tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183363482011-04-21T23:38:14.726+01:00This weblog covers my interest in massage, reflexology and Neuroskeletal realignment. I am a practising therapist in Essex, UK and this weblog reflects my interests in these subjects.Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comBlogger2151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-32784372767188340422007-06-11T18:57:00.000+01:002007-06-11T18:57:53.713+01:00

BBC NEWS | Health | Yoga tested as back pain therapyThis is a very welcome study as it's good to see any complemetary therapies being tested in the way.I hope and expect that it will have positive results but I'm also a little concerned because I've had some clients who have found they have actually made thier backs worse doing Yoga. I think that as wirh most things you need to have a very good

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-46325456760401400432007-05-27T10:54:00.000+01:002007-05-27T10:54:53.032+01:00

Rolfing goes mainstreamRolfing is something you can get in this country too but you may have to search a bit for a practitioner.From what I've read it addresses very similar problems as the Neuroskeletal Realignment which I practice but the pressure is more direct and often painful while NSRT is remarkably gentle.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-60694034023025153752007-05-19T10:40:00.000+01:002007-05-19T10:40:37.689+01:00

World Lupus Day 2007Lupus can be difficult to diagnose as the symptoms are oftensimilar to other arthritis conditions. Therefore although I'm a little late for World Lupus day I still think it's worth posting this link.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-18562739477236030582007-05-04T18:26:00.000+01:002007-05-04T18:26:00.228+01:00

I've just completed my First Aid at Work requalification course and it reminded me of how passionate I am about First Aid training. I think it should be taught in all of our schools as part of the core curriculum and that everybody should know the basics of what to do in an emergency.I'm going to do my bit here by linking to the St Johns Ambulance website and suggesting that you read over these

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-85884746646318370302007-05-04T18:16:00.000+01:002007-05-04T18:16:20.610+01:00

New treatment for osteoporosis - Independent Online Edition > Health MedicalWoo Hoo! this is good news for us women of a certain age.Osteoporosis is such a threat to the wellbeing and happiness of older women that anything which can help to prevent it is welcome.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-56617695899320824412007-04-28T13:13:00.000+01:002007-04-28T13:13:18.974+01:00

What Arthritis Patients Should Know About OsteoporosisI hadn't realised that people with rheumatic conditions were more likely to get osteoporosis. This means that it's even more important for them to make sure they eat a good diet and do weight bearing exercise.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-67852825449119625342007-04-02T20:09:00.000+01:002007-04-02T20:09:23.220+01:00

futureLMT.com NewsletterUseful online massage magazine for students.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-27291162528065224772007-04-02T20:06:00.000+01:002007-04-02T20:06:27.948+01:00

Natural Holistic Health Blog � Blog Archive � Sciatica and Piriformis Muscle SyndromeI've found that Neuro-skeletal Realignment therapy and massage can help with most sciatica pain especially as in most cases the piriformis muscle is the main problem.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-88664897937882089032007-04-02T20:02:00.000+01:002007-04-02T20:02:39.402+01:00

Arthritis Pain Tied to EmotionsThis article is about a small research project which may provide a possible reason why relaxation techniques are so effective at relieving arthritic pain.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-58869283810128103982007-03-27T19:35:00.000+01:002007-03-27T19:35:25.049+01:00

This is a heartwarming story of a young girl who avoided surgery and who cured herself with exercise and other non-invasive treatments. She's gone on to set up a clinic to teach other people who suffer from Scoliosis the same methods.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-5705747793342405442007-03-27T19:17:00.000+01:002007-03-27T19:17:48.330+01:00

This is a very useful site about arthritis, the current article is giving information about Fibromyalgia which is a pain syndrome that can be very difficulkt to treat.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-34872351177013726832007-03-10T22:57:00.000Z2007-03-10T22:57:51.333Z

I've worked with at least one client who seemed to be addicted to painkillers and while it's not that common I think this is a very useful article to alert people to the possible dangers.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-38373548868813819502007-03-10T22:42:00.000Z2007-03-10T22:42:41.816Z

