At least 60% of the UK population suffer from back problems. There are many causes for back pain, and one of those causes is a spine which becomes inflexible. In simple terms, there are 17 vertebral bones from the bottom of the neck to the base of the spine, and if we imagine that each of these should allow an element of rotation and flexibility, then if any of these joints become seized, it begins to cause problems in overall flexibility, resulting in pain.

Physiotherapy is an effective treatment for improving spinal flexibility. However, any therapists ability to manipulate spinal vertebrae is limited by the force and speed which they can apply with their hands over any extended period of time. Research has shown improved results can be achieved at higher cycles per second than is humanly possible. Theraflex robotic spinal manipulation provides the physiotherapist with a powerful technology to manipulate the whole spine at effective speeds with ease.

HOW DOES THERAFLEX WORK?

theraflex

Theraflex has three modes of operation, each of which can be minutely adjusted for force and speed, thus matching the patient requirements exactly:

MUSCLE RELAXATION

On this setting, the device rapidly taps on the muscles either side of the spine. By running this up and down the spine, the physiotherapist is able to stimulate muscle relaxation along the whole length of the spine, quickly and effectively. Most patients find this setting extremely comfortable and relaxing.

REFLEX STIMULATION

The second stage of treatment involves stimulation of the spinal reflexes. This is achieved by a gentle tapping over the full length of the spine, triggering the spinal reflexes to create further relaxation in preparation for spinal manipulation.

VERTEBRAL MANIPULATION

In the final stage of Theraflex treatment, the physiotherapist is able to manipulate each neighbouring vertebrae to move independently of each other, reducing the friction between them. In practice, the treatment mobilises the facet joints between each pair of neighbouring vertebrae. The net result of this treatment is to regain the flexibility in the full length of the spine, as originally intended. To achieve this, several treatments may be required, as each treatment progressively improves flexibility.

WHAT DOES THERAFLEX TREAT?

Theraflex is able to treat a number of conditions, the most common being general stiffness of the spine, but we have also successfully treated:

  • Mild Scoliosis, a mild side flexion in the spine
  • Mild Kyphosis, hump back posture

It also helps with the symptoms of:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Sciatica
  • Spinal Disc Pain

THERAFLEX AS PREVENTATIVE TREATMENT

As a maintenance treatment, Theraflex helps keep the spine supple and prevents many of the pain problems associated with a stiff spine. For example, golfers have improved their handicap by improving their golf swing smoothness, thanks to increased spinal flexibility.

If you are suffering back pain or a stiff back, then our Theraflex robotic spinal manipulation will help.

Call Now 01889 881488. Erica & jean will be happy to help

Vertigo is a problem that affects around half the population at some point in their lives and is more common as we get older.  Fortunately the symptoms usually only last for a few seconds to a minute or so, but the symptoms are very unpleasant including:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Fainting
  • A sense of rotating
  • Inability to stand or walk
vertigo

By far the most common cause of vertigo is BPPV (Benign Paroxymal Positional Vertigo) and this is linked to the 3 semi-circular canals in the inner ear. The role of these canals is to sense the position of the head in the 3 axes of up /down, right / left, forward/ backwards. If any incorrect signals occur, the brain doesn’t know where your head is and gets confused.

Faulty signals are caused by very small chalk crystals becoming loose and getting into the semi-circular canals. These loose crystals then move in the canals, stimulating faulty signals.

The types of movement which most frequently initiate a vertigo attack are rolling over in bed, getting out of bed, sitting up after lying flat or looking up or down.

Treatment

Left untreated, vertigo will usually resolve itself but may take several months.  Fortunately treatment is fairly simple and painless and typically no more than 3 specialised physiotherapy treatments are needed over a couple of weeks.

David Paling, a senior physiotherapist and our clinical lead can diagnose and treat BPPV.

If you or someone you know is suffering with vertigo, call us to book  BPPV physiotherapy treatment with us.

Call Now 01889 881488. Erica & Jean will be happy to help

 

Many of you may have heard of foot pain which is commonly referred to as ‘Policeman’s Foot’, presumably because police were prone to this condition in the past when they walked the streets.  Those suffering will feel pain in the heel and arch of the foot, typically first thing in the morning and then easing as you move more. Medically this has been described as Plantar Fasciitis. ‘Itis’ means inflammation and thus plantar fasciitis means inflammation of the plantar fascia, the latter being a thick band of tissue connecting the heel bone to the toes.

