Upper Back Pain

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People don’t talk about upper back pain very often.  Yet it can be just as crippling as lower back pain.  In most cases the underlying causes are not serious.  However, when it occurs, upper back pain can cause a level of discomfort that’s too misery-making to ignore. 

Upper back pain is usually aggravated by moving the head or the arms, and can radiate out along the edge of the ribs.  It can also cause headaches or aching pain in the neck and shoulders. 

The causes of upper back pain can vary from poor posture or trauma, to improper lifting or carrying heavy objects.  

One of the most unexpected causes of upper back pain is sneezing!  Yes, the common sneeze can cause excruciating pain in the upper back.  It’s very easy to blame back pain on lifting heavy things like children, concrete, shopping or piles of washing, but sometimes our own bodily functions can be the cause of the problem.

Self-help things you can do if your upper back is painful:

Rest: Avoid activities that exacerbate the pain for a day or two. 

Sleep: Try to make sure you get some good sleep. 

Watch your posture: When you’re sitting keep your head in a neutral position with your ears directly over your shoulders. This significantly reduces the amount of stress on your neck and back.

Be careful:  Don’t try to stretch through serious pain – the chances are you will aggravate it!

As always the effect of any remedy will vary from person to person.  Try to figure out what works best for you. And don’t do the things that make it worse!  

Other causes of upper back pain may include osteoporosis (where the bones are weakened) and scoliosis (where the spine isn’t straight, but in an “S” or “C” curve when viewed from the back).  So if the pain doesn’t subside get your back checked – it’s not clever to ignore the pain.

Cold Water Benefits

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The benefits of cold water has been well documented and researched. These include:

Improved Immunity

Improved Cardiovascular function

Reduced depresssion

Reduced anxiety

Improved pain response

Improved sleep

Increased energy

With this in mind I decided to have a go and see if I noticed any benefits. I found a good protocol to follow involving a steady, measured exposure over the course of a month which can be found here (ice.club). Have been following it for ten days I can confirm that not only does it get easier but its accompanied by a significant sense of well being for a few hours afterwards. I’ve noticed my energy levels have improved and sleep is better too.

I will be recommending this to some patients to try (if there are no contra indications) and will report back at the end of the month trial.

Covid Protocol Update (6 April 2021)

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As restrictions start to be eased the South Dartmoor Clinic remains open in Newton Abbot and Ashburton. As a private, community-based, key healthcare worker we are still able to work. I have again reviewed my Covid Protocol and consider the latest version to be well suited for patient safety, adherence to the guidelines and best clinical practice.

Please read the following update regarding South Dartmoor Clinic’s protocols before attending or when booking your next appointment with us. Please bring and wear a face covering.

During this time the Osteopathic profession is striving to ensure that patient safety is our number one priority as we provide care within a healthcare setting that adheres to the current Government and Industry guidelines on minimising any spread of Covid-19.

With this information in mind there will be a few changes implemented. The following framework should be helpful to know what to expect. This will be subject to change over the coming weeks/months in response to prevailing advice.

1. When you made your appointment you were asked if you were experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19 (fever, new onset of cough, loss os smell and/or taste, etc for more details please visit the NHS site). Please check if you have Coronavirus symptoms. You will be asked this question again prior to your appointment. Also if you have been exposed to anyone with suspected or diagnosed Covid-19 in the past 14 days, you will be asked to reschedule your appointment.

2. Appointment times will 40 minutes with ample time between each appointment in order to clean treatment areas and other high touch zones/clinic furniture and prepare and change PPE. To adhere to social distancing we will have only 1 patient (with household members) in the clinic at any given time at the Ashburton Clinic. If attending the new Newton Abbot Clinic then please call me when you arrive and wait in the car until asked to enter the clinic. Please make sure your mask is in place (unless exempt) and you will be led by me straight into the clinic room.

3. We will ask that patients arrive on time for their appointment and not too early. Temperatures will be taken using a handheld IR thermometer 3cm from the forehead.

4. Please leave as many accessory items in the car/at home as you are able to. This includes watches, jewellery, bags etc. The less there is on you, the less chance there is of contamination.

