Massage Therapy For Back Pain

People who get chronic back pain will tell you that it is a life-altering ailment. It has serious implications on the ease of carrying out daily activities and function. Back pain sufferers can feel completely disabled by their condition and therefore, prone to depression.

Back pain is one of the most common ailments in adults and sub adult today, it can be caused by something simple as a poor lifting habit or even poor sleeping habits. This can become a very large problem, as this type of pain really has no boundaries and can last from hours to months. This is a very long time for someone to suffer this type of pain, as sometimes it can be very excruciating.

In terms of treatment, there are several. These include pills, and therapy, and braces, and acupuncture. However, one method stands out as being effective in helping people with their back pain: massage therapy.

Massage therapy for back pain is a low risk, and non-invasive method of treatment. Not only will this method help in the pain aspect, it also aids in the release of natural chemicals the body produces known as Endorphins. This is great for people who suffer from acute pains.

Historically, the use of massage therapy was not readily accepted by conventional medicine as a treatment of back pain or any other pains for that matter. However, the medical society now accepts this method as a valid complementary treatment, recognising the many therapeutic benefits that it brings.

The aim of massage therapy is quite simple; it increases circulation and blood flow that the affected area with the muscles needs. This stimulates the rejuvenation of the tissues and muscles surrounding the affected area, promoting a relaxed and stress-less flow of blood. Many times people that have back problems; they are not quite sure why they have them. Some feel they have not had an injury to any muscles in the back area so they should not be suffering.

The fact is that there are many reasons that the back can be hurting you. If there is an injury to the bone structure in the back then the muscles surrounding the injury will then become very tense in order to protect the affected bone injury. This will only make the back tired and weak, once it is at that point it will pain the person with a great deal of trouble relieving the said pain.

Back pain can easily stop you from doing what comes natural for you such as sitting or walking. This will easily become a major problem if it happens when you are in need to work, and have no other means of income. It is also known that back problems are not the hardest thing for doctors to detect or diagnose. Hence your employers and insurance companies will not be too happy either at your reason of not being able to function well.

Out of all, clearly the worst would have to be lower chronic back pain. This is the area just above the tailbone and it can be an ongoing nightmare for some. In this situations, massage therapy can bring much relief. If you are able to ease the pain, you will find that just being able to do the little things in life is a cause for celebration!

Osteopathy for babies

Osteopathic treatment can be invaluable for treating a wide range of health conditions in babies. The gentler, non-manipulative techniques, commonly known as ‘cranial osteopathy’ are especially suitable for treating young children, including newborn infants.

Birth is a very physical and perhaps stressful process on a baby’s body. At birth, much of a baby’s skeleton is more like cartilage, especially the plate-like bones that make up the skull. These ‘plates’ are quite soft and malleable, and are designed to overlap and glide over each other, enabling them to sustain the forces of labour and allow the head to pass through the birth canal. However, this pliability may mean that they are susceptible to strain and ‘moulding’, which is often evident after birth in babies that have asymmetrical, flattened or markedly pointed head shapes.

A degree of moulding is normal, and usually resolves within the first few days after birth along with the normal processes of adapting to breath in air, crying, and sucking. However, in some cases the moulding can be retained, and will need attention. Left untreated, the bony plates may remain overlapped, pulled apart, or under excessive strain. This in turn can cause tension or pinching in the delicate membranes that cover the brain and nervous system. Overstrain of tissues and compression of joints in the head, neck and upper back may also occur as a result. This may affect the nerves which come from the base of the skull and help in such body functions as feeding, digestion and breathing, and may cause other imbalances in the rest of the body.

What conditions do Osteopaths deal with?

Osteopathy treat of a wide variety of musculo-skeletal problems, but it also has a role to play in the management of a number of other conditions. The most common complaints for which patients consult Osteopaths include: 

• back and neck pain,
• sciatica,
• headaches,
• pains in peripheral joints such as shoulders, knees and ankles, tendinitis and muscle strains,
• work-related and repetitive strain injuries, and
• sports-related injuries.

However, Osteopathy can also play a significant role in pain management or when used in conjunction with medical treatment. 

Many mothers-to-be find Osteopathic treatment very beneficial both to reduce back pain during pregnancy and also to help prepare the body for birth. In addition, there is a wide variety of gentle non-manipulative techniques for use on infants and small children.

