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This is a very well used phrase, many of my patients think they have it, A lot of my patients really do and I’m pleased to say they are soon getting back to full health.

Sciatic is the name of the nerve that lies down the back of your leg. If irritated this nerve or any others can cause pain along part of or it’s entire length.

As the nerve come out from the spine it exists from a small space called the foramina, here the nerve can either be compressed or irritated.

A compressed nerve means that the messages to the muscles and skin are blocked and you may experience numbness or pins and needles. If the nerve is irritated, you will experience pain down the leg.

“I have a trapped nerve”

I hear you say – what can be done to help?

Therapy can really help, particularly physiotherapy with its balance of hands on treatment, exercise guidance, early stage strength & conditioning and continued support with mobilisation, acupuncture, kinesiology taping and all while you return to full health.

Call Brightwell physiotherapy to discuss your symptoms or make an appointment now.

01491 834622

June 2019 has been the month where I have started being re-inspired into the benefits of oriental acupuncture as taught by Bernard Nolan M.B.Ac.C.

Back in the years of my Harley Street practice, I was exceptionally lucky to meet and be taught by this most talented true acupuncturist. Many patients benefited.

Years on, the same gentle, kind and wise acupuncturist has really inspired me to further study the moorish subject.

I will write a case study over the coming months to show its benefits.

Written by Felicity Peach

Another myth buster story.

FACT. Don’t fear twisting and bending- it’s essential to keep moving. Gradually increase how much you are doing, and stay on the go.

Have you ever as a child bandaged up a finger for half a day. I did as a curious 8yr old. Well the outcome was memorable, it really hurt, in a very new way, something I had never experienced before nothing like falling and grazing a knee. It took quite a while to get back to its original healthiness. Age was on my side. We lean’t further about the mechanism causing this, as an undergraduate at St. Mary’s Paddington and then again whilst studying the MSc. PAIN module at UCL. In fact in practice the theory is regularly revisited and up dated. The theory is truly dynamic. It’s fascinating, the body so clever yet sometimes it works against itself.

Physiotherapy can really help you understand what the problem is, and help guide you towards safe exercise, if you are unsure. Hands on treatment can help ease out relative areas of stiffness and release other tissues to rebalance those that are giving rise to pain. Other techniques can halt pain.

Gone are the days of 10 days of bedrest.

Modern medicine encourages us to all keep moving, to tackle the sedentary style full on and restore ourselves. After all it is said “sedentary lifestyle is the new smoking.”

What can be better than having a full holistic assessment of how you move, to help you turn over the new leaf. To keep you going on your journey back to a full health.

At Brightwell Physiotherapy, I can network to ask a large group of colleagues, any professional concerns you have. I have quick access to many specialities which can ease concerns or provide the much needed help and support. So Doctors and other professionals are on hand just like in Harley Street.

Why not phone now to book an appointment.

Contact: Felicity Peach at Brightwell Physiotherapy

07799003510

Or

01492 834622

Do MRI /CT scans always tell you what is wrong?

Sometimes they do but often they don’t. There are false positives and sometimes the problem is associated with movement or lack of it or the scan doesn’t show exactly where the pain is coming from.

In other cases the scan can be a perspective giver and a great relief. However, even people without backpain have changes in their spine so scans can cause fear that influences behaviour, making the problem worse.

Please bear in mind with an scan it can build up false hope of a cure when a great deal of time, money and effort is expended into getting the scan. It’s not a cure and when the result comes in, often the answer can be “some backs just behave like this.”

This was a very expensive answer I heard once when I was younger. Since then I have regained full health and only rarely declare to have a back history.

If you’d like help deciding whether your problem needs a scan.

Or

If you’d like help to restore to your full health and discover whether your spinal problem can benefit from Physiotherapy, it’s many style of manual interventions, activity, and exercise. Call Brightwell Physiotherapy 01491 834622. Or email: brightwellphysiotherapy@gmail.com

As a physio I have many cases I can recall. Here’s one:

This patient’s history began suddenly in the autumn 2016 with increasing frequency and increased debilitation of sickness and headaches. Losing school days and social life.

The teenage school girl, who I’ll call Zoe, was admitted to hospital for 10 days, under went many investigations and was treated for acute kidney dehydration due to cyclic vomiting.

Once the Consultant team had gained a small element of control of the cyclic vomiting, Zoe was discharged to explore alternative therapies with 3 meds to control sickness and manage pain.

PHYSIOTHERAPY was one of her first choices with the greatest story. Of course, many things have helped her regain control but there is no doubt that a course of myofascial release restored her equilibrium and gradually she increased her activity and learnt to self-treat her condition.

A further break-through was achieved when she forgot her medication one weekend away and thus began using the Gravity system. Medications can often confuse symptoms so this mistake turned out to be beneficial.

Gravity is a useful tool for people who need help regaining their posture and help reducing their pain. http://www.gravitylife.co.uk and in stock at wwwbrightwellphysiotherapy.co.uk

Now as we approach 2019 I can safely say the schoolgirl is managing her now clearly migrainous condition independently, following her refound hobby of dance with school and fully joining in with all other activities.

A big thank you goes to Michelle Watson. http://www.therapyfusion.com

And http://www.gravitylfe.co.uk

If you’d like to know more about how this style of manual therapy and myofascial release can help your pain condition please call Felicity Peach 01491 834622