Interesting article about obesity, while nobody would claim that being overweight is good for you it does seem that the health problems of being obese may be less extreme that we thought and the causes of obesity may be more complex that just people eating more and exercising less.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-73771571051858534022007-02-28T19:11:00.000Z2007-02-28T19:11:28.696Z

Nothing very startling here but this article does give some good information about how joints change with age and some tips about minimising joint problems.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-54598949977669904242007-02-28T19:05:00.000Z2007-02-28T19:05:02.865Z

Nice article which outlines some of the health benefits of having a regular massage. It's good to see such positive coverage in the media for this therapy.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-11542902064617295382007-02-28T19:01:00.000Z2007-02-28T19:01:52.592Z

This study done with 318 people results showed that taking Glucosamine sulfate was more effective than either a placebo or taking painkillers for reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee.It is importnat to take the glucosimine at the correct strength (1,500mg daily) as a lower dose won't have the same effect.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-40743969602835582782007-02-25T19:14:00.000Z2007-02-25T19:14:15.480Z

I do suffer from knee problems and I'd like to try these shoes but the price has put me off so far. I'd love to hear from anyone else who has tried them if the expreriences are good or bad.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-35059619646564744042007-02-25T19:06:00.000Z2007-02-25T19:06:44.436Z

I see many patients with chronic back pain as this is an area I specialise in. I find that most are helped by a combination of Neuroskeletal Re-alignment and remedial massage but the most successful are people who are also prepared to help themselves by amending thie posture and doing soem exercises to promote the flexibility and stability of their back muscles.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1171197075613126752007-02-11T12:31:00.000Z2007-02-11T12:31:15.613Z

This article is about acupuncture and how it helped this person out of back pain.It's good to see that complemetary therapies are starting to gain popularity for this sort of chronic condition as I know that such therapies can bring relief when conventional mediciece fails.My own therapy is Neuroskeletal Re-alignment but there isn't any one therapy which will work for everyone so people need to

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1171196725102454312007-02-11T12:25:00.000Z2007-02-11T12:25:25.116Z

This isn't news to me but may be to other people, I find that shoulder bags are the very worst culprits and are oftern implicated in severe shoulder pain in my female clients. I myself was misdiagniosed with Carpel Tunnel in my right hand some years ago. I didn't believe that carpel tunnel was the cause of the numbness I was getting in my fingers and stopped using the heavy shoulder bag I'd

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1171195762817640902007-02-11T12:09:00.000Z2007-02-11T12:09:22.816Z

Some useful links about exercise and it's effect on the progression of knee arthritis. This study suggests that exericise won't effect the arthritis either way but will be beneficial for the whole body. There is also a link which suggests exercises which are beneficial for arthritis sufferers.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1171195486163282722007-02-11T12:04:00.000Z2007-02-11T12:04:46.306Z

I found most of these tips fairly obvious but even if there may be one simple little thing that can help you it's worth looking the list over.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1170267911855233272007-01-31T18:25:00.000Z2007-01-31T18:25:11.856Z

This article is very pro-Homeopathy and calls for more open mindedness in the NHS for using homeopathic remadies alongside more conventional treatment.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1170267545470778912007-01-31T18:19:00.000Z2007-01-31T18:19:05.553Z

I've not come across elderberry extract before but this looks like an interesting study of it's effects on recovery of people having flu. The sample size was fairly small but the study was done as a double blind and the figures are impressive.s

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1169584043005422452007-01-23T20:27:00.000Z2007-01-23T20:27:23.020Z

This is quite specific so it may not be of interest to most people but it is a very detailed guide to the correct strokes to be used when swimming to avoid shoulder pain.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1169583269634471812007-01-23T20:14:00.000Z2007-01-23T20:14:29.726Z

Okay, time for a little rant.These doctors admit that the outcome of surgery for sciatica due to herniated discs is only slightly better than non-surgical treatment. Yet they are still saying that surgery is the preferred option for some case. I would have thought that cutting somebody open would be the absolute last resort; expecially if there are less invasive methods which can give results