Plantar fasciitis is also increasingly referred to as plantar fasciopathy, as there is evidence that the subsequent pain is not just a result of inflammation and may be a result of overstimulation. This can lead to the tissue being less able to withstand strain placed on it.

Plantar2

What are the symptoms

The primary symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain slightly forward of the heel, where it is tender to the touch, but pain can be anywhere on the underside of the heel. The pain is most intense during the first steps after getting out of bed or after prolonged periods of sitting.

Gentle exercise may ease things a little. On the other hand, long walks, being on your feet for a long time or thin soled, unsupportive footwear often makes the pain worse.

Contributing factors

  • Being overweight
  • Tight calfs
  • Wearing unsupportive or flat shoes
  • Loss of arch in your foot
  • Changes or overload to activity levels
  • Jobs which involve standing for long periods of time

Treatment

Most cases of plantar fasciitis will get better by themselves, but can take weeks and anything up to 18 months to resolve without treatment.

Typical steps that you can take are:

  • Relative rest from any aggravating factors
  • Modifying your activities
  • Pain relief and anti-inflammatories
  • Ice can help relieve symptoms and will act as an anaesthetic when applied for 10 minutes two to three times a day
  • A gel heel cup to lessen compression forces on the heel
  • Self massage
  • Roll golf ball under foot

If these don’t help quickly enough, then we can help with improved diagnosis, appropriate treatment and a properly devised rehab plan.

Radial shockwave treatment is particularly successful at treating plantar fasciitis. Deep tissue massage of the calf muscles will lengthen the muscles and help to relieve tension on the plantar.

If you are suffering with heel or arch pain, which you want to resolve as soon as possible, we can help with both a high level of expertise and latest radial shockwave technology. Of particular importance to you, we do not charge extra for radial shockwave, even though we were one of the first clinics in the country to introduce radial shockwave. Many other radial shockwave providers charge premium pricing, but we do not.

Call Now 01889 881488. Erica & Jean will be happy to help

Every now and then something information comes along which is so important that you have to sit up and take notice. This is one of those times, so I urge you to take the time to read this and take it seriously.

It’s good news for a change

The following information is taken from a video recorded by Professor Roger Seheult, an American Medical Doctor.

I will summarise the information in the video. For those who want a greater understanding or watch it all, here it is:

 

Summary

Professor Seheult discusses the results a many studies in connection with the impact of Vitamin D on acute respiratory infections (ARI), including influenza and COVID 19. Many of the studies are observational, which means that there could be other factors other than Vitamin D which are causing the observed reactions. He does however also discuss randomised, placebo-controlled studies, which are the gold standard, in which the outcome of Vitamin D supplementation is measured.

Sources of Vitamin D

Vitamin is short for vital amine. Vital means it’s essential for life. An amine is a type of chemical. We can only produce enough Vitamin D if we have enough sunlight or by dietary intake.

A problem is that we only spend 7.6% of a day on average outside and that in winter, with shorter days and a much lower sun, we cannot absorb enough UV B rays to produce the Vitamin D we need. In fact, studies have shown that if you live above the 35th parallel, you can’t get enough sun in winter. Our problem is that the 35th parallel is south of Spain, so in the UK, there simply isn’t enough winter sun. That leaves dietary intake as our only means to get the vitamin D we vitally need.

Historical Observations

  • We have known for over 100 years than Vitamin D deficiency is inked to an increase in infections.
  • We also know that as we age, we are less able to produce Vitamin D from sunlight. Typically, a person over 70 produces less than half that of an 18 year old.
  • Obesity decreases the availability of soluble Vitamin D.
  • Vitamin D levels are highest amongst white skinned races and decrease with skin darkness.
  • The months where Vitamin D deficiency is at it’s worst coincides with spikes and increases in the flu

Studies

A British meta analysis of 25 gold standard studies, which means they grouped all the studies together to get an output, concluded that increased Vitamin D levels in the body did decrease ARI’s. It was recommended that Vitamin D fortification in food was implemented to improve Vitamin D levels.

