Happy Christmas. Open again for Osteopathy and Acupuncture on Tuesday 27th. So no worries if you are in pain, or have some mishap over the holiday fun season. To book, best book online at www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz (and check out the new website for Christchurch Osteopathy Acupuncture, with lots of new photos and the modern website look, for the coolest osteopathy / osteopath / acupuncture website in town! Tell me what you think).
And if you can't see any osteopathy / acupuncture appointment time available, on the day / time you need it - maybe you have a flight to catch - or your family's schedule is complicated - then you can still phone me on 03 980 2425 (don't worry, other people do, I'm used to it.). Have fun, play safe.
Best wishes for the holidays,
Mike
(osteopath)
Friday, 23 December 2016
Saturday, 17 December 2016
osteopathy and acupuncture appointments still available before Christmas
There are still osteopathy and acupuncture appointments available next week, including a few after-hours and evening appointments, up until Saturday 24th.
So you can be in top form for your holidays (hopefully) free from any aches and pains.
And if Friday still seems a little way to go, and your work schedule, shopping and social calendar seem insanely busy, then of course, remember that osteopathy and acupuncture can also have that bonus of being wonderful for stress-management and simply slowing down and having that restorative 'time-out' hour or so, and perhaps a wonderful best night's sleep for a long time since you can remember..
To check the clinic calendar for all available osteopathy and/or acupuncture appointments - if you know you have a flight, or long-drive, and you back might benefit from a preventative 'tune up' for a hopefully pain-free holiday, and indulge in some 'me-time' before Friday, then check online:
www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz
And, yes, you can still phone on 03 980 2425
Happy Holidays,
Mike
(osteopath)
So you can be in top form for your holidays (hopefully) free from any aches and pains.
And if Friday still seems a little way to go, and your work schedule, shopping and social calendar seem insanely busy, then of course, remember that osteopathy and acupuncture can also have that bonus of being wonderful for stress-management and simply slowing down and having that restorative 'time-out' hour or so, and perhaps a wonderful best night's sleep for a long time since you can remember..
To check the clinic calendar for all available osteopathy and/or acupuncture appointments - if you know you have a flight, or long-drive, and you back might benefit from a preventative 'tune up' for a hopefully pain-free holiday, and indulge in some 'me-time' before Friday, then check online:
www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz
And, yes, you can still phone on 03 980 2425
Happy Holidays,
Mike
(osteopath)
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Back from the UK. Clinic fully Open again for Osteopathy / Acupuncture
For anyone who is feeling the Spring Frenzy as the manic run up to the holidays approaches, with deadlines and trying to get everything done and completed. So if you are in need of Osteopathy / Acupuncture and well-deserved maintainennce to get you through until the 24th, and the holidays . . .
Just to let everyone know that I am now back from my annual November Osteopathy and Cranial Osteopathy study-trip and a rather wonderful meditation retreat in the UK. And, yes, I missed all the excitement and shaking of our geologically unstable home here in the South Island. My friends in the UK thought it was Christchurch, as Kaikoura was not mentioned as the epicenter of the quake on the initial News release.
And for those of you that heard about the Melbourne Pollen Acute Asthma episode, and how the hospitals were unable to cope that day, well, need I say more. Perhaps you understand why I visit the UK in November (also pretty cheap flights - although, admittedly I do sometimes feel guilty about my carbon-footprint. Guess, flying on half empty planes helps a bit.) Remind me never to visit my friends in Melbourne, or ever do any Osteopathy courses - well never in November anyway.
Anyway, the Osteopathy clinic here in Christchurch is fully open, as always, for Osteopathy and / or Acupuncture, including Saturdays, and Evening After-Hours appointments. There will no doubt be that last minute rush, just before the holidays (yes, I have a Family Holiday, and then another retreat booked in January, lucky me.)
So, of you do want to book in, then it's easy to book online: www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz, or just phone 03 980 2425
Should I say 'Season' Greetings' as the say for the Festive period in the Northern Hemisphere (soon mid-winter), Well, the long summer break is almost here . . .
Just to let everyone know that I am now back from my annual November Osteopathy and Cranial Osteopathy study-trip and a rather wonderful meditation retreat in the UK. And, yes, I missed all the excitement and shaking of our geologically unstable home here in the South Island. My friends in the UK thought it was Christchurch, as Kaikoura was not mentioned as the epicenter of the quake on the initial News release.
