Dry needling is now a part of the service at Taylor-Watson Chiropractic. This is the use of acupuncture needles inserted into tight and painful muscles. It’s usually less painful than deep tissue massage and not as scary as it sounds. This would only be done if appropriate and if the patient is happy (as with all treatment here).

Why is it Called ‘dry needling?’ Not to be confused with acupuncture (Chinese medicine), dry needling involves inserting fine needles into trigger points (painful muscle knots). The term ‘dry’ comes form the fact that nothing is injected into the muscle. It has been found to reduce muscle spasm and pain.

A study in 2014 found dry needling to be effective for adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) in reducing pain and increasing range of motion. Click here to read it in full.

If you have any questions about dry needling feel free to call Amy on 07956623852 or email admin@twchiro.co.uk

We all know about posture, and have been told to sit or stand up straighter once or twice in our lives. But why is it so important? Well….if you have ever suffered from neck pain, back pain or headaches, then you might want to check your posture. This is very common amongst desk workers, and now with smartphones, tablets and laptops used by almost everyone, it is even more prevalent. The most common bad posture is forward head carriage (i.e. your head sits forward of your shoulders). This is a problem because of simple biomechanics; the further away a weight is from your center of gravity (i.e. the head) the harder it is to hold up (so your poor neck muscles are working harder than they need to). If you imagine holding a heavy medicine ball further and further away from your body, it would become more and more difficult to hold up. This causes discomfort at first, and then can lead to pain as the muscles get more and more tired, eventually relying more on the surrounding ligaments and joints, which also become painful. The most common symptoms are neck and shoulder (upper trapezius) pain and headaches. Most tension headaches are caused by the neck (cervical facet joints) and therefore us chiropractors call them cervico-genic headaches. This can also increase the  incidence of migraines.

So what can you do about it? Here is a simple yet effective postural exercise; first roll your shoulders to get them moving, then squeeze your shoulder blades together but also try to drop them down your back (imagine trying to put your shoulder blades into your back pockets). At first you might find this difficult and it will feel strange, especially if your posture has been bad for a while. But it reminds the overworked muscles to relax and the lazy ones to start working again. This also brings the head back to it’s center of gravity. You only need to do it a few times throughout the day and hold for 10 seconds. It is more of a postural reminder for when you feel like you’re slumping at your desk or laptop etc. For more persistent problems, you can try a posture brace (not a rigid corset but an elasticated device to gently bring the shoulders back). Foam rollers are also helpful at the end of the day to get a bit of extension into the thoracic spine (ease your way gently into using one as they can be brutal if you’re in pain). One thing to remember is that improving your posture is more of a brain training exercise then anything else. Essentially you are trying to break a bad habit. If you are still in pain after improving your posture, you may need some treatment in the affected area to get any stiff joints moving, and get any tough knots out of the muscles first. Then you may find you can help prevent re-occurrence with the above advice.

As always if you would like to book an appointment please call or text: 07956623852

 Feeling the cold already?

Winter is fast approaching and as the air pressure drops, you may be feeling more aches and pains than you did in the summer, especially if you suffer from arthritis. You may think there is nothing that can be done about this, but you would be wrong! Although the bony changes associated with osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, the symptoms can be reduced with chiropractic care. Manipulation, mobilisation and soft tissue work can help improve mobility and reduce the pain in joints. This is effective on most joints, but is especially effective on knees (yes we treat knees too!). This doesn’t have to be an expensive ordeal. Once the initial improvement has been made, treatments can be as infrequent as every 3-4 months to prevent reoccurrence.

Don’t suffer this winter, try chiropractic for arthritis!

Call 07956 623852 for an appointment now.

Research has shown that certain foods can trigger the inflammatory process and others help to reduce it, giving us the power to improve our general health and reduce pain without taking pills. Following the anti-inflammatory diet would benefit everyone, but especially those suffering with inflammatory arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis).

Foods to eat plenty of:

Oily fish – omega 3 fatty acids reduce C reactive protein (CRP)  and are especially great for rheumatoid arthritis. Flaxseed, tofu and edamame also contains omega 3 fatty acids.

Nuts and seeds

Olive oil packed with noleocanthal which has similar properties to non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (i.e. ibuprofen)

Cherries (especially good for gout)

Broccoli contains sulforaphane and has been shown to help slow osteoarthritis down.

Green tea is packed with polyphenols, antioxidants believed to reduce inflammation and slow cartilage destruction. Studies also show that another antioxidant in green tea called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) blocks the production of molecules that cause joint damage in people with rheumatoid arthritis Matcha (powdered green tea) has even higher levels of these and can be found in health food shops.

Whole grains lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. CRP is a marker of inflammation associated with heart disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Foods like oatmeal, brown rice and whole-grain cereals are excellent sources of whole grains.

Studies have also shown that people who regularly ate foods from the allium family – such as garlic, onions and leeks – showed fewer signs of early osteoarthritis. Researchers believe the compound diallyl disulphine found in garlic may limit cartilage-damaging enzymes in human cells.

Foods which have been shown to trigger inflammation (and therefore avoid):

Sugar (natural sugars in fruit are not so bad).
Aspartame (the ‘diet’ option is often no better I’m afraid)
Saturated fats (in red meat and cheese).
Trans fats (in most processed foods and margarine).
Omega 6  fatty acids (ok in small amounts): corn, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, soy, peanut, and vegetable; mayonnaise; and many salad dressings.
Refined carbs (white bread, crackers, white rice, cereals etc).
MSG.
Gluten
Alcohol (sorry!)

Lets face it, most of the foods to avoid we already know are bad for us. Now we have further incentive to stay away from them. I think the biggest piece of advice here is to prepare your own food with plenty of fresh ingredients and avoid processed foods at all costs!