Osteopathic Principles

1. The body is a unit.

2. Structure and Function are reciprocally inter-related.

3. The body possesses self-regulatory mechanism.

4. The body has the inherent capacity to defend and repair itself.

5. When the normal adaptability is disrupted, or when environmental changes overcome the body’s capacity for self maintenance, disease may ensue.

6. The movement of body fluids is essential to the maintenance of health.

7. The nerves play a crucial part in controlling the fluids of the body.

8. There are somatic components to disease that are not only manifestations of disease, but also are factors that contribute to maintenance of the disease state.

Common questions

Does Osteopathy Hurt?

Techniques used by Osteopaths should not hurt you at all. If techniques do hurt, tell your Osteopath, so they may adjust their technique. Sometimes, if your tissues are very inflamed due to injury, treatment may seem a little sore because your tissues are so inflamed and tender.

Can Osteopathy damage my back?

Applied correctly, Osteopathic techniques cannot harm you. Ensure that your Osteopath is registered with the General Osteopathic Council, and you will know you are in safe hands.

Will I feel better straight away?

The answer to this question depends on the condition the patient presents with. It is possible to leave an Osteopathic treatment pain free, but this is very rare as the majority of patients present to an Osteopath as a last resort, after having been in pain for a long time. The earlier you visit your Osteopath, the quicker they can get you better.

Osteopathic and Chiropractic. What is a difference?

The fundamental philosophy behind Chiropractic is that all disease within the body has its origin within restrictions of the spine, preventing correct neurological and circulatory supply to the organs and muscles of the body. Chiropractors therefore work to release restrictions found within the joints of the body.

Osteopaths work to release the restrictions within the joints of the body as Chiropractors do, with the same philosophies as Chiropractors do, but also work very much with muscles, addressing the influence that muscular dysfunction / tightness / imbalance can have on the functioning of joints. They work closely with exercise prescription with the aim of ensuring permanent relief from pain wherever possible.

Osteopaths believe that treatment alone is not enough to correct a problem within the body; the patient must maintain the effects of treatment through self management techniques.

Why See an Osteopath?

The most common complaints for which patients consult Osteopaths include back and neck pain, sciatica, headaches, pains in peripheral joints such as shoulders, knees and ankles, tendinitis and muscle strains, work-related and repetitive strain injuries, and sports-related injuries. Other conditions for which Osteopathy can play a significant role in reducing the severity of symptoms include asthma, gynaecological dysfunction, arthritic conditions and chronic fatigue.

When visiting an osteopath for the first time, a full case history will be taken as well as an examination. This generally requires the removing of some clothing and the performance of a simple series of movements.

The Osteopath will use a highly developed sense of touch, called palpation, to identify any points of weakness or excessive strain throughout the body. Osteopathic treatments are tailored to the requirements of the individual patient, and techniques are selected which are appropriate to the patient's needs. For some acute pain, one to two treatments may be all that is necessary. Chronic conditions may need ongoing maintenance averaging six to eight sessions.

Neck Pain

 

 

 

 

A popular response to neck pain is taking drugs to cover up the problem (aspirin, analgesics, pain pills) or treating its symptoms (muscle relaxers, massage,hot packs). But neck pain isn’t caused by a lack of aspirin or drugs!

The osteopath approach to neck pain is to locate its underlying cause. This begins with a complete case history and thorough examination. Special attention is given to the structure and function of the spine, and its affect on the nervous system.

• Is the proper spinal curve present?
• Are the nerve openings between each pair of spinal bones free and clear?
• Is the head balanced?
• Are the shoulders level?

These and other considerations are used to create a plan of specific chiropractic adjustments to help improve the motion and position of spinal vertebrae. 

With improved structure and function, neck pain often diminishes or totally disappears — without addictive drugs or harmful side effects!

A common health complaint.

• Is it hard to look over your shoulder?
• Is there a constant pulling or throbbing pain in your neck? 
• Do you notice a “grinding” sound as you turn your head? 