And for those of you that heard about the Melbourne Pollen Acute Asthma episode, and how the hospitals were unable to cope that day, well, need I say more. Perhaps you understand why I visit the UK in November (also pretty cheap flights - although, admittedly I do sometimes feel guilty about my carbon-footprint. Guess, flying on half empty planes helps a bit.) Remind me never to visit my friends in Melbourne, or ever do any Osteopathy courses - well never in November anyway.
Anyway, the Osteopathy clinic here in Christchurch is fully open, as always, for Osteopathy and / or Acupuncture, including Saturdays, and Evening After-Hours appointments. There will no doubt be that last minute rush, just before the holidays (yes, I have a Family Holiday, and then another retreat booked in January, lucky me.)
So, of you do want to book in, then it's easy to book online: www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz, or just phone 03 980 2425
Should I say 'Season' Greetings' as the say for the Festive period in the Northern Hemisphere (soon mid-winter), Well, the long summer break is almost here . . .
Thursday, 13 October 2016
clinic open on Saturdays 15th and 29th October for Osteopathy and Acupuncture
Just to let everyone know that the clinic will be open tomorrow (Saturday 15/10) and also Saturday 29/10 for Osteopathy and/or Acupuncture appointments if you or a family member find it hard to get in during the week.
I will be away on retreat for the Labour weekend (21-24 October) although there are plenty of appointments available on the morning of Friday 21/10, and Kaori will be here to take bookings over the weekend.
To book, either phone 03 980 2425, or book online: christchurch-ostoepathy-acupuncture.co.nz
However, please try to avoid clicking on the paid google Ad Words ad, if you see this. My pages are quite easy to find on google, by searching either "Michael Inman' or 'Christchurch Osteopath'.
I will be away on retreat for the Labour weekend (21-24 October) although there are plenty of appointments available on the morning of Friday 21/10, and Kaori will be here to take bookings over the weekend.
To book, either phone 03 980 2425, or book online: christchurch-ostoepathy-acupuncture.co.nz
However, please try to avoid clicking on the paid google Ad Words ad, if you see this. My pages are quite easy to find on google, by searching either "Michael Inman' or 'Christchurch Osteopath'.
Thursday, 18 August 2016
Saturday Osteopathy and Acupuncture clinic
Just a reminder that the clinic here is open on Saturdays for Osteopathy and Acupuncture. (Helpful if you find it difficult to get in during the week.) To book, either phone 03 980 2425 or book online: www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz
Sunday, 31 July 2016
Acupuncture and pain-management
Recently I read an article that Acupuncture is as effective as drugs in treating pain. This was from an Acupuncture trial in four Melbourne Emergency Departments. This could open the way for more hospitals to offer Acupuncture as an effective (and low-cost) healthcare intervention.
Great to see such a successful and practical result with Acupuncture. We have know for some time (since early research in the 1970s) that Acupuncture can be highly effective in pain management when it was shown to release naturally occurring opiod peptides, and B endorpin plays an important role in Acupuncture analgesia. Han 2004 (Acupuncture and Endorphins. Neuroscience Letter 361: 258-261) found that Acupuncture releases both enkephalin in the spinal cord and B-endorphin in the brain. There are no doubt other mechanisms that may be involved (e.g. Melzac's Gate Control theory, Central inhibitory effects, etc) but whatever the mechanisms, it seems to work. Great for the patients (perhaps not so great for the pharmaceutical companies - but hey, there's a lot of chronic pain patients, who will still take a lot of medication). But at least, more help is available, and acupuncture may become more a part of this.
If you wan to read more, please look at:
http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/acupuncture/effectiveness.html
Great to see such a successful and practical result with Acupuncture. We have know for some time (since early research in the 1970s) that Acupuncture can be highly effective in pain management when it was shown to release naturally occurring opiod peptides, and B endorpin plays an important role in Acupuncture analgesia. Han 2004 (Acupuncture and Endorphins. Neuroscience Letter 361: 258-261) found that Acupuncture releases both enkephalin in the spinal cord and B-endorphin in the brain. There are no doubt other mechanisms that may be involved (e.g. Melzac's Gate Control theory, Central inhibitory effects, etc) but whatever the mechanisms, it seems to work. Great for the patients (perhaps not so great for the pharmaceutical companies - but hey, there's a lot of chronic pain patients, who will still take a lot of medication). But at least, more help is available, and acupuncture may become more a part of this.