A study of influenza in schoolchildren showed that those who were supplemented daily with Vitamin D had a 10.8% prevalence to getting the flu, compared to 18.6% for those given a placebo.

COVID

A study of mortality from COVID showed 3 significant factors:

  • Age
  • Obesity
  • Race

These 3 factors are exactly the same as those with Vitamin D deficiency, which suggests a link.

Physical Location

COVID mortality typically increases the further away you live from the equator. There are exceptions as other factors play a part. For example, Nordic countries, which are a long way from the equator, have lower mortality than Spain or Italy, and this is thought to be because supplementation in Nordic countries is high, whereas Vitamin D deficiency in Spain and Italy is high.

All countries below the 35th parallel have relatively low COVID mortality rates, mirroring the sunlight observation cited earlier.

COVID Studies

  • A study of 14,000 COVID positive patients in Israel showed that low Vitamin D levels doubled the risk of hospitalisation
  • A USA study of 191,000 patients COVID positivity rate showed a clear inverse relationship with Vitamin D level. The higher the Vitamin D, the lower the rate. This study also looked in detail at the rate by geography, race, age and sex and found that in every case the higher the Vitamin D level, the lower the rate.
  • A study of 20 European countries looked at the number of cases and mortality of patients compared to the average Vitamin D levels in each country and found an inverse relationship. i.e. the higher the Vitamin D, the lower the number of cases and the lower the mortality.
  • A randomised controlled study of COVID positive patients who were given Vitamin D supplements, showed 2% went to ICU, compared to 50% from the placebo group. This study was only 76 patients and is going to be repeated with a larger population.
  • A French study of nursing home patients showed that those who were given 80,000 iu per 2 to 3 months had a much higher survival rate than those who hadn’t had any Vitamin D in the previous month.

 

Conclusion

 

There is a very positive message here and it’s good news for a change

Clearly a lot of studies are suggesting there is a strong correlation between Vitamin D levels and acute respiratory infections (ARI).  Evidence shows that COVID cases, ICU and mortality are all inversely proportional to Vitamin D levels. That means the higher your Vitamin D level, within limits, the lower your chances of getting COVID, needing ICU and it being fatal.

It is very important that you do NOT read this and think that this is an alternative to a vaccine. The only real hope we have of beating COVID is by mass vaccination.

However, the evidence suggests that you can tip the balance strongly in your favour by simply ensuring your Vitamin D levels are sufficient.

Really it’s a no brainer. Why wouldn’t you do this?

This does pose a problem, as firstly there is no agreed level for daily intake. Some suggest 4000 iu, others up to 10,000 iu. Secondly, I am not qualified to recommend anything here and suggest you talk to your GP or chemist.

Nicky & I have been strong advocates for vitamin supplementation for many years. We have increased our daily intake to 9000 iu as a result of this video. That’s a personal choice and is not a recommendation to you.  Get professional advice

We are looking for a senior MSK physiotherapist to join our triple award-winning private clinic, located in a beautiful grade II conversion, in stunning countryside near Stafford.

We have a well-established professional, happy and motivated team who provide the very best hands-on treatment and have an enviable reputation, rated 5 Star on Google, with a client base covering the whole of the UK and many from abroad. The clinic owner is a leading exponent of IMS dry needling, has written 5 books on health and is an international lecturer on pain and health. The clinic offers a tremendous learning environment and is very well equipped with a broad range of the latest electrotherapy equipment.

We treat predominantly MSK conditions, including specialist spinal pain treatment, physiotherapy, sports therapy, biomechanical assessment and massage. The clinic ethos is that prevention is as important as treatment and that wellness is an integral part of everything we do.

The Role:

We are looking for a senior MSK physiotherapist for 3 or more days a week, or, alternatively, two physiotherapists for 2 days a week. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate excellent MSK and people skills and be a team player.

The role will offer MSK specialist physiotherapist support where necessary, in house training plus a training budget pro rata.

