Letters
This section is devoted to letters received from clients and the Physio responses
Dear Physio, I have constant headaches that never seem to go away. My doctor has checked everything out and thinks it's my neck that's giving me the headaches. Is there anything physio can do for me?
Headaches are often caused by cervical (neck) problems. If you have joints in the neck that are inflamed, they can refer pain into the head and back of the eyes.
Physiotherapy can be very beneficial for headaches as it can relieve the inflammation and headaches through such techniques as gentle mobilization of the joints, soft tissue massage, electrotherapy and dry needling to relieve pain and muscle spasm. More importantly, physiotherapists are trained to work out the causes of musculoskeletal conditions and will be able to give advice on postural correction, proper work and sleep positions and a home exercise and management program to prevent the problem from recurring. Studies done in 2002 on headaches caused by neck problems found 70% of sufferers found marked benefits from physiotherapy. They also found it was twice as effective as taking pain medication.
Dear Physio, I have been told that I have scoliosis and that this is the reason for my back pain. What is scoliosis and what can I do about it?
Scoliosis is a way of describing a sideways curvature of the spine. It can occur at any level of the spine and can be detected through a simple postural assessment with your physiotherapist. Many people have a bit of a curve in their backs as we are not perfectly symmetrical. However, it may predispose you to back pain and put you at slightly higher risk of injury. The causes of scoliosis vary but a common reason is leg length discrepancy where one leg is longer or shorter than the other. The spine will curve to compensate for this, thereby creating a scoliosis.
At Auscare Physio, we treat scoliosis through a variety of means. It is important to work out whether there is a leg length problem and if so, you will need to be fitted with orthotics that are cushion moulded for you, with a heel raise on the short side. We also prescribe stretches and exercises that are designed to strengthen your back and improve your flexibility. Gentle mobilization and massage will also help to relieve any acute pain and stiffness.
Dear Physio, I twisted my knee a few weeks ago and since then I have a sharp catching pain any time I walk. What have I done and how can I fix this problem?
It sounds like you may have torn cartilage (called meniscus) on the inside of your knee joint. If it doesn't improve with treatment from your physiotherapist after 2-3 weeks then you may need to see an orthopaedic surgeon for an arthroscopic clean out and repair of the cartilage.
Dear Physio, Should I use ice or heat to treat an injury, and what is the difference anyway?.
Never use heat to treat an injury that is less than 24 hours old as there may still be broken blood vessels that are bleeding and the heat will make this worse.
Ice should be used as part of a first aid regime to reduce swelling and bleeding. Heat opens blood vessels and causes more blood to flow into the area whereas ice will constrict and reduce blood flow. Heat can be comfortably applied to an injury that is 2-3 days old or more.