If you wan to read more, please look at:
http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/acupuncture/effectiveness.html
Inflammation and Ice (which is counterproductive - and wrong) Acupuncture and tissue healing. Osteopathy and Lymphatic drainage.
Recently I was reading an article on why Ice is wrong (Icing Injuries is Wrong) see:
http://stoneathleticmedicine.com/2015/02/10-reasons-icing-injuries-is-wrong/
Josh and Shagra Stone list, in a well-researched review list several reasons for this. Among them are:
" Ice does not facilitate proper collagen alignment. Diagnostic imaging of chronic tendon injuries like Achilles tendinopathy, jumper’s knee, runner’s knee, and plantar fasciitis show poor collagen arrangement of connective tissue."
"Ice impedes cellular signaling and inhibits the proper development of new cells. The processes of mechanobiology and cellular signaling take progenitor cells—infant cells who do not know what they are going to be—and makes them into rebuilding cells like myocytes, osteocytes, tenocytes, chondrocytes, etc."
There are several reasons why Ice is ineffective and counterproductive, in that it inhibits the inflammatory process which is essential for tissue repair. (The authors, in the above article, cite inflammatory cells as releasing the hormone Insulin like Growth Factor, a primary mediator of the effects of growth hormone, a stimulator of cell growth and proliferation, and potent inhibitor of programmed cell death).
Essentially the inflammatory process is a necessary part of tissue repair. When receiving osteopathy and acupuncture treatment, I often tell my patients this - and make an analogy to the almost constant road-works here in Christchurch. Yes, a drag, and causes traffic congestion, and slows everything down - yet an essential part of the city's repair process.
I have also speculated that the effectiveness of Acupuncture in treatment and pain-relief, may, at least in part, be due to the changes in blood flow and platelets secreting cytokines, and possibly release of insulin like grown factor also. Admittedly this is an area for further research. Certainly, cytokines and other metabolites can promote a healing cascade and stimulation for collagen regeneration.
For more on this, please see:http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/acupuncture/scientificBasis.html
Clinically, Acupuncture, does seem to effect blood flow around the area being needles (with local endorphin release, and more far reaching effects - enkephalin in the spinal cord and B-endorphin in the brain. ( Han 2004 Acupuncture and Endorphins. Neuroscience Letter 361: 258-261). We also know that the nervous system can be senstised to pain by the presence of inflammation, either peripherally, where the responsiveness of nerves is increased by the presence of inflammatory mediators, or centrally where additional receptors are recruited that amplify the nociceptive (pain) signal.
In their article, Josh and Shagra Stone, also mention (as evidence against the use of Ice):
"Swelling—a byproduct of the inflammatory process—must be removed from the injured area. Swelling does not accumulate at an injured part because there is excessive swelling, rather it accumulates because lymphatic drainage is slowed. The lymphatic system does this through muscle contraction and compression. Ice has been shown to reverse lymphatic flow."
In my early training as an Osteopath (at the Institute for Classical Osteopathy, with John Wernham - who studied with John Martin Littlejohn in the 1930s, who in turn studied with Andrew Still in the 1890s, the original founder of Osteopathy) great emphasis was placed on lymphatic drainage in osteopathic treatment. Yes, of course, bio-mechanics, alignment, joint range of motion are also all important, yet the treatment and principles taught by Wernham always placed great emphasis on lymphatic drainage, from the lower extremities (calf pump) to the diaphragm (cysterna cylii) and finally the clavicles and return to the superior vena cava, via the thoracic ducts. (Littlejohn, whilst a brilliant physiologist, was also an anatomist, and made a life long study of these disciplines, which were still in their infancy at the beginning of the twentieth century).
For more around this you could look at see:
http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/history.html
So interesting how modern research and observation, bears out Osteopathic knowledge over a century old. The more of this the better.
In summary (for I have gone far beyond "Why Ice is bad') it begs the question, so how then should we treat injuries? Elevation may still be good (effective elevation needs to raise the injured area above the level of the heart, for optimal drainage. Easy for an arm, less so for a leg.)
Well, just to be practical (for patients and clinicians) I've always found a combination of acupuncture and gentle osteopathy to be excellent, and bring good results, both in the short and long term. And the reasons why, are easy to see, if we think of this basic physiology, and the cellular and inflammatory processes underpinning it. Research and Evidenced based medicine are helpful here, as it will give us much greater understanding of what is most effective.
