Physiotherapists in Maidstone treat many different conditions including the issues profiled below.

Disc Pain

It is not possible to diagnose discogenic pain by clinical examination of a patient as there are no specific examination techniques for this condition. Various physiotherapy techniques, such as testing centralisation and peripheralisation, show some connections with having disc-related problems, but do not go as far as to solidly diagnose disc pain. The accepted way of diagnosing this type of problem is to attack the disc itself with techniques such as discography. Discography involves inserting a needle right into the disc and injecting a contrast material which will show up on x-ray examination. The most important point is that the test is only positive if it brings on the typical pain the patient is normally complaining of.

The injected material allows the shape of the nucleus to be seen inside the disc and whether there any problems with it. The discs nearby are also tested and they should be negative if there is to be sufficient confidence in the findings from the symptomatic disc. Internal disc disruption (IDD) is quoted as the underlying pathology responsible for lumbar pain of disc origin, where the internal structure of the disc is altered by fissures occurring radially from the centre towards the outside.

Stress and Neck Pain

Neck pain causes problems in life, reducing our ability to do things, interrupting comfortable postures and interfering with our concentration. This causes stress and anxiety , a very typical response, and which can increase muscle tension and increase pain. The tension caused by stresses can increase the contraction levels in neck muscles and this spasm contributes towards muscle pain in all the overactive muscles. Figuring out what the stresses are and taking action to reduce them at this stage is very important and may help recovery. Mindfulness, controlled breathing and relaxation techniques may all be useful.

Mindfulness is a technique of placing yourself in the here and now with yourself and not judging yourself and the situation you are in, you just accept and experience it. Relaxation techniques are often practised lying down with a pillow under the knees to relax the low back area. Contracting each set of muscles from the feet up and then letting them go will provide a relaxation, with a guide from a relaxation CD or tape a useful adjunct. Controlled breathing by allowing the abdomen to rise as the diaphragm is used to inhale air in a slow rhythm can also be very relaxing.