I am privileged to work with an amazing audiologist, Peter Ormrod, who specialises in treating tinnitus. Interestingly one of the first things we spoke about when he came to work with us was tinnitus treatment. What is tinnitus? Tinnitus is when you can hear a sound that doesn’t have an outside source. The perception of this sound varies, some describe a high pitched whistle, others a buzzing, or even the…
Chronic lower back pain is becoming a big problem. In the UK, USA and Australia it is fighting to be the number 1 reason people are off work. So what is the solution? Lumbar Fusion Surgery? Although there are a number of different methods all involve joining or fusing together 2 of the bony discs in the spine so that they no longer move, the theory being that it is…
Migraines are notoriously difficult to treat. They often don’t respond very well to medication or the medication itself can have unwanted side effects. And you usually know they’re coming . . . . Migraines with Aura Some people experience symptoms before an attack called an aura. flashing lights, zigzag patterns or blind spots in your vision stiffness, a tingling sensation or pins and needles in your neck or shoulders feeling…
Arthritis – such a common diagnosis for so many people and so many joints. But what is it? Arth – joint Itis – inflammation This can happen to any joint in the body –any point where 2 bones meet, and this includes each disc of the spine as well! Sometimes we are given more complicated names for specific joints or conditions: Osteoarthritis – when the cartilage within the joint has…
In my first post about chronic pain I explained the difference between chronic pain and acute pain and how pain functions in the body. In my second post I talked about central sensitization and how this complicates treatment for patients with chronic pain – making them, quite literally, feel more pain, more easily with less stimulation. So now I want to put this in a real life context. Knee Surgery…
In my first article about chronic pain I started to explain a little about why chronic pain is different and needs to be treated differently. I talked about the science behind it and how pain works. Now let’s start to put that into context of how chronic pain affects you and how it makes you feel. One of the terms we often use when talking about chronic pain is “central…
In the past I have jokingly referred to gait analysis as a way to predict the future. I can watch you walk, analyse your foot function and be pretty certain whether you will have hip, knee or ankle pain in the next decade. Foot function rarely alters, it gets worse but if you have high big toe impact at 18 the chances are you will continue to have high big…
The hip or acetabilofemoral joint includes over 70 different ligaments, tendons, muscles and bones and is (with the shoulder) the most flexible joint in the body, slightly different in men and women. Where’s the pain? Confusingly, the area that most of us refer to as our hip is actually the pelvis bone. The hip joint itself is deep into the groin. So “true” hip joint pain is usually felt as…
Many runners complain of lower back pain, in the United States this could account for nearly 10% of all running related injuries. As I’ve explained before there is a myth that the shock and impact from running causes joint pain. This isn’t true! Runners actually have stronger bones, healthier joints and are less likely to require joint replacement surgery. It’s not the activity that’s at fault – it’s the mechanics…
Arthroscopy – one of the most common surgical options for arthritic knees. A procedure that most patients with knee pain have been offered at some point in their process. What is an arthroscopy? This is a “keyhole” surgery procedure where an arthroscope camera is inserted through a small incision in the knee, allowing the surgeon to view the inside of the knee. The surgeon can then use other micro instruments…