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1169552625462369552007-01-23T11:43:00.000Z2007-01-23T11:43:45.533Z

For purses here read handbag or shoulderbag in the UK. I feel quite strongly about this as I did a lot of damage to my own shoulder carrying a heavy shoulder bag on one shoulder for many years. I now find together with heavy computer use it's one of the more common reasons for severe shoulder pain with my clients.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1168734198558512582007-01-14T00:23:00.000Z2007-01-14T00:23:18.650Z

This is a bit basic but it does suggest a few simple stretches which may help to prevent postural problems.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1168171289376759922007-01-07T12:01:00.000Z2007-01-07T12:01:29.393Z

It's good to see hospitals starting to use some of the relaxation techniques that have been common on complementary therapy for years.As an aside, sometimes people ask me how I know that the relief people who visit me get is as a result of the therapy and isn't the placebo effect.Firstly I've seen the techniques work on animals who probably don't know about the placebo effect.However the main

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1168170558360880242007-01-07T11:49:00.000Z2007-01-07T11:49:18.456Z

This article was written several years ago but the problem of children carrying heavy backbacks is still as freash as ever.The advice to paarents in the article are mostly common sense but it's worth a look as a reminder.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1167386392064524772006-12-29T09:59:00.000Z2006-12-29T09:59:52.080Z

Interesting article about using a technique called diaphragmatic breathing to help with back pain. The technique helps our body produce endorphins and therefore reduces the need to take painkillers.Given that shallow breathing stresses the Scalenes I wonder if diaphragmatic breathing could also be helpful with neck and shoulder pain. I'm going to refer some of my clients to this page and see if

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1167385765225100772006-12-29T09:49:00.000Z2006-12-29T09:49:25.286Z

Short article from the 'About Arthritis' site. Raynaud's disease most commonly causes whitening, numbness and pain in the tips of the fingers.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1167214373177206972006-12-27T10:12:00.000Z2006-12-27T10:12:53.176Z

Excellent news for older women. New studies now suggest that drugs which prevent osteoporosis may continue to work for yesrs after you stop taking them.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1167214185680389432006-12-27T10:09:00.000Z2006-12-27T10:09:45.736Z

A study looking at the effects of belief on placebo medication. The number of people in the study were small which needs to be kept in mind but the results are interesting.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1166724176637327152006-12-21T18:02:00.000Z2006-12-21T18:02:58.373Z

This article is about Professor Edzard Ernst whio is one of a small number of specialists within the orthdox mainstream medical world who are very vocal in condemning all alternative/complementary therapies out of hand.The vitriolic and violent nature of their language certainly doesn't suggest the reasonable rational man of science but one might suspect this is the response of somebody who feels

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1166694813134973652006-12-21T09:53:00.000Z2006-12-21T09:53:33.226Z

Well I enjoyed putting up the recent articles about the health benefits of chocolate but in the interests of balance I really felt that I should put this one up too.It points out quite rightly that the studies were all small and mostly were using specially formulated chocolate bars rather than the stuff you can buy in the local shop.I still think that a small amount (small being the operative

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1166468576199552162006-12-18T19:02:00.000Z2006-12-18T19:02:56.293Z

Interesting article about the effects of weather on artritis pain.The studis mentioned were quite small but it does seem that low pressure and high humidity tend to increase arthritic pain while high pressure and low humidity decrease it.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1166009342267893482006-12-13T11:29:00.000Z2006-12-13T11:29:02.266Z

Dr Gross offers an openminded and sensible approach to working with your back pain. This article is especially interesting as it's written by a medical practitioner who is also a long term sufferer of back pain.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1166008889508296152006-12-13T11:21:00.000Z2006-12-13T11:21:29.693Z

