massage with a tennis ball over the shoulder area and gentle resistance exercises for the shoulder. Your Osteopath or Chiropractor will ascertain which exercises are suitable for you at the time of your visit. Advice will be given on how to improve your posture in your working and home environment in order to take the strain off those tired muscles and joints.

So if you feel that you have put up with this pain for long enough, take advantage of Junes special offer and visit one of our Osteopaths or Chiropractors to see how they can help.

Chiropractic and Osteopathy June Offer

References

Upper Crossed Syndrome and Its Relationship to Cervicogenic Headache
Michele K. Moore
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics – July 2004 (Vol. 27, Issue 6, Pages 414-420, DOI: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2004.05.007)

The Janda Approach to Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain
Philip Page, Clare Frank (2007)

The best medicine for your foot health this winter is to control the environment so that you don’t expose your poor feet to extremes of hot or cold. Hence when you go out in the cold, treat your feet like the rest of your body. You have a winter coat, gloves, scarf and possibly a hat so why not think of the same precautions for your feet. Wear thicker socks or even two pairs. You can purchase thermal socks from the high street if the volume in your shoe is limited. Wear a shoe that is closed in and covers as much as the foot as possible and has padding so you don’t have cold fabrics directly to the skin. Consider a walking boot with laces or an insole that has warming properties such as lamb’s wool. Also because it is so cold before heading out consider some exercises to increase the blood flow such as stretching your calf muscle or massaging it with your thumbs or rotating your ankles around in a circular manner and stretching your foot muscles by raising your toes towards you. When you do come in from the cold warm the feet up gradually by placing a different pair of socks on with some slippers and then think about that bath once you have warmed up properly.

I hope these tips keep your feet in great shape this Winter and like you, I can’t wait for Summer to roll around!

All the best, Mark.

To help you get on the road to achieving your goal, the Chiltern Health Centre offer a consultation with our nutritional therapist for £50.00 and a follow-up visit for £40.00. And if you know someone who could benefit from a Diet MOT, we also provide gift vouchers that make an ideal present for a friend or loved one.

Call the Chiltern Health Centre for further information. 020 8661 1613

What’s the Difference?

Chiropractic and Osteopathy are very similar disciplines, treating the same structures and using similar manipulative techniques to achieve the same goal of alleviating pain and improving joint mobility. In most cases, patient experiences with Chiropractors and Osteopaths will be very much alike.

Both Chiropractic and Osteopathy share a common history and philosophy and particularly in the UK the two disciplines have evolved along parallel but converging paths resulting in a significant overlap between the two fields.

In the UK, both disciplines undertake several years of in depth training and are statutorily regulated with their own Acts of Parliament and their own General Councils.

However, there are some differences:

Diagnosis

• Case history taking and examination are very similar for both professions. Chiropractors and Osteopaths both use visual inspection (observation) and palpation (touch) to assist in diagnosing abnormalities of joint movement.
• Chiropractors are known to frequently use other diagnostic procedures, such as X-rays, MRI scans, blood tests and urine tests. Radiograpy and X-ray interpretation are part of the undergraduate chiropractic degree.

Treatment

• Both disciplines use joint manipulation and mobilization to restore normal joint function, however mobilization tends to be used more frequently by Osteopaths.

• Chiropractors and Osteopaths also use soft tissue work (massage) and muscle stretch techniques as part of a treatment plan. Other adjunctive therapies such as electrotherapy (ultrasound and interferential) and dry needling may be used but this is dependent on whether the practitioner has undergone training in these areas.

At the Chiltern Health Centre all our practitioners have access to the same diagnostic and treatment facilities and this means that they are in the best place to provide a patient-focused approach to care.

Each Chiropractor and each Osteopath at the Chiltern Health Centre is an individual with his or her own unique style of practice, and we believe it is important for a patient to find a practitioner that fits with his or her unique needs, regardless of the label.

Regulators

General Chiropractic Council
44 Wicklow Street
London WC1X 9HL
Tel: 020 7713 5155
Email: enquiries@gcc-uk.org
Website: www.gcc-uk.org

The General Osteopathic Council
Osteopathy House
176 Tower Bridge Road
London
SE1 3LU
Tel: 020 7357 6655
Website: www.osteopathy.org.uk/