Osteopaths are experts in the care of the bones, nerves, muscles and connective tissues that make up about 60% of your body. All of the joints in your body are part of this musculo-skeletal system and its optimal function is necessary for overall good health. Ask your Osteopath for more information about a care program that may include specific spinal adjustments, exercise recommendations, nutritional advice or other conservative methods of care based on your health history, age, current condition and lifestyle.

Cranial Osteopathy

Cranial Osteopaths view the body as a unique, interconnected, self-healing system.  They believe that the structure and the function of the body are closely related, and a disturbance in the body’s framework can interrupt the natural function of multiple systems, causing a wide range of symptoms.  Cranial osteopathy is a specific type of extremely gentle osteopathic treatment, which focuses on relieving stress and tension throughout the body. Because it’s such a gentle form of therapy, it can be practised on people with a wide range of conditions, and is suitable for all ages, from newborns to the elderly.  

Cranial osteopathy was founded by William Garner Sutherland, a pupil of the founder of osteopathy Andrew Taylor Still, in the 1930s.  As a student, studying the structure and function of the human skeleton, Sutherland was particularly interested in the way the bones of the skull fit together.  This fascination led him to investigate particular structure of the skull bones and their slight malleability.  It was this investigation that led to the development of cranial osteopathy and to the understanding of the role of cranial motion in health and sickness. 

Cranial osteopaths are trained to feel and interpret a very delicate, rhythmic shape change that exists in all body tissues.  This motion, called ‘Involuntary Motion’ or ‘Cranial Rhythm,’ comes about due to the  particular movement of cerebrospinal fluid bathing the spinal cord and the pull of the soft tissue connexions to the cranial bones. This involves a rhythmical elongation and narrowing, followed by a shortening and widening.  This cycle repeats approximately every 10 seconds, and is separate to the rhythm generated through breathing.

The cranial rhythm was first described by Dr Sutherland in the early twentieth century, and its existence was confirmed by a series of laboratory tests in the 1960’s and 70’s.  The motion is completely involuntary and so small in amplitude that only specially trained practitioners can feel its motion throughout the body.  

Tensions and stresses throughout the body are expressed as a disruption of the body’s natural cranial rhythm. As with traditional osteopathy, cranial osteopaths will perform a thorough case history and examination of their patients, however, treatment will consist of observing and treating disruptions in the cranial rhythm,  whether they be due to recent events or as retained tensions due to past incidents including emotional events.

Cranial osteopathy is simply another ‘tool’ in the osteopathic tool box and is taught to a greater or lesser degree in all osteopathic schools; however, practitioners may choose to further their knowledge and experience of cranial therapy by doing a post-graduate course and some practitioners choose to treat solely with cranial techniques. 

“Cranial osteopathy can be of particular benefit to mothers and babies post childbirth”.  Birth is one of the most stressful events of our lives and the compressive forces exerted on the body during this process can contribute to a lot of musculoskeletal problems sooner or later in life. In the latter part of pregnancy, the baby changes position in preparation for birth (engages). “If the baby engages in an awkward position it can cause abnormal strains to the cranial bones (intra-uterine compression)”, which are particularly mobile in babies in order to aid the passage through the birth canal. 

Similarly, when the birth is particularly traumatic or very long or very short, the head gets exposed to abnormal forces and can result in additional stress to the cranial bones limiting their ability to expand on the baby’s first breath. “Even c-sections can be traumatic for the baby”. The sudden exposure into the world comes as a ‘shock’ as the baby hasn’t had time to prepare. The result of these abnormal compressions and subsequent inadequate expansion of the head on the first breath is that the “baby can be left with a feeling of pressure inside the head. Signs that your baby may be experiencing birth compression might be; constantly crying irritable baby, sleep disturbances, feeding problems, wind, colic, sinusitis and ear, nose and throat disorders. The abnormal tensions in the cranial bones can also affect the nerves exiting from the skull. Babies can develop nausea and colic when the nerve supplying the stomach is irritated as it passes out the skull when the cranial base is misaligned.”

Cranial osteopathy may also be able to help with irregular head shapes (following forceps / suction cap deliveries). However, Ericka explains that the success of the treatment will depend on how soon you bring the child in for treatment. Since, as we age, our bones start to ossify (harden) and their malleability is reduced.  

And or mothers? During pregnancy, the body has to adapt to a constantly changing physical and chemical environment. Subtle treatment such as cranial osteopathy can help to transition the body in a non-traumatic way, as well as helping to return it back to ‘normal’ post birth.

