Search results matching tag 'osteopathy'

Re: Lung Cancer - Drink Kangen Water!

hdolgin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:05:08 GMT

Hello!

I recommend that you look at my site www.WatersofHealth.com for information on a Japanese technology which changes the chemical structure of tap water, giving it properties that are very beneficial for health. It had been in use in hospitals there for the last 35 years. Dr. Otto Warburg, who won the Nobel prize in 1931 and 1944, found that cancer can only grow in tissues that are overly acidic and lacking in oxygen. This water has an alkaline pH, so it helps to reduce over-acidity and is oxygen rich. In addition, it fights free-radical damage, as it is rich in electrons (free radicals are unstable molecules which lack electrons, and steal them from healthy tissue, creating a chain of damage.) It is also better absorbed by the body than ordinary bottled or tap water.

This water should give your friend more energy, and perhaps help him to recover. There have been cases of people drinking this water in large amounts, whose tumors have shrunk. People are experiencing major benefits with all illnesses, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis, ulcers, acid reflux, and more.

Feel free to contact me at 917 509-3256. I am in the USA, The machines can be purchased in any part of the world!

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Hydration Consultant

Re: Baker's Cyst

pstill — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:22:06 GMT

Hello Moyra

A baker's cyst is an excess (effusion) of the fluid that usually lubricates your knee joint. If the joint gets irritated for any reason - arthritis, an injury etc - extra fluid is produced that makes it feel stiff, swollen and often hot. If too much fluid builds up in the delicate membrane that surrounds the joint, it can eventually burst out of the fibrous bag that protects the membrane. This is a bit like a bicycle tyre that has split and the inflated inner tube bulges through it. It usually splits in the back of the knee and causes the painful bulge. Treating the cyst is futile, you have to deal with whatever is irritating your knee. I would suggest using ice on the front and sides of your knee for 5 to 10 minutes at a time (a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel). Don't put the ice at the back of your knee, this might interfere with the fluid drainage from the lower part of your leg leading to swelling or even thrombosis. Put your leg up whenever you can but keep it moving.

A light compression bandage may help especially when you are driving. If you don't want to take anti-inflammatories by mouth (NSAID) then you can get them in a gel or cream form that you can rub around your knee - wash your hands after applying so you don't absorb the drug anywhere you don't need it. You may get some relief from gentle manipulation of your knee by an osteopath, physio or chiropractor. Other people reading this may be able to suggeat natural remedies to do the same thing - that isn't my expertise.

Sometimes if there is too much pressure within the membrane it can be drained off (aspirated) by a doctor; few GPs do this simple procedure now, so unless you can afford to go privately you may have to wait months for an appointment to see a specialist to do a simple 5 minute procedure. As you say you have had it many years, it may be that you have some debris in your knee that occasionally causes irritation and leads to the effusion and cyst. This may need to be washed out, a simple surgical procedure done in outpatients (you may have difficulty walking for a few days after though).

Anyway, hope this helps and that you will soon be galloping around instead of hopping!

Regards

Peter, osteopath

Re: Newly diagnosed Capsulitis (Frozen shoulder) and back pain... help?

pstill — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:14:10 GMT

My word, this has really stirrred up a hornet's nest! Sharron is probably well off out of it, and I am sure we all hope she has made a full recovery now.

I do take issue with the tendency of the mainstream medical profession to make morbid predictions, I have read the leaflet by the Arthritis Reseach council which says that frozen shoulder takes 2 years to get better and there is no effective treatment - what is the lay person meant to do but dose up on painkillers and get an ulcer? It is important to give people some positive message - not an unrealistic one, but at least some hope that something may help. As Charlie Brown (Peanuts) once said, "This is my depressed posture. If you're feeling down, it's no good standing up straight because you only start to feel better...." (or words to that effect - sorry Schultz).

As an osteopath I have had a high success rate in treating frozen shoulder - the only people that don't improve are the pain-phobics as I have said. I usually find that it takes a week to get rid of it for every week you've had it, but you could double that for diabetics. I've not noticed diabetics getting it bilaterally but they do tend to come back 2 or 3 years later with the other side seized up - fortunately they come straight away as they've learned from experience what happens if they wait. A lot of therapists shy away from treating it in the initial, most painful phase. I have found this is the best time to treat it but you MUST tell the patient that it will be very painful for a few minutes. Take care if they have a heart condition!

I have also noticed that a lot of people get frozen shoulder a few months after they have had flu or other viral illnesses (OR THE FLU JAB!). I discussed this with Simeon Neill-Asher once and he hadn't noticed it as a precursor but had noticed that flu causes a relapse.