5. If possible please bring your own PPE mask to attend your appt. You will need to remove any gloves that you have been wearing outside our clinic environment and wash your hands/put on another pair on entering the clinic or use the hand sanitiser supplied.

6. We kindly ask that patients do not bring friends or family to appointments unless absolutely required as a chaperone or for assistance.

7. It is advised that patients wear minimal, comfortable, loose clothing and a face covering.

8. The treatment format should remain similar to pre Covid-19. A 2 metre distance will be maintained when possible (taking a history, giving advice). 

9. The osteopath will be wearing the PPE. This will be sourced ethically (not taking away from the NHS). It will include single use apron and single session face masks. Eye protection and gloves may be worn depending on circumstances or if requested by the patient

10. Payment will be using the sterilised the mobile card reader provided. Cash will be accepted if no change is needed to be given.

11. Further appointments will be made in a diary and an appointment card may be provided.

12. All magazines and reading materials have been removed from the clinic.

We trust that this level of care will prove satisfactory to you in providing a safe environment for you to receive your Osteopathic treatment in these Covid-19 times. We will continue to monitor our approach to delivering this care and modify these guidelines accordingly. Please remember that although every recommended measure will be taken at the clinic this will unfortunately not reduce the risk to zero and patients attending the clinic do so in full knowledge and acceptance of the risks.  If you have any further queries regarding this or your suitability for receiving treatment at this time, please contact me.

South Dartmoor Clinic

Low Back Opener

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This is a wonderful stretch for gently easing stiffness and tension in the low back delivered from my clinics in TQ12 and TQ13! My mission is for everyone to become their own osteopath!

It also helps to bring space to the vertebral joints (apophyseal joints). When these joints get too jammed together from tight, stiff muscles it leads to too much pressure and load bearing on the joints. This then leads to increased wear and tear (osteoarthritis). The symptoms of this in the low back are pain and stiffness especially in the morning.

Doing these stretches yourself is like a form of self treatment. Much of my work as an osteopath is aimed at achieving what these exercises can do. Sometimes, unfortunately, we need some help from an osteopath to start things moving in the right direction. But hopefully, when the pain and stiffness has been reduced in the the low back, then the patient can build these stretches into their own exercise routine.

Feel free to contact me in Ashburton or Newton Abbot for more information, for treatment or for your own bespoke exercise plan. More exercises can be found on the News page. Have you looked at my Core Stability or Daily Routine videos?

Core Stability

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A simple, adaptable exercise for core stability.

Core stability is defined as “the capacity of the muscles of the torso to assist in the maintenance of good posture, balance, etc., especially during movement”. Reading this definition it comes as no surprise how important it is. In fact I believe that just about every movement we do in day to day life involves the core.

A few of the exercises I’ve posted from my Newton Abbot clinic address this and much of my time as an osteopath is helping patients rebuild these areas or treatment often caused by a weakness in their core.

Regaining strength and flexibility will lead to greater confidence which will in turn encourages more movement. Please call me if you’d like help with this in come and see me if you’re in the TQ12 or TQ13 area of Devon.

Restrictions are easing.

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Lockdown restrictions are easing and so now is the time to start easing those restrictions that may have built up in your body.

After a few unprecedented months of being limited by lockdown we now have the freedom to move a little more. We are still living in times of stress and those stresses easily find their way into our bodies. This can cause us to hold pain and tension especially in our neck, low back, shoulders, jaw and even our face and nostrils. This causes pain which reduces our movement which increases stiffness and around the vicious circle goes. Osteopathy can help this!

There are some videos of stretches to do that will help you on News page of my website but sometimes we need a helping hand from an osteopath to get things going again. I’m pleased to say the clinic has been open for a few months now using the appropriate infection control and PPE. So please contact me at Newton Abbot (TQ12) or Ashburton (TQ13) for a chat about how I could help you find the Freedom to Move again.

The Importance of the Pelvic Floor (and what you can do to keep it healthy).