Key Responsibilities:

  • To provide a high standard physiotherapy service to a variety of patients, predominately musculoskeletal and rheumatological, and those with orthopaedic conditions.
  • To provide high standard of physiotherapy assessment and treatment using the biopsychosocial approach to patients with a variety of conditions, as an autonomous practitioner.
  • To provide a clinical diagnosis and to develop and deliver an individualised treatment program, as an autonomous practitioner. Self-management tools should be identified, discussed and followed up with the patient.
  • To be legally and professionally responsible for a high-level clinical caseload of musculoskeletal patients as an autonomous practitioner.
  • Liaise with the multidisciplinary team and other staff members regarding patient management as necessary.
  • As part of a learning environment, you will be expected to take part in the supervision and education of both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Applicant Requirements:

  • Qualifications: Chartered Physiotherapist and preferably an acupuncturist
  • Experience: Minimum of 4 years working in the UK, plus evidence of post-grad CPD
  • Compliance: CSP, HCPC and preferably AACP registrations.

Package

  • £33,000 to £40,000 pro-rata
  • Bonus scheme
  • Pension scheme
  • Sickness cover
  • 28 days holiday pro rata
  • Flexible hours

To apply or for further information please email nickys@painreliefclinic.co.uk

What happens in a drought?  A hose pipe ban, a car wash ban, shorter showers, less water in the bath. We all protect the vital stuff, like making sure we and our animals get water. Fortunately, we live in a country with more than its fair share of rain and our droughts don’t last too long, so a drought tends to be more of a temporary irritant than a serious problem.

dehydration

But what if a drought did last for a long time?  What would happen to our gardens if they hardly ever got watered?  Well, a lot of very poorly and dead plants, and lawns that wouldn’t win any prizes for sure.

It’s doubtful anyone would argue with the above in principle, after all it’s stating the blindingly obvious.

If it’s so obvious then, why is it that at least 75% of us and maybe as many as 90% are long term dehydrated? Given that plants left dehydrated long term will get weak and die, then it should come as no surprise that our complex bodies are likely to suffer the same fate. Why do we put ourselves at this risk? Find out how dehydrated you are by answering this simple questionnaire:

Do you rarely have thirst / dry mouth?

Do you rarely get headaches?

Is your urine a mild (not dark) yellow colour?

Are your skin and lips moist, not dry?

Do you have regular bowel movements most days?

Do you have less than two glasses of alcohol a day?

Do you have five helpings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day?

Do you have several glasses of fruit water / juice / herbal teas a day, even if resting?

Do you avoid having too many salty snacks?

Score 1 for each Yes. Total  0—3 Red, 4—6 Amber, 7—9 Green. Get Nicky’s ‘4 Keys To Health’ book for more information.

 

Your body will start to react to dehydration with as little as a 1% drop in availability and a priority system will start to kick in. Your brain needs a lot of water and your organs functions are vital. These will get priority, because these are more critical to life. Non critical body parts will get a bit of what is left.

Up To 90% Of Us Are Dehydrated

The list of potential problems from dehydration are huge and are linked to many diseases. The implication to overall wellness is obvious—stay dehydrated at your peril. As a clinic which treats patients every day with pain and injury, here are some dehydration issues we see:

  • Just about every joint in your body has cartilage, which needs to be kept hydrated to stay healthy. Dehydrated cartilage will promote inflammation, pain and arthritis.
water
  • Spinal discs need to stay moist and supple. Without adequate hydration this could cause a multitude of spinal problems.
  • Muscles will cramp, swell, become tender, have reduced strength and possibly suffer tissue damage.
  • Dehydrated tendons and ligaments can make you more prone to injury, pain and inflammation.

Long term dehydration is clearly serious and is linked to many diseases. So why are we so prone to dehydration when it is so easy to fix?

Your Body Has Drought Management

Many studies have shown that what we drink is just as important as how much we drink. In the UK caffeine loaded beverages like coffee, tea and sodas are prevalent. In fact, most of us don’t drink water at all.

The problem with caffeine, if concentrated, is that it is a diuretic which in many cases stimulates us to lose more water than we consume in the drink itself. Thus, drinks like this act to dehydrate, not hydrate.

This issue is contentious and we have to accept that many arguments will have a financial motive. But let’s use common sense. Most people in the UK drink tea and coffee as their main source of fluid intake. If these drinks are not diuretic, then how come nearly 90% of us are dehydrated?