Another peculiarity is that I won't see anyone with it for perhaps 10 to 18 months, then six or eight come along within a month (perhaps the flu again?

Anyway, wish you well again Sharron, and enjoying the lively debate -

Peter

Re: Newly diagnosed Capsulitis (Frozen shoulder) and back pain... help?

pstill — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:59:21 GMT

Hello Sharon. I'm an osteopath based in Essex and I treat a lot of frozen shoulders. See my website - www.fit4living.co.uk It's important to make sure that's really what you've got - most GPs don't know how to diagnose them unless they're also an orthopaedic or musculoskeletal specialist. If the doc just said capsulitis rather than adhesive capsulitis, then even if they are right this could just mean inflammation in the capsule without the sticky effect that the physio above describes.

I wouldn't recommend ice on the neck, this can be very uncomfortable and cause a stiff neck too. A frozen shoulder presents as a marked restriction in all ranges (forwards, sideways, backwards, twisting), with severe pain only at the limit of movement (though there may be some aching in a relaxed position). If someone else moves your arm for you, it will have exactly the same restriction and pain. If it is easier when someone else lifts your arm, it is NOT frozen shoulder - it could be muscle, tendon or ligament injury, or a bursitis.

So assuming that is wat you've got - It is very hard but not impossible to treat yourself, but you need a conclusive diagnosis from a physical therapist. The "painting the wall" exercise could be effective, but make sure your thumb is pointing upwards all the time to avoid causing another injury. Both the treatment and exercise is painful, but the pain subsides with in a few minutes. I don't generally believe the "no gain without pain" saying, but in this case it is true; I always find that if a patient is "pain phobic", they will struggle to make progress. In this case you definitely need to deal with the emotional issues too.

The Neil-Asher technique is certainly effective, but it is only a collection of osteopathic techniques - any competent osteopath or chiropractor should be able to treat it.

If you find it difficult to sleep, try tucking a pillow between your elbows if on your side, or under your arm/ behind your shoulder when on your back.

DON'T just leave it - it will slowly get worse and as the physio said could take 2 or 3 years to stop hurting - usually leaving some restriction afterwards.

Hope this all helps; try www.findanosteopath.co.uk for someone in your area.

Regards

Peter

Re: swollen auxillary lymph glands

pstill — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:25:18 GMT

Hi again. One reader above sggests that your lumps may be blocked sweat glands, but your initial post says that the lumps have a thread-like feel which strongly suggests that lymph ducts joining one lymph node to the next are enlarged. You wouldn't get that with a blocked sweat duct.

If yoyu haven't done so yet, I would again strongly urge you to see your GP - hping things will just clear up shouldn't be an option with this sort of presentation. as the other reader says, once the lump is checked out - and removed if necessary - then you can try alternative methods to boost your immune system and help your body recover.

Regards,

Peter (osteopath)

Re: swollen auxillary lymph glands

pstill — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:08:09 GMT

Hi Claire

I understand that as a fellow wddty subscriber you are cautious about the excesses of mainstream medicine, but as an osteopath I would strongly advise anyone with skin changes over an enlarged lymph node to see their gp with the utmost urgency; I would also phone the gp and advise him or her of my concerns (with the patient's permission, of course).

Lymph nodes become enlarged when your body's immune system detects something abnormal in the fluid that is drained back into your circulation through these glands. This could be something as trivial as a mild infection from a cut or splinter - in which case it will usually go away in a few days - or something much more serious such as cancer. If the gland has been enlarged for some time then it has been trying to contain this anomoly and stop it getting round your body; if it suddenly changes, that is a warning sign.

You SHOULD NOT massage over or around an abnormally enlarged lymph node, as you can be squeezing out the toxin or anomaly that it is desperately trying to contain.

sorry to be so dramatic but it is better to be safe than sorry in a case like this.

Wishing you the best of health,

Peter

Re: Chronic lower back pain, no one has been able to help...

pstill — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:43:53 GMT

As several others have said above, osteopathy - the most popular form of alternative / complementary treatment in the UK - is excellent for back problems. It takes 4 years full time study (6 years part time) to train. Different osteopaths use different forms of treatment, from the very gentle cranial approach to the clunk-click "adjustment" approach similar to chiropractic, and many variants on soft tissue work involving stretching, massaging, getting your body to push against a resistance, harmonic - in fact most osteopaths will use a combination of these treatments.

We don't just look at the bit that hurts but look for other areas that can be adversely influencing you - whether it is assymetry in the structure of your body, a habit of sitting or moving in a particular way, or even your attitude or frame of mind.