This study was done with a group of 68 people with arthritis pain in the knee. They showed significant improvement after 8 weeks of massage and the benefits lasted for 2 months after the massages stopped.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165758001561817032006-12-10T13:40:00.000Z2006-12-10T13:40:01.616Z

Interesting article about a new scan for intenal body fat located around the internal organs. I already knew that BMI was quite a crude measure of fat but I didn't realise that an apparently thin person could have as much as 7 litres of bad fat around the organs.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165675726401881242006-12-09T14:48:00.000Z2006-12-09T14:48:46.480Z

Earlier in the week I said I'd give you feedback on the course I just attended. The course was with Jing and was the 3 day Foundation in Holistic Medical Massage.The course was great fun and wonderful value for money as I learned so many new techniques. The best thing is that they teach you practical techniques which you can incorporate into your existing massage routines and they teach you to

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165665906578881302006-12-09T12:05:00.000Z2006-12-09T12:05:06.650Z

Interesting article about a pain management centre in the USA. It's good to see that they are looking at the clinical outcome that each patient wants and are therefore treating them in a more holistic way. It's also particularly good to see less relience on painkiling drugs and more new approches being tested.However it does seem a shame that no bodywork is mentioned in connextion with the range

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165323822139669682006-12-05T13:03:00.000Z2006-12-05T13:03:42.140Z

I won't be posting for a few days as I'm off to do a 3 day course on Holistic Medical massage where I hope to learn and practice lots of advanced massage techniques.I'll tell you about the course when I get back but in the meantime take a look at this weblog, it has nothing to do with complementary therapies or health but laughter is good for you and some of these posts are hilarious. The poster

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165323382549607702006-12-05T12:56:00.000Z2006-12-05T12:56:22.550Z

Good little article with about half a dozen exercises which work of the core postural muscles.I often recommend Pilates classes to clients who have back pain and I might point them in the direction of an set of exercises like this but if they can afford the cost it's better to go to classes where a skilled tutor can help you get the exercixes exactly right.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165322997619681022006-12-05T12:49:00.000Z2006-12-05T12:50:00.316Z

The 'About Arthritis' site is always very useful and this is a good enrty article defining what arthritis is and what rheumatism and rheumatic disease are.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165058979423797142006-12-02T11:29:00.000Z2006-12-02T11:29:39.446Z

This is such a happy coincidence, I just wrote a blog mentioning that I was hoping to learn more about this subject at the training course I'm attending next week.Then I come across this excellent post describing Facial release and it's benefits for repetative strain injury, serendipity at work and I hope a good omen for next week

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165057979068880682006-12-02T11:12:00.000Z2006-12-02T11:12:59.080Z

A facinating article about Dr Helene Langevin who is doing research into acupuncture and the way it works. I found the most interesting point was the interaction she has found that acupuncture has with the comnnective tissue. The effects of connective tissue on pain is usually ignored by both mainstream and complementary therapies but it may actually be a key part of relieving and managing

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165057172164040982006-12-02T10:59:00.000Z2006-12-02T10:59:32.163Z

Interesting article about massage and energy healing treatment working with dogs. I've dome a little work with Neuroskeletal realignment on dogs with arthritis and it did seem to have some effect.At least people won't be able to blame the placebo effect if these therapies work so well with animals.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1165056734284850542006-12-02T10:52:00.000Z2006-12-02T10:52:14.346Z

This is a report on some research that suggests that tissue injury is the cause of Carpel Tunnel Injury. However the numbers included in the study are very small so I think the results should be treated with caution.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1164656243202945552006-11-27T19:37:00.000Z2006-11-27T19:37:23.223Z

Some useful advice on exercise and diet to help prevent osteoporosis as you reach and pass through the menopause.It's important fro younger people as they can do the most to help themselves in later life and although the problem is more common in women it does affect men too.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1164655335509781472006-11-27T19:22:00.000Z2006-11-27T19:22:15.580Z