What about everyone else? “Cranial osteopathy may be of benefit to adults who are afraid of more physical spinal manipulation, particularly when the nervous system is out of balance as with migraine, period problems, and irritable bowel syndrome. It can be a gentle, yet effective way to treat the same musculoskeletal problems presenting to traditional osteopaths such as; osteoarthritis, neck/back pain, frozen shoulder.”

How many sessions will I need? As with all therapy, “this depends on the duration of the complaint and the complexity of the strain pattern. As an example, babies with colic might receive 3-5 sessions.”

Sciatica and trapped nerves

Sciatica refers to pain caused by a compression, and often and irritation, of one of five nerve roots of the sciatic nerve. Sometimes the sciatic nerve itself is compressed or irritated.

Patients with this condition typically find that the pain is referred to the lower back, buttocks, and sometimes down the leg. The pain of sciatica can be intense. Patients may also experience numbness and weakness of the muscles as the compression of the nerve inhibits effective control. In a typical presentation, the symptoms are only felt on one side of the body.

Common Causes

• Sciatic nerves run down the spine from the backside, behind the thigh, the lower leg and into the foot and toes. Pressure on the nerve from a bulging disc can cause pain all the way along the nerve pathway or just part of the way along it
• Sciatica can come on gradually or develop suddenly following a particular event

Treatments

• Doctors typically recommend some or all of bed-rest, pain-killer, muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory drugs. In extreme case surgery may be necessary if the bulging disc does not naturally subside
• The benefits of Osteopathy in promoting the body's self-healing capabilities are particularly useful - especially in encouraging exercise as a means of managing the presence and/or intensity of sciatic pain

 

 

Osteopathy Tips - Making the most of your Osteopath visit

Good results don't just happen. In order for your osteopathy treatment to be a success you will need to be an active partner in your treatment - so to help ensure you get the most out of your visit to the Osteopath we have pulled together a 'Top Tips' list.

Prepare for your osteopathy appointment

It will increase your chances of leaving well-informed and satisfied. Write down your concerns or symptoms in advance, so you don't forget to talk about them. Also bring a list of all prescription and non-prescription medications you take, plus any vitamins or supplements. You may also want to jot down notes about your diet and exercise habits - factors important to your overall health not just your back pain or sports injury.

Wear appropriate clothing

If you are worried about stripping down to your underwear, bring along some exercise gear. Your Osteopath will need to be able to see and feel your back in order to treat you successfully.

Take notes

Bring a pad and pen to your Osteopath visit as you will certainly end your appointment discussing an osteopathy treatment programme for your back pain or sports injury.

If you have questions or concerns, speak up!

Your health is too important. Don't be embarrassed that you don't understand anything your Osteopath has said - ask that it be explained.

Educate yourself about your diagnosis and osteopathy treatment plan

If you are diagnosed with a specific kind of back injury do a little web research or borrow a book from the library. It never hurts to have a more thorough understanding of your condition or treatment.

Once you agree on a treatment plan, follow-through

Osteopaths help your body to heal itself. The exercises that your Osteopath asks you to do at home will be a vital part of the overall osteopathy treatment plan to relieve your pain or resolve your injury so you are mobile, active and pain-free as soon as possible.

Do not ignore the lifestyle issues which may contribute to your susceptibility to back pain

Many of the root causes of back pain are lifestyle related. In particular increasingly sedentary work and recreational practices and long hours at the computer are frequently found to be contributory causes of back pain and increase the likelihood of suffering a sports injury.

Osteopathy gains acceptance, but may be losing identity

When Dr. Nancy Nichols began her osteopathic practice 15 years ago, no hospital in her town of Mesa, Arizona, would grant her privileges. Today, she's welcome to practice at all of them.

To Nichols, that represents real progress for her profession. Long considered pseudo-doctors by the medical establishment, osteopathic doctors are in fact licensed physicians who can do surgery and prescribe drugs but have added training in manipulative therapy. It's the manipulation part of the practice that has earned them a reputation as "alternative" practitioners.

