Danbury Ing FEB 2019

Danbury FEB 2019.qxp_Layout 1 29/01/2019 13:47 Page 13
FOCUS
ON HEALTH
Chinese New Year falls on 5th of February this year, this year is the Year of the Earth Pig.
It is the end of the Winter Seasonal energy and the beginning of the Spring season. It is
a time for new beginnings, for growth and change, the sap will start to rise in the trees,
the energy in bulbs and seeds will begin to stir. If you had trouble putting New Year
resolutions into action this year, try again in February as the seasonal energy of Spring
should make it easier to implement changes.
For all my wonderful regular clients, now is a particularly good time to come for
acupuncture treatment to make sure you have the energy to start the Year of the Pig on
the right foot.
Happy New Year!
Alexandra O’Connor Licensed Acupuncturist
Holicity Health
Sciatica.
Sciatica presents as severe pain down one leg, sometimes as far down as the foot; just the word is enough to strike fear into the heart of
many! It is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve and can be caused by a disc bulge or ‘slipped disc’. Recent research suggests that
localised inflammation around a disc is the true cause of the problem as inflammation restricts blood supply and increases toxin levels in the
local tissue. It is worth clarifying here that discs do not ‘slip’, but they can get inflamed which makes them swell a little bit. It used to be
thought that that if you had a disc bulge that you would probably need surgery, but growing evidence suggests that surgery is usually
unnecessary.
A large literature review in 2014 studied images of over 3000 people without back pain issues, it showed that 50% of us will have signs of
disc degeneration by the age of thirty, 50% of us have disc bulges by the age of forty. By sixty a huge 88% of people with no back pain would
show signs of disc degeneration, and 69% would be found to have disc bulges. Just to be clear – these statistics are given to reassure you,
not scare you - these are people with no back pain who would still have significant spinal anomalies on MRI (Brinjikji, 2015). Everything
degenerates with age; it is natural and does not need to be a cause of pain, research suggests the cause of pain is more likely to be
inflammation in the area than any pressure caused by degeneration or a disc bulge. The main purpose of an MRI scan for persistent back
pain is to rule out anything more sinister; however an MRI will usually detect other minor asymptomatic spinal anomalies which may then be
thought to be causing the pain. Over the past 20yrs this has led to an increasing amount of spinal surgery. New studies have shown that ‘sham
surgery’ (where they make an incision under anaesthetic and sew it up again) is as effective as true surgery for musculoskeletal issues. There
is no way to know whether it is the surgery itself or the idea of surgery which triggers any reduction of symptoms!
Racing into surgery is not the only answer to the majority of back pain, indeed it can easily be the start of a slippery slope into poor spinal
health. Over 60% of disc bulges resolve themselves within three months, and recent evidence shows that the larger and more significant the
bulge, the quicker it is likely to rescind. But many people get understandably worried about persistent back pain, worried that their back is
becoming unstable they are likely to become highly sensitised to anything that could cause further back pain. As a result they will move more
cautiously and ‘protect’ their spine with rigid muscle tension. Some do this consciously, but for many it is subconscious and instinctive; we
tighten all the muscles around an area we perceive is weak or damaged to allow it to rest and repair. Unfortunately our back muscles are
particularly strong and easily fall into a pattern of protective rigidity which itself causes considerable pain as it locks down the natural flexibility
of the spine and increases local inflammation.
The spine is designed to move in a very free, fluid manner; when we lock it down with muscle tension we hinder tissue repair and circulation
causing more inflammation and longer term pain. Acupuncture can be incredibly effective as a treatment, releases muscle tension, encourages
more circulation to reduce inflammation, it encourages tissue repair, and it has a well-recognised pain-relieving effect. Acupuncture alone or
combined with some osteopathic techniques and exercise and rehabilitation advice can be very effective for sciatica. The best advice I would
give anyone suffering with sciatica would be to try to relax, soften your posture and release your abdomen muscles, practice ‘belly breathing’
and keep moving. If you need any help, you know where to find us.
Kind regards
Nick O’Connor (Registered Osteopath)
Holicity Health
01621 786600 / 01245 226007
www.holicity.co.uk
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