Every month this excellent resource produce an extensive directory of websites and databases on a designated Hot Topic, this month the hot topic is diabetes and it's well worth a look.This will be useful for health professionals, therapists who may treat people with diabetes and sufferers themselves and all the resources listed will be reliable and up to date.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1164238172788080842006-11-22T23:29:00.000Z2006-11-22T23:29:32.840Z

Very interesting results from the US survey about treatment for Sciatica, it seems that the results for people who had surgery was only a little better than those who had non-surgical treatment.I'm particularly interested in this as Sciatica and herniated disc problems are one of the conditions which Neuroskeletal Realignment are very good at helping. NSRT is a very gentle therapy and therefore

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1164064664546958092006-11-20T23:17:00.000Z2006-11-20T23:17:44.630Z

I've been adding pages on specific physical problems to my website and the latest one is on Menopausal Symptoms. Each page includes a brief description of the condition and it's symptoms, conventional medical treatments and complementary therapies and links to other usefuls sites on the subject for further research.There are a number of supplements and herbal remedies which can provide relief as

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1164052197764713462006-11-20T19:49:00.000Z2006-11-20T19:49:57.790Z

I've recently been adding some new information pages to my website covering various specific ailments; each one gives a brief description of the condition with symptoms, conventional treatment options, complementary therapies and then links to some other websites for further information.This one is covering whiplash which is a condition I've treated very successfully with Neuroskeletal

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1164051450272225372006-11-20T19:37:00.000Z2006-11-20T19:37:30.343Z

This is an account of the therapies that Alice Hart-Davis has tried with up to 5 stars given depending on how well each worked for her.Interesting for anyone with a bad back to read but obviously a very personal account, different therapies work for diffectent people.Obviously Neuroskeletal Realignment isn't one of the therapies she has tried but thats no suprise since it's fairly new in this

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1163890939569911352006-11-18T23:02:00.000Z2006-11-18T23:02:19.646Z

This article was published back in July, I only just came across it but I think it's still very useful. It's good to see both sides of the issue addressed and the article also offers a couple of very useful websites for follow up.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1163847264354168202006-11-18T10:54:00.000Z2006-11-18T10:54:24.356Z

At last somebody has done a study of the effect of firm or medium firm mattresses on chronic lower back pain.As might be expected from a knowledge of anatomy the medium firm users showed a higher improvement in back pain that the firm mattress users. Having said this a very soft or old sagging mattress is going to be far worse for you. It's a shame that a memory foam mattress wasn't included in

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1163846701854546332006-11-18T10:45:00.000Z2006-11-18T10:45:01.926Z

Brief article about three of the herbal remedies which have been found effective in relieving back pain.These may well be worth a try but do check with your doctor first and I'd also do some reseach myself to make sure they don't interact with any other medicienes I was taking.Although I'm very much in favour of complementary therapies I do worry that some people equate natural or herbal with

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1163798104450656952006-11-17T21:15:00.000Z2006-11-17T21:15:04.526Z

I really, really, REALLY liked this article. It apprears that there is a chemical in chocolate that works like asprin to reduce blood clotting and therefore heart attacks.The article does go on to explain that dark chocolate is best as that contacins nore of the cocoa mass and less added fat and sugar. The shocking statistic is that people who eat a small amount of dark chocolate every day can

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1163615997762777672006-11-15T18:39:00.000Z2006-11-15T18:39:57.843Z

This is a page with health questions answered, my particular interest was the 2nd question about back pain. I do a lot of work with clients who have back pain so I'm always on the lookout for other therapies that can help, I wouldn't argue with any of the suggestions and I also wasn't suprised that Neuroskeletal Realignment wasn't included as it's quite new in this country and therefore not very

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1163334046424335962006-11-12T12:20:00.000Z2006-11-12T12:20:46.436Z

This is a somewhat obvious piece of research but it's still good to get scientific backing for massage as a good way to help babies sleep.Neuroskeletal Realignment which I practice is also very helpful for newborn babies who are distressed and who are sleeping badly. This is sometimes caused by birth trauma making the neck misaligned and as little as one or two sessions of Neuroskeletal