For more on this you might want to see:
http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/sportsInjuries.html
http://stoneathleticmedicine.com/2015/02/10-reasons-icing-injuries-is-wrong/
Josh and Shagra Stone list, in a well-researched review list several reasons for this. Among them are:
" Ice does not facilitate proper collagen alignment. Diagnostic imaging of chronic tendon injuries like Achilles tendinopathy, jumper’s knee, runner’s knee, and plantar fasciitis show poor collagen arrangement of connective tissue."
"Ice impedes cellular signaling and inhibits the proper development of new cells. The processes of mechanobiology and cellular signaling take progenitor cells—infant cells who do not know what they are going to be—and makes them into rebuilding cells like myocytes, osteocytes, tenocytes, chondrocytes, etc."
There are several reasons why Ice is ineffective and counterproductive, in that it inhibits the inflammatory process which is essential for tissue repair. (The authors, in the above article, cite inflammatory cells as releasing the hormone Insulin like Growth Factor, a primary mediator of the effects of growth hormone, a stimulator of cell growth and proliferation, and potent inhibitor of programmed cell death).
Essentially the inflammatory process is a necessary part of tissue repair. When receiving osteopathy and acupuncture treatment, I often tell my patients this - and make an analogy to the almost constant road-works here in Christchurch. Yes, a drag, and causes traffic congestion, and slows everything down - yet an essential part of the city's repair process.
I have also speculated that the effectiveness of Acupuncture in treatment and pain-relief, may, at least in part, be due to the changes in blood flow and platelets secreting cytokines, and possibly release of insulin like grown factor also. Admittedly this is an area for further research. Certainly, cytokines and other metabolites can promote a healing cascade and stimulation for collagen regeneration.
For more on this, please see:http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/acupuncture/scientificBasis.html
Clinically, Acupuncture, does seem to effect blood flow around the area being needles (with local endorphin release, and more far reaching effects - enkephalin in the spinal cord and B-endorphin in the brain. ( Han 2004 Acupuncture and Endorphins. Neuroscience Letter 361: 258-261). We also know that the nervous system can be senstised to pain by the presence of inflammation, either peripherally, where the responsiveness of nerves is increased by the presence of inflammatory mediators, or centrally where additional receptors are recruited that amplify the nociceptive (pain) signal.
In their article, Josh and Shagra Stone, also mention (as evidence against the use of Ice):
"Swelling—a byproduct of the inflammatory process—must be removed from the injured area. Swelling does not accumulate at an injured part because there is excessive swelling, rather it accumulates because lymphatic drainage is slowed. The lymphatic system does this through muscle contraction and compression. Ice has been shown to reverse lymphatic flow."
In my early training as an Osteopath (at the Institute for Classical Osteopathy, with John Wernham - who studied with John Martin Littlejohn in the 1930s, who in turn studied with Andrew Still in the 1890s, the original founder of Osteopathy) great emphasis was placed on lymphatic drainage in osteopathic treatment. Yes, of course, bio-mechanics, alignment, joint range of motion are also all important, yet the treatment and principles taught by Wernham always placed great emphasis on lymphatic drainage, from the lower extremities (calf pump) to the diaphragm (cysterna cylii) and finally the clavicles and return to the superior vena cava, via the thoracic ducts. (Littlejohn, whilst a brilliant physiologist, was also an anatomist, and made a life long study of these disciplines, which were still in their infancy at the beginning of the twentieth century).
For more around this you could look at see:
http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/history.html
So interesting how modern research and observation, bears out Osteopathic knowledge over a century old. The more of this the better.
In summary (for I have gone far beyond "Why Ice is bad') it begs the question, so how then should we treat injuries? Elevation may still be good (effective elevation needs to raise the injured area above the level of the heart, for optimal drainage. Easy for an arm, less so for a leg.)
Well, just to be practical (for patients and clinicians) I've always found a combination of acupuncture and gentle osteopathy to be excellent, and bring good results, both in the short and long term. And the reasons why, are easy to see, if we think of this basic physiology, and the cellular and inflammatory processes underpinning it. Research and Evidenced based medicine are helpful here, as it will give us much greater understanding of what is most effective.
For more on this you might want to see:
http://www.christchurch-osteopathy-acupuncture.co.nz/osteopathy/sportsInjuries.html
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