Osteopath Covent Garden

Osteopaths at Osteopath Covent Garden see patients with many different conditions, two of the more common complaints are discussed below

Sciatica

Sciatica is caused by damage to one or more intervertebral discs which bulge causing compression of the sciatic nerve. This compression sends pain shooting down the leg on one side of the body, even as far as the foot. If, in the worst case, one of the nerve roots is irritated the condition can cause extreme pain, numbness and loss of muscle control. A damaged nerve root can take many weeks or even months to recover and, even then, residual numbness may take as long as a year or more to fully subside. Osteopaths treating sciatica will use very gentle techniques to address the bulging disc without irritating the nerve root. Experienced professionals will try to relieve any pressure on the root of the nerve, however this is an extremely delicate procedure as the treatment may risk exacerbating the underlying problem.

Spitting up

Spitting-up is a fairly common condition for babies during their first 6-12 months. Milk or food is reguritated fairly gently by the child in an involuntary fashion; by contrast vomiting is a more violent expulsion of food or liquid. The medical term is "gastroesophageal reflux". The most common cause of this reflux is the relatively small size of the baby's stomach relative to the amount of milk drunk or food ingested and is exacerbated if the baby takes in too much air whilst feeding. Osteopaths recommend to try to slow feeding and to hold the baby upright whilst drinking and for as long as possible - at least a quarter of an hour - after feeds. Osteopaths frequently treat this condition which can be helped by gentle massage of the stomach and release of tension in the soft tissues around the blood vessels feeding the liver, lungs , diaphragm and the small intestine. In addition the release of tension around the umbilical scar has been found beneficial in treating spitting up.