There are many social factors which prevent adequate fluid intake as well. People whose environment does not provide easy access to a toilet, such as drivers for example, are very prone to low fluid intake.

A further factor is with the elderly, who simply don’t register they are thirsty in the first place, plus don’t want to drink too much to reduce visits to the loo.

Here are some simple guidelines on how to stay properly hydrated:

  • Drink water as well as diuretic drinks. Recommendations vary but aim for about 1.2 litres per day
  • First thing in the morning drink a big glass of water, not tea or coffee.
  • If you are feeling hungry, it may be you are thirsty. Drink some water first as that quenches hunger.
  • If you are feeling lethargic in the day, drink some water. Lethargy is an early sign of dehydration.
drink

If you are concerned about your hydration level and would like an accurate measurement, we have some very clever Quadscan technology that will analyse your hydration levels in detail. The test is painless and will take about 20 minutes. Ask at reception for details.

Call Now 01889 881488. Erica & Jean will be happy to help

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Last night the PM announced we go to Tier 5, a newer and bigger iceberg for us to sail around.

We remain open as we are considered an essential service

As we have reported to you in recent weeks, this pandemic will inevitably cause a lot of emotional and physical pain and we are here to help.  The whole team is available and our opening hours remain the same.

If you are in pain, call us. We can help.

Call 01889 88144

Humans have a built in primitive and automatic defence mechanism, which today we refer to as our ‘fight or flight’ response. Early human response to being hunted would have been ‘fight or flight’, causing an instant release of a whole cascade of chemical changes in the body, raising breathing rate, blood pressure, blood sugar and heart rate. Non urgent functions, like the immune system, would have been shut down and the conscious brain switched off. All that mattered was to maximise speed of reaction and the ability of the body to fight or escape. Once the threat was removed, his body would have returned to normal operation.

Although we don’t have to face being hunted now, our systems react exactly the same way to any perceived threat and these threats can be a lot longer lasting, which is not healthy for us. Being stuck in a traffic jam, having a difficult work situation, or living in a pandemic will be very stressful and will trigger our fight or flight response, with the same cascade of chemical changes and the same preferential control of internal systems. Clearly, now more than ever, it’s not good to have prolonged periods in this state, with our immune system shut down.

When in fight or flight mode we are anxious and lose our ability for rational thought and our memories are blurred. That’s why we are unable to clearly remember what happened in accidents. It’s also why you can’t seem to think clearly when under stress. (The latter fact is well understood and is technique long used to help sway the masses)

When in a real threatening situation, the surge of chemicals will be consumed by the physical reaction, which is important to help the body get back to normal as quickly as possible. However, if your perceived threat is while you are inactive, like sitting on your sofa watching bad news after bad news on TV, then the chemicals are not properly metabolised, which eventually can lead to a dangerous build-up of ‘stress hormones’.  There’s a lot of evidence that any accumulation can cause problems, such as high blood pressure and increased susceptibility to a number of chronic conditions.  Hence why we all hear stress can be a killer.

Our fight or flight response is built in. We cannot eliminate it. But there are steps we can take to reduce our stress environment and to develop ways to control stress. Meditation and mindfulness are techniques which you can learn from us. Our HeartMath technology is a wonderful and yet simple tool to help teach you how to lower your stress.

Much is common sense. It should be no surprise that it is incredibly important to have a good supporting social network of real friends. In fact, latest research has shown that it is the most important factor in life expectancy.

Take some time to think about what causes you stress. Your job, your relationships, your physical environment. And don’t underestimate the stressful impact that constantly watching, or reading, bad news has on you.

Immunity Boosters

  1. Daily physical exercise is highly beneficial because it helps reduce the build-up of stress and depression and gets you to a healthier, calmer state.
  2. Focus on your breathing. This helps switch off the fight or flight response.
  3. Create a calming environment
  4. Stop watching constant bad news on TV

If you are suffering from stress, anxiety or depression then we can help.

Call now on 01889 881488. Erica and Jean will be happy to help

 

Not a month goes by without a number of our patients commenting that they were not aware of all the things we do here and if only they had known they would have booked in sooner.