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1163333293171474882006-11-12T12:08:00.000Z2006-11-12T12:08:13.323Z

There has been quite a buzz in the news recently about the ability of tumeric to help with arthritis and osteoporosis.This is one of the better articles I found on the subject.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1163102228117060832006-11-09T19:57:00.000Z2006-11-09T19:57:08.196Z

This is not exactly on topic for reflexologist or massage therapist but I found this article facinating so I wanted to share it.Brian Wansink at Cornell University does reseach on the hidden factors that prompt you to eat more, for example giving people soup in a magic bowl that never empties to see just how much they will eat before they stop.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1163007769046266422006-11-08T17:42:00.000Z2006-11-08T17:42:49.113Z

This interesting and somewhat scary story from a therapist underlines how important it is to tell your therapist about any medical conditions you have, this will protect both f you from this sort of situation.I'd also say that as a therapist in the UK I'm horrified when people who have had massages with other therapists express suprise that I spend time taking a medical history and assessing

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1162926784722138272006-11-07T19:13:00.000Z2006-11-07T19:13:04.896Z

Interesting article on arthritis and what kinds of exercise are best for helping. I've worked with people who have osteoarthritis and one of the nice thngs is that neuro-skeletal re-alignment is so gentle and effective with this condition. It doesn't cure the condition of course but does provide enough pain relief to allow people to start this sort of exercise.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1162847287008479152006-11-06T21:08:00.000Z2006-11-06T21:08:07.130Z

Nobody ever died of thrush but as any woman who ever had thrush will tell you it's itchy, sore and it can make life feel very hard.I know this NHS site is called best treatments but I was disappointed that they didn't cover any preventive measures.The ones I found helped in order of importance: - Wearing cotton knickers and hand washing them in mild soap instead of detergent - Not wearing tights

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1162804310670364572006-11-06T09:11:00.000Z2006-11-06T09:11:50.766Z

Interesting article about a study done about public awareness of painkillers. I'd approach the results with care as it was commissioned by Panadol but the main finding reported is scary and very believable.I'd have found it useful if the article had included more information about the different painkillers, how they work, what each is best for and any interactions you should be aware of.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1162746963757906912006-11-05T17:16:00.000Z2006-11-05T17:16:03.756Z

Nice to see a personal account of why somebody decided to practice Reiki, I was particularly interested that offering pain relief to a loved one was this lady's motivation.I'm a level one Reiki, I never bothered going for any higher levels as this works for me, I don't offer Reiki by itself as a therapy but the healing happens automatically when I'm doing Reflexology, Massage or Neuroskeletal

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1162746541635366312006-11-05T17:09:00.000Z2006-11-05T17:09:01.743Z

Interesting little article about orthotics (usually in the form of shoe inserts), these are sometimes specially made for an individual by a specialist but many are bought over the counter and can still be helpful.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1162575704657038402006-11-03T17:41:00.000Z2006-11-03T17:41:44.840Z

It's interesting to see an article written by a sufferer and from their point of view instead of from the point of view of the health professional.This is good little article that explains Spondylolisthesis in an accessible way.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1162238077815881882006-10-30T19:54:00.000Z2006-10-30T19:54:37.883Z

I found this newly published report about people who search on the Internet for Health information facinating. It's about the US but I would think that similar trends would be true of the UK so it's still relevant.It tells us that 80% of internet users search online for health information and half of these were looking for information for a friend of relative.More worrying 75% of these people

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1162076914543522312006-10-29T00:08:00.000+01:002006-10-29T00:08:34.570+01:00

Facinating article about pharmacuitical funding for patients rights groups in the US. This is less likely to be a problem in the UK as we are too small as a market to attract the big pharmacutical companies.Of course we may also worry that patient groups may be less likely to give information about complementary therapies if they are being funded by the pharmacutical companies.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1162030273229504442006-10-28T11:11:00.000+01:002006-10-28T11:11:13.310+01:00