All osteopaths have had to be registered with the General Osteopathic Council since May 2000. Their list can be found at www.osteopathy.org.uk/find_osteo/

Peter Still, Registered Osteopath

Re: Venous Stasis

pstill — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:48:01 GMT

Hi - lots of interesting stuff here! As an osteopath, I believe that good circulation is vital to health. I give the following exercise to all my patients that suffer ankle swelling / oedema, lower leg discolouration and those about to go on long flights or car / coach journies. You can do them in the office too, as you don't need to lay down or raise your feet - but of course they are more effective if you can. I proved their effectiveness a few days ago on my return trip from Turkey, when my feet swelled for the first time ever!

First, do alternate toe-ups and heel-ups (raising your heels then your toes as far as possible, about one movement a second) for 30 seconds.

Next screw your toes up then down for 30 seconds.

Take 3 deep breaths.

Bend and straighten your knees as far as possible - this may be easier to do left then right etc., again one a second for 30 seconds.

Repeat heel-toe.

If you have the space (i.e. not in economy class or the back of a small car!), raise one knee up to your chest then the other for 30 seconds.

Take 3 deep breaths.

Finish with shoulder shrugs - raise your shoulders up towards your ears then lower again for 30 seconds. If you are old enough to remember Mike Yarwood's impersonation of Dennis Healy's laughter, you've got the picture.

The last stage is very important as the lymph fluid re-enters the veins via little valves just behind your collar-bones. The one on the left, as I recall, drains only the upper half of the body on the left side - above the diaphragm - while the one on the right drains all the body below the diaphragm and the right side above. (I may have the sides mixed up, no text books to hand). That's why the deep breaths are important.

This sequence makes the muscles in the legs pump the lymph fluid up the body and releases the "bottle-necks" (knee, groin, diaphragm and the space behind the collar-bone) so it can flow away.

This routine is not a substitute for proper exercise but means you can keep the fluids flowing when you can't walk across the car park or up the stairs. You may find, as a bonus (or adverse reaction if you are between motorway services at the time!) that all the extra fluid returned into your circulation is quickly filtered out by your kidneys and you JUST HAVE TO PEE!!!

By the way, as I understand it animals are normally eviscerated, i.e gutted, immediately after being slaughtered so nothing from the gut or kidney / bladder can get into the meat. Fish, on the other hand, may spend some time in the ship's hold before being gutted. Some meats are hung for a long time (beef, venison and mutton) while lamb and, I think, pork are butchered fresh. Game birds are not eviscerated before being hung and the country guide to a well hung bird is that it isn't ready 'til the first maggot drops out. I'm still partial to the occasional pheasant, though.

Peter Still

Re: Small swelling in the palm of the left hand

pstill — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:08:25 GMT

If the lump is near the base of your little and /or ring finger, it may be Dupuytren's contracture. This causes a puckered appearance around the palm fold and a lumpy feel which isn't usually tender. As it progresses it causes the little and ring fingers to curl towards the palm. It can also affect the feet, and occasionally the penis (causing a side bend). If it causes problems in the hand it can be released surgically. I have tried manipulationg it without success. It is aggravated by alcohol intake and so is probably affected by vitamin depletion - especially antioxidants.

Other lumps in the palm tend to be tender, e.g. nodules on tendons.

Peter Still, osteopath

Re: Panic attacks and tremors

fmeverett — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:59:56 GMT

Sue,

I experienced panic attacks when I had put my back out, but didn't realise I had - I felt stiff, tired and wrong, but not particularly in pain. A friend recommended chiropractic treatment and the x-rays confirmed what the chiropracter could feel. I responded amazingly quickly to treatment. Now I recognise when it is out and get it treated asap, so no return of panic attacks.

As your daughter hasn't felt right since the third birth, it is possible her back was affected by it, so I think it is worth her getting it checked over. The Osteopathic Centre for Children recognise the damage to backs done by pregnancy and birth and treat antenatal and postnatal mothers. While they are unlikely to treat your daughter so long after the birth, they would certainly be able to advise her and point her in the direction of osteopaths in her part of the country with specialist training for children/mothers. Osteopaths carry out very similar manipulations to chiropracters on the spine and neck, but also cover other parts of the body.

It is very scary when you are already having panic attacks allowing someone you don't know to start manipulating your body. I think your daughter would find it reassuring if she was given help finding an osteopath in her area by this highly reputable organisation.

When I am feeling mega stressed my hands shake a lot: I wonder if your daughter can identify a pattern around her hands starting to shake.

Others have sent excellent advice around nutrition, etc. and these are worth exploring too. After so long it may be there are several aspects of her health that need tackling.

Regards,

One does