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Why See A Nutritional Medicine Practitioner?

Vector Point Cranials.

Acupuncture and Pregnancy.

Intraoral Cranials.

Bulging disc treatment.

Bladder infection or no bladder infection

chiro bladderInterestingly, in the past year I have seen a few female patients that have mentioned ongoing bladder infection-type symptoms, but there was no bladder infection. In all the cases, urine tests were negative for infection, and a few were given antibiotics which did not make a difference to their symptoms. This doesn’t really make sense in the medical world. According to symptoms it seems like an infection but it doesn’t test as one and doesn’t respond like one. In these cases they were all women who had had children. Some had noticed these symptoms on and off since childbirth, while others many years after childbirth.

What I found was that they all responded well, (although some faster than others) to an adjustment to their bladder. An organ adjustment might sound strange but it is literally getting the organ to move slightly within the body cavity to a better position. Our organs are held in place by a type of skin that connects between all our organs. Sometimes for different reasons, such as surgery, the strain of pregnancy or giving birth, or accidents the organs can be jarred, twisted or pushed out of position and the skin that holds them in place may tighten and end up holding them in that new incorrect position. This can cause a sense of tension in the body, or it can cause some changes to the organs ability to function ideally, for example if the Large Intestine is affected it may lead to constipation.

In this case I found there was a downward pressure of the bladder onto the urethra which is the tube that carries urine from the bladder on urination. This pressure caused irritation to the bladder and urethra and hence resulted in infection type sensation. In one case the symptoms would return slightly whenever she lifted something heavy, so again this would create downward pressure in the abdominal cavity and therefore affect the bladder again.

Organ adjustments is a Chiropractic technique that can be used for many different symptoms. It is often used in addition to other adjustments or muscle releases. It may be used for digestive issues such as diarrhea or constipation or indigestion. It can also be useful for areas of pain or tightness such as in the ribs or throat. It is a technique that is also very helpful for ongoing tension or pulling sensations following surgery, as you may need some adjusting simply due to the invasive nature of surgery or to break up scar tissue as a result of surgery.

 

TMJ and Chiropractic

Temperomandibular JointYou may have heard or experienced a condition called TMJ which is a condition of clicking or pain in the Temperomandibular Joint (TMJ) or jaw. It is more correctly termed TMD which stands for Temperomandibualr Disorder (TMD). These occur as a result of problems with the jaw, jaw joint, and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and moving the jaw.

Causes include:

  • Injury to the jaw, Temperomandibular joint, or muscles of the head and neck (such as from a heavy blow or whiplash)
  • Grinding or clenching the teeth, putting great pressure through the TMJ
  • Stress, which can lead to clenching teeth, and/or tight facial and jaw muscles
  • Arthritis in the TMJ
  • Disrelationship of the complex jaw joint

Common symptoms of TMD include:

  • Decreased ability to open the mouth wide
  • A locked or stuck jaw either in an opened or closed position
  • Clicking, popping or grating sounds in the jaw joint on jaw movement
  • Pain or tenderness in the face, jaw joint, neck, shoulders and/or ear, including headaches and earaches
  • A tired feeling in the face
  • A change in the bite, as the teeth are not aligned

Intra-oral Cranials is a technique that your Chiropractor may use that is extremely effective in improving the movement of the jaw joint and hence reducing the symptoms relating to TMD. This Cranial technique addresses the bones of the skull and jaw to normalise the relationship of the skull with the jaw and the neck, and allow the jaw to move smoothly and freely and with its normal range.

Acupuncture for Low Back Pain

acupuncture low back painAcupuncture can be very effective in resolving low back pain. We are now seeing several research studies that confirm this, including some that show Acupuncture to be more effective than the conventional approach described above. Interestingly, studies tend to show that very light needling or needling that does not penetrate the skin (approaches often used in Japanese-style Acupuncture) can be as effective as deeper Chinese-style needling.

Our Acupuncturists are very experienced in treating low back pain and finds this is one of the conditions that responds best to Acupuncture.

 

What happens in a treatment?

The Acupuncturists approach to low back pain is to use the gentlest needling possible to reduce the pain and get you back to your normal life as quickly as possible. Often the needles are warmed with moxibustion (a warming herb) to really “unknot” the underlying muscle and ligaments. Most people find the treatments extremely relaxing – the feeling is a bit like having a good massage. The points chosen and method of Acupuncture depend on your constitution (the pattern you fall into based on your symptoms and on information gained from carefully palpating the body and on examination of your pulse and tongue). It’s important to work on the underlying cause of the problem as well as the symptoms.

So what works for one person with low back pain may be quite different from what works for another.

 

How long will it take to work?

Back pain that has recently come on responds more quickly than pain that has been present months or years. There is usually a response within 4-6 treatments, with further treatments consolidating this. Generally, the treatments would be weekly (or sometimes twice-weekly for severe, acute back strain) for the first few, and then we reduce the frequency as the condition improves. Health-fund rebates are available for Acupuncture treatments.

Low back pain.

acup-lower-back-painIf your back has ever seized up, you’ll know it’s one of the most disabling experiences there is. Or perhaps you suffer from a more low-grade, but still annoying and uncomfortable, form of low back pain. You’re far from alone, with somewhere between 70 and 85% of us having suffered an acute back strain at some point. The pain may be brought on by heavy lifting, sudden movements, or prolonged standing or driving, or it may appear “out of the blue”.

Western medicine does not have much to offer sufferers of low back pain, with usual advice being to gradually resume usual activities, while taking painkillers for the discomfort. In the longer term, strengthening exercises and losing excess weight can be useful. Surgery may be recommended for some specific problems affecting the lumbar spine (especially if the nerves that exit the spine are trapped), but tends to be a last resort and is not always successful.

 

Acupuncture for low back pain

Acupuncture can be very effective in resolving low back pain. We are now seeing several research studies that confirm this, including some that show acupuncture to be more effective than the conventional approach described above. Interestingly, studies tend to show that very light needling or needling that does not penetrate the skin (approaches often used in Japanese-style acupuncture) can be as effective as deeper Chinese-style needling.

 

What happens in a treatment?

My approach to low back pain is to use the gentlest needling possible to reduce the pain and get you back to your normal life as quickly as possible. I use mainly the Japanese style of acupuncture, which focuses on light needling (of carefully selected points) with deeper techniques when required. Often the needles are warmed with moxibustion (a warming herb) to really “unknot” the underlying muscle and ligaments. Most people find the treatments extremely relaxing – the feeling is a bit like having a good massage. The points chosen and method of acupuncture depend on your constitution (the pattern you fall into based on your symptoms and on information gained from carefully palpating the body, and on examination of your pulse and tongue). It’s important to work on the underlying cause of the problem as well as the symptoms.

So what works for one person with low back pain may be quite different from what works for another.

 

How long will it take to work?

Back pain that has recently come on responds more quickly than pain that has been present months or years. There is usually a response within 4-6 treatments, with further treatments consolidating this. Generally, the treatments would be weekly (or sometimes twice-weekly for severe, acute back strain) for the first few, and then we reduce the frequency as the condition improves.