But only 6.2 percent of osteopathic physicians now practice manipulation on the majority of their patients, leading many to worry that their profession will soon have nothing that distinguishes D.O.s from M.D.s. "It's sort of like being the victim of our own success," says Dr. Eugene Oliveri, D.O., president of the American Osteopathic Association. The November 4, 1999 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine warned osteopaths that they are losing something valuable.

The journal reported a study by researchers at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center and the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine that compared osteopathic manipulation to treatment of the type practiced by orthopedists for low back pain. The researchers randomly assigned 178 patients to receive one or the other type of treatment. After 12 weeks, both groups of patients were equally satisfied with the care they received. The only significant difference was that the osteopathic patients used fewer drugs and paid less for their treatment.

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Joel Howell, M.D., of the University of Michigan warned that the practice is in a "precarious position." "Today, osteopathic medicine has moved close to the mainstream -- close enough that in general it is no longer considered alternative medicine," he wrote. "The long-term survival of osteopathic medicine will depend on its ability to define itself as distinct from and yet still equivalent" to the medicine practiced by M.D.s.

Osteopathy was a concept of healing developed in 1864 by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, a Kansas doctor whose conventional treatments failed to save his three children from spinal meningitis. Still came to believe that the body is capable of healing itself, and he developed a way to manipulate the spine and organs that he believed would allow for better blood flow, flushing out disease.

Marilyn Wagner is one patient who didn't need a peer-reviewed study to know that osteopathy works. The 63-year-old Berkeley, California, woman has a lifelong history of asthma and back problems from severe scoliosis (curvature) of the spine.

"When I got up in the morning, I would be bent double," Wagner says. "It would take a couple of hours before I straightened up." She had been to numerous medical doctors for her respiratory and back problems and had seen a chiropractor for her back without lasting effect.

Last year she started getting osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), the hands-on method that Still originated. Now she can stand up straight first thing in the morning, and she's eliminated at least half the asthma medicine she was taking. "All I know is that it works," she says.

Although fewer osteopathic physicians are practicing such manipulation, there are more osteopathic physicians than ever. The number of graduates of osteopathic medical schools has almost doubled, from 1,059 in 1980 to 2,009 in 1997, and the number of osteopathic medical schools has increased as well. One possible explanation: Its somewhat easier to be admitted to an osteopathic medical school than to a conventional one; so the demand for new osteopathic schools may be fueled partly by would-be M.D.s.

But a segment of osteopaths, like Dr. Viola Frymann in San Diego, California, steadfastly hews to hands-on treatment. There's an eight-month waiting list for new patients, some from as far as Japan, at her Osteopathic Center for Children. There, she specializes in treating severely disabled and brain-damaged children who were not helped by conventional medicine, often by gently manipulating plates in the skull. She attributes her success as much to the philosophy of osteopathy as to its techniques.

"The osteopathic approach toward health problems is the fundamental approach to health care, because it's looking at the dynamic unity of the whole person," she says. "It's not disease oriented. It's people oriented." 

Source: cnn.com

Osteopathy and Pregnancy

Being pregnant is a unique and powerful life experience. It is a time which can, and should be enjoyed. During pregnancy the body undergoes immense physical, hormonal and emotional changes.

These changes occur over a relatively short space of time, and the body has to continually adapt to accommodate these changes. Up to 10 kilograms in weight of baby, placenta and fluids may be carried, putting a fair amount of physical strain on the body.

Many pregnant women find osteopathic treatment very helpful throughout their pregnancy for pain reduction and preparation for labour. As well as helping to reduce back, hip or leg pain, osteopathy can also assist the body in preparation for labour and delivery. 

A woman’s body is constantly changing during pregnancy.  The effects of hormonal softening of ligaments, the position of the growing baby, postural changes and increases in weight can put additional pressure on joints and muscles of the spine or pelvis. Osteopathic treatment can help to alleviate these stresses, and by ensuring that the movement of the pelvic girdle is balanced and the hormonal control of the labour is at an optimum, it can aid the process of labour and delivery.

Even before pregnancy, your osteopath can evaluate your body, paying particular attention to the spine and pelvis, to ensure that there are no pre-existing or underlying restrictions, which may cause problems further into the pregnancy. We would recommend a pre-conception osteopathic check up to help make sure your body will cope with the changes of pregnancy and help it to adapt as smoothly as possible.