This is a series of 6 lectures for the general public gven by leading medical men in the various fields. They are sponsered by the National Institutes of Health from the USA.The lectures can me viewed at this site if you have Realplayer on your machine and the subject aread covered are:- Preventing Heart Disease- Updated Strokes- Tuberculosis in the 21st Century- Obesity- AIDS after 25 years-

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161969343645641352006-10-27T18:15:00.000+01:002006-10-27T18:15:44.026+01:00

Apparently it's National save your back week in the USA, I'm not sure I want to import the concept but I do like the tips included in the article.As both Neuroskeletal Realignment and Massage are helpful for chronic and acute back pain I treat a lot of people with this problem. Unlike the article I find that women suffer from back pain just as much as men but the advice is generally good.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161902877243732822006-10-26T23:47:00.000+01:002006-10-26T23:47:57.356+01:00

Fascinating study done on rats which suggests that fasting after a spinal injury can improve recovery.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161794281601818152006-10-25T17:38:00.000+01:002006-10-25T17:38:01.666+01:00

I treat a lot of people who have back pain and once we have their pain under control I tend to recommend they try pilates classes to strenghen their core muscles.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161714735553133382006-10-24T19:32:00.000+01:002006-10-24T19:32:15.643+01:00

A sad survey which I suspect may be only too true. Those of us in the complementary therapy field know that our therapies are often helpful for chronic pain conditions. Unfortunately elderly people cannot afford always afford to pay for this type of help.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161627705887067782006-10-23T19:21:00.000+01:002006-10-23T19:21:48.943+01:00

In this article a doctor from the Miami Medical School answers some questions about complementaty therapies they are looking at providing for patients.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161588074242357682006-10-23T08:21:00.000+01:002006-10-23T08:21:14.303+01:00

This article by a doctor goes through the medications available for treating and for preventing Osteoporosis.It covers only the pharmacuticals and doesn't touch on exercise, diet, herbs or complementary therapies but it does give the benefits and side effects of each drug.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161516899461362202006-10-22T12:34:00.000+01:002006-10-22T12:34:59.510+01:00

Sea buckthorn from India may be the next big thing in health drinks, the juice is known to lower cholesterol but it's been hard to extract it. These researchers have found a new method which works.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161423417559193342006-10-21T10:36:00.000+01:002006-10-21T10:36:57.900+01:00

Interesting study that lack of sleep is linked to obesity in children, of course there are laos the other twin evils of excess junk food and lack of exercise. I think the 3 probably go hand in hand to creat a vicious circle.In my opinion another factor which is often ignored is the over anxious paranting that is fueled by scare stories from the tabloids, we used to play out in the streets, run

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161422478525097672006-10-21T10:21:00.000+01:002006-10-21T10:21:18.526+01:00

I'm interested in Scoliosis as it's one of the conditions for which neuroskeletal realignment can offer huge pain relief benefits. It's good also to suggest self help techniques like Yoga classees so they can help to maintain the benefits longterm themselves.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161422180135696672006-10-21T10:16:00.000+01:002006-10-21T10:16:20.206+01:00

I think it's generally known that fish oils are good for you, this study shows that they have particular benefits for people who suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161387347117965652006-10-21T00:35:00.000+01:002006-10-21T00:35:47.216+01:00

Useful set of web pages with lots of information about Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161215292832093642006-10-19T00:48:00.000+01:002006-10-19T00:48:12.833+01:00

In case you are wondering why there is suddently a flood of articles on Acupuncture I just found this interesting weblog by Vitalis Skiauteris which is all about the subject.This post is about a study done to evaluate the effects of Acupuncture on people with Fibromyalgia. The study was with 50 patients 25 of whom recieved acupuncture and 25 contols. Treated patients reports a decrease in fatigue

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161214825983516502006-10-19T00:40:00.000+01:002006-10-19T00:40:25.983+01:00

This study was published in the BMJ and found that acupuncture was effective in reducing the number of migraines suffered by people who had treatments.This study included 401 people and took place over a one year period.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161214511058230252006-10-19T00:35:00.000+01:002006-10-19T00:35:11.060+01:00

