Reading Chiropractor, Beccy Norman
Even patients that have been with us for years are still sometimes shocked when they hear about some of the things we can help with, writes Reading Chiropractor Beccy Norman. There’s still a huge misconception that we only deal with backs but that’s simply not the case. There are many things we can help with, but I thought I’d include 5 things chiropractic and osteopathy can help with that you may not know about. These include some of the most common presentations that crop up in clinic day to day. If there’s any condition that you’re unsure about whether we treat, then just chat to your practitioner. Or if you’re a new patient you can book in for a complimentary spinal check with one of our team.
1. Headaches
Even after four years at Reflex, I still can’t get over how many people put up with headaches and think they just have to ‘get on with it”. Over 10 million people in the UK aged 15-69 suffer from migraines in the UK. Migraines are defined as recurrent throbbing headache that typically affects one side of the head. It is often accompanied by nausea and disturbed vision. Migraines are a debilitating illness and the most common reason for visiting A&E. Chiropractic has been proven to help in migraine prevention. This is usually the case for people whose migrainous headaches are linked to mechanical triggers in the neck. I have many patients who, with our care, have either seen a dramatic reduction in their headaches or have no headaches at all anymore!
2. Shoulder injuries
If I had a pound for how many times patients have said ‘but you do backs how can you help with my shoulder?’ I’d be rich! Firstly your shoulder connects to your cervical spine (neck ) and your thoracic spine ( mid back). Therefore, if there is stiffness and issues in this area this can transfer as secondary issues in the shoulder. Secondly, we love treatment of the shoulder. With a combination of manipulation, soft tissue work and rehabilitation exercises we can help with most common shoulder injuries. We are also qualified to diagnose shoulder injuries that may need referral on to a specialist. At reflex, some of our practitioners are also trained in a specific technique called Neil-Asher technique to treat frozen shoulder in Reading, Berkshire. Basically, if it’s a shoulder condition, we’ve got you covered!
3. Pregnancy care
Pregnancy care is something I’m truly passionate about. If there was any point in your life I thought it 
was most important to visit a chiropractor – this is it. During pregnancy your body goes through so many changes. The hormone relaxin releases in order to help with the birth. This causes ligament laxity in the pelvis and can lead to pelvic pain. Then as your bump grows your centre of gravity changes. This changes the load on the joints in the spine. The natural curve in the lower back (lordosis) increases to allow for the bump. This increases pressure on the low back. Chiropractic is both safe and effective in helping with these spinal effects.
4. Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis. It describes pain on the outside of the elbow. It’s
caused by overuse of the muscles that attach to the elbow and straighten the wrist. This is common in sports such as tennis (hence the name) but also can be common in certain manual jobs that repetitively use the form. It can also occur after trauma to the elbow. With this condition you may feel pain on the outside of the elbow at rest. Performing certain actions like turning doorknobs, opening jars or even using your mouse at work, may aggrevate it. At Reflex Spinal Health we use a wide variety of techniques including dry needling, manipulation or K-Laser therapy to help ease the symptoms of Tennis elbow and get you on the road to recovery.
5. Sports injuries and performance
If you partake in sport, then you know how important is that your body is performing as well as it 
possibly can. Various niggles can crop up quickly through sport, but we know how quickly you want them gone. We can help a wide range of symptoms including ankle sprains, to joint injuries and muscle spasms. Our clinical team can prescribe a spinal exercise rehab programme. This type of programme will identify any weaknesses in the body. It will also find out which muscles are perhaps overworking and contributing to some of your niggles. Our aim is to enable you to continue doing the sport you love without the worry of niggles getting in the way!
I hope that this piece on the 5 things chiropractic and osteopathy can help with that you may not know about has been useful? If you have any questions please give us a ring on 0118 946 2100.