It’s impossible to list everything we do in this small space and the graphic below only gives a sample. In simple terms, if you have a problem with a muscle, tendon, ligament, spinal disc or joint anywhere in your body, we can help.

pain-relief-treatments

If you want to improve your wellness, we can help with that as well. Plus, in todays stressful world, especially with the COVID pandemic, anxiety is a massive problem and we are pleased to be able to help here also.

Here is a list of the treatments we offer:

  • Wellness advice
  • Anxiety
  • GunnIMS—world specialist
    dry needling for chronic
    & sports pain
  • Acupuncture
  • Physiotherapy
  • Sports therapy
  • Post op rehab
  • Biomechanics &
    Bespoke orthotics
  • Relaxing, sports and
    deep tissue massage
  • Personal training
  • Reiki
  • Reflexology

 

 

If you, or someone you know, is in pain or has suffered an injury, we can help.

 

Call Now on 01889 881488 and Erica and Jean will be happy to help

We are open throughout the lockdown

2020 will soon be over and for most of us it can’t come to soon. It will be a year that most of us will want to forget and put behind us.

The rapidly approaching Christmas holiday is going to give us exactly that opportunity, a chance to relax, unwind and think of a brighter future without the gloom of a pandemic hanging over us like a dark cloud. The recent announcements of vaccines have certainly had an uplifting effect. When we go out now, we see more smiling faces and more people happy to say hello again.  We all know the battle is not yet won, but win it we shall and 2021 will be the year to celebrate this.

So, this Christmas holiday take the time to think of a brighter, sunnier future and as the saying ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ goes, reflect upon what we need to learn and change as we exit the pandemic.

Do you remember seeing the rapid and significant improvements in the air and rivers that took just a few weeks to occur? What a wonderful thing to see and even better, it’s clearly something we can see is in our grasp. It’s a lesson we need our younger generations to take control of to ensure a better future for the planet.

Did this lesson impact our rulers in making the decision to stop the sale of petrol and diesel cars in just 9 years’ time? It has certainly impacted the public’s attitude to electric cars. Forget the politics, just imagine being able to go out without having to taste and smell the pollution, and listen to the noise that engines produce. Fresh, clean air is coming soon, with all the health benefits that brings.

Sadly, some of us will not see this bright new future, having succumbed to the pandemic, a pandemic which has struck down people from all spectrums of life. In the majority of cases the health of the individual has been a contributing factor and we owe it to ourselves and the next generations to respond positively to this knowledge. The good news is that we all instinctively know when something is good or bad for our health and for many it’s just a matter of needing a helping hand to guide us along the right path.

Prevention is always better than cure and that’s why we promote Wellness, which is very much a preventative approach. Certainly, Nicky Snazell’s Clinic has the knowledge and expertise to provide you exactly that kind of help in a simple to understand way. Better health and a stronger immune system are there if you want it.

For Nicky & I, 2020 has certainly been a stressful year, so we are really looking forward to a well-earned break. This year we are going to be closed from 24th December to 1st January inclusive and that’s going to give us and the team a full 11 days to unwind and plan for a better 2021.

For us, we will be cycling out on the Chase most days and with the help of good lighting, some nights as well, adding to the 4,000 miles we have already pedalled this year. The Chase has an extensive hidden history and we are enjoying learning more each time we visit.

We are also going to add a new member to our family next year, this time being a dog and we have already sourced a puppy carrier, so that it can also enjoy our many hours exploring the beauty of the Chase. I’m sure this will create great interest from passers-by.

Animals of course are great therapy and we are going to get an Australian Labradoodle, which are well known to make excellent therapy dogs (who knows, we might add dog therapy to help with anxiety -  I’m trying to imagine Erica & Jean booking dog appointments though!) They are also non shedding and great for allergy sufferers, which will be good for Alan. Yesterday we started thinking of names as we cycled. Something unusual for a female dog. Now that’s positive!

So, to all of you, this Christmas think positively about the bright new future that 2021 holds.  Plan to take positive steps to ensure you make the most of it.

 

If you want to improve your health and strengthen your immune system to help defend yourself from future viral attacks, then we can help.

Call now 01889 881488. Erica & Jean will be happy to help.

 

p.s. Please ask to book with the dog just to wind Erica & Jean up.