Report of a study that found that accupuncture was effective in reducing hot flushes during menopause. The study was placebo controlled but I'd have liked to know what the sample size was.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161214273333494312006-10-19T00:31:00.000+01:002006-10-19T00:31:13.403+01:00

This is a very good page about managing pain especially for arthritis sufferers. I found a lot of interesting material on the site but parhaps the most immediatly useful link was the one entitled 10 Ways to increase your pain which offered practical tips for arthritis sufferers.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1161109029519000452006-10-17T19:17:00.000+01:002006-10-17T19:17:09.716+01:00

Here's an incentive to try Yoga for any or all of the health benefits discussed in this article.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1160930158335248342006-10-15T17:35:00.000+01:002006-10-15T17:35:58.353+01:00

This is a very interesting study although it was a bit small to be relied on very heavily.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1160929480935493422006-10-15T17:24:00.000+01:002006-10-15T17:24:40.936+01:00

As a woman under 65 I'd rather not have to wait until I've broken 3 bones before I'm prescribed the drug that will help to prevent futher deteriation to my bones.I'm lucky that I don't have osteoporosis and I hope you are too but all the more reason for all women to make a fuss now before you are in plaster and on crutches!

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1160929051848164992006-10-15T17:17:00.000+01:002006-10-15T17:17:31.870+01:00

As a good northern lass I've always known instinctvely that a cup of tea helps you destress, nice to see that the scientists have caught up.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1160927824425732902006-10-15T16:57:00.000+01:002006-10-15T16:57:04.473+01:00

This is a very interesting article for anyone who suffers from insomnia. From the point of view of anyone interested in complementary therapy the article is a mixed blessing. On the one hand it's great to see such a positive message about complementary therapies being used in this way. On the other hand I'm sad that they refer to it as 'alternative medicine' instead of the prefered term of '

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1158922396421643582006-09-22T11:53:00.000+01:002006-09-22T11:53:16.436+01:00

Good news that at least some of the NHS is recognising the benefits of Acupuncture in the treatment of back pain, I'lll keep my fingers crossed that oone day they will do the same with massage and non-manipulative re-alignment therapy.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1158921205931722182006-09-22T11:33:00.000+01:002006-09-22T11:33:26.003+01:00

There are still some arguments about this but the bulk of evidence is that drinking cranberry juice daily can help to prevent bladder infections and may even help to treat them.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1158014880357370102006-09-11T23:48:00.000+01:002006-09-11T23:48:00.403+01:00

When conventional medicine seems to be moving toward a more anti-complementary medicine stance its good to see this success story of a spirital healer working within the NHS.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1158012301530197512006-09-11T23:05:00.000+01:002006-09-11T23:05:01.586+01:00

This is a free publication you can download about treatment options for pain. It's produced by the American Pain Foundation so I'm not sure how many complementary therapies it will cover but it's still useful information for anyone living with chronic pain.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1156756988025457852006-08-28T10:23:00.000+01:002006-08-28T10:23:08.083+01:00

This is a useful introduction to the subject with information about the current level of medical knowledge.I outlines which treatments have been scientifically tested but does metion others. What I find a real shame is that hands on complementary therapies are not mentioned at all.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1155201599716250612006-08-10T10:19:00.000+01:002006-08-10T10:19:59.780+01:00

This is a very useful seris of pages produced by NHS Direct, This one is about Carpel Tunnel syndrome, and covers causes, symptoms, what treatments are available and how successful they are.It is written for the patient and the suggestion is that you can use this page to learn more about your condition and the treatments available and use these pages when talking to your doctor.The only downside

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18336348.post-1155121083724716622006-08-09T11:58:00.000+01:002006-08-09T11:58:03.743+01:00

Probiotics can help prevent IBS especially in elderly people according to experts. I'm not sure if I count as elderly but I'm going to give them a try and see if they help.

Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007993165872045802noreply@blogger.com