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The pelvic floor is often an under-appreciated but nevertheless very important part of our anatomy.  It plays a vital role in keeping our low backs and rest of our bodies healthy and functioning well; it is directly linked to the role and importance of the “core” ie in core stability; it aids the functions of our internal organs and perhaps most well known is that it plays a huge role in bowel and bladder function especially after the effects of pregnancy and childbirth.

So what is the pelvic floor?  It’s best thought of as a “sling” of muscles the covers the outlet of the pelvis.  A little like a hammock, the contents of the abdomen lies on top of it and is supported by it.  Being made of muscle it is contractile and therefore is a dynamic structure capable of movement.  When it has good tone (the resting contraction of the muscles) it helps gentle close the structures that pass through it, most importantly the urethra and the lowest part of the large intestine – in other words the tubes that our pee and poo travel down to find their way out of the body.  More on this later.

How is it important in low back pain and posture?  As an osteopath this is of particular interest for me.  The low back relies on a number of different structures and their health for good low back functioning.  Some of the most significant are the shape and alignment of the lumbar spinal vertebrae, ligaments, intervertebral discs and the muscular support of the spinal muscles.  The pelvic floor blends with the diaphragm and abdominal muscles (if core stability is good) making a balloon like container.  When we move or lift this container acts like a support – a little like a weight lifters belt.  These days people are more aware about the abdominal muscles and their importance of this but the pelvic floor is a vital component playing a very important part in supporting the spine and keeping it strong, stable and free from pain.

How is the pelvic floor important to general health?  One way of looking at the abdomen (the area below the rib cage but above our thighs) is as a muscular container within which is our viscera (large and small intestines; kidneys; liver; spleen; pancreas etc).  These organs all individually need to function well for the for the health of everything things else in our body and minds.  For this to happen we need the usual things for health eg good diet; exercises; posture etc but also it needs a good blood and lymph supply and drainage.  Again many things influence this but often forgot is movement.  Movement at a the level of the body but also within the body.  When we breathe well (more on this in another blog) our diaphragm descends and rises gently massaging the the organs, helping the gut to transport things along its length, aiding the blood supply and improving the lymphatic health.  So where does the pelvic floor fit in?  The rest of the muscular container is comprised of the abdominal muscles to the front, the spinal and posture muscles at the back and the pelvic floor underneath.  As the diaphragm descends the overall function of the abdomen will be that much better if the pelvic floor and the rest of the container are functioning well.  The pelvic floor will allow the abdominal organs to return back up receiving gentle compression and relaxation with every breath.  This helps the blood and lymph flow and, you guessed it, improving all the organs functioning and health.  As well as gently moving the spine with each breath and aiding its health in the same way.

How does the pelvic floor help bowel and bladder function?  As I mentioned above the urethra (pee tube that leaves the bladder) and lowest part of the large intestine travel through the muscular pelvic floor.  As well as supporting the bowel and bladder the muscles offer some ability to close off the tubes.  If the floor is weak then it can lead to urinary incontinence, haemorrhoids and other pelvis disorders.  These conditions are not uncommon but can be a source of embarrassment and inconvenience.  Can anything be done?

Can I improve my pelvic floor?  Yes!  But as with all self help regimes it takes a bit of time, effort and self discipline.

Pelvic floor exercises:

Take a seat and imagine you’re sitting on the loo. Now imagine you’re having a pee and want to stop the flow. What muscles would you contract?  If you’re unsure, next time you’re going to the loo then experiment with stopping the flow of wee.  Contract these muscles and hold for a count of 10 seconds.  Next squeeze and relax the muscles quickly five times.  You can then see if you can isolate the muscles mid way back on the pelvic floor and repeat the same set of exercises.  Then again for the muscles at the back of the pelvic floor.  Over time try increasing the number of sets of exercises.  Remember not to strain and if you get any pain then stop and let me know. 

For more complicated exercises imagine you’re contracting diagonally across the pelvic floor (eg right of the pubic area to left of the tail bone area and vice versa).

Do these exercises at least once a day.  When you get proficient the exercises can be done anywhere and in any position.  If you have any questions then contact me at either my Ashburton or Newton Abbot Clinic.

You should feel the benefits in a couple of weeks.  Good luck 🙂