Abingdon Chiropractic Clinic News Page

March 2008 Laura is undergoing specialist training in the rehabilitation of shoulder problems. She is doing this with the Niel-Asher Institute, and is learning rehabilitative techniques that seem to have remarkable efficacy.

February 2008 Anne Marie is studying sacro-occipital technique (SOT) and learning how to effectively improve the function of the cranio-sacral complex to improve the nutrition and function of the nervous system as a whole. This technique incorporates a significant amount of cranial manipulation. SOT is well known for its use of 'low-force' technique that can make it particularly helpful for an unstable pelvis.

October 2007 Spine journal publishes study looking at the safety of chiropractic neck manipulation. This was a huge study, collecting data from 19,722 patients. It concludes:'...the risk of a serious adverse event...was low to very low'. Good news indeed, and contradicts some unscientific alarmist reports by some.

18 Sept 2007 Andrew is attempting to create an e-newsletter service using the aweber 'opt-in' process. In contacting patients via email, a rather terse message was sent using surnames only and referred to 'information requested'. This was an error and follow-up emails clarifying the situation were sent. If you received one of those initial emails, again, many apologies. We do try to be nice most of the time, honest! Your contact information is, of course, never shared with another party. The follow up email is as follows:

In attempt to be 'green' and avoid printing lots of newsletters on paper, I am attempting to set up an e-newsletter for Abingdon Chiropractic Clinic. This is to be an 'opt in' newsletter so that we do not keep sending emails to people who do not wish to receive them.

You will probably have received by now an email earler today from my aweber service. Unfortunately the wording of the email referred to 'information that you have requested'. You have not requested any information of course, and I apologise for this. Furthermore, surnames were used in the salutation instead of first names, which made the message rather terse. Again, my apologies for this.

The aim of the message is simply to give you the opportunity to receive e-newsletters from us. We will, of course, never pass your information on to a third party.

If you would like to receive communication from us via email, simply click on the link in the previous email. If not, simply ignore both emails.

June 2006 Andrew went on a course at the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre, Warneford Hospital, Oxford,(www.octc.co.uk) about 'Socratic Questioning' (SQ). SQ is the cornerstone of Cognitive Behavioural Technique (CBT) which Andrew does try to integrate into his chiropractic practice, where appropriate, in order to help patients address emotional issues that may have a bearing upon their quality of life. Here is his summary of the day: 'I attended the ‘Socratic Questioning for Dummies’ workshop at the Warneford Hospital in June 2006. I had completed the introductory course for CBT in 2004. Socratic Questioning is the cornerstone of CBT and I felt that brushing up my questioning technique would be no bad thing. Apparently detective Frank Columbo was the inspiration to Aaron Beck who was the founder of CBT. I have resolved to watch some of those old movies again!The course reminded me not to try and achieve too much too quickly when addressing psycho-social issues, and that I should be open and not leap to my own version of the patients story too quickly. Additionally summarising the patients story reasonably frequently helps both patient and practitioner maintain a clarity of the evolving story'.

June 2006 Anne Marie went on a further acupuncture training course at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic. Here is her summary of the course: 'The course was hosted and taught by Dr. John Reynolds, a consultant rheumatologist who has been both teaching and using acupuncture in his practice for over 25yrs. It is believed that it was used in China even in the year 3000 BC. Dr. Reynolds spent the morning talking about the type of patients he uses it on and why, went through the contraindications of using acupuncture and also the health and safety implications of working with sterile needles. The practical side of the course was brilliant and beautifully executed, there are only 19-21 people allowed to attend these courses due to intensity and better teacher- student interaction. Dr. Reynolds wife Sue, another experienced acupuncturist, was at hand at the practical classes and proved an invaluable asset to all of us, answering queries and putting us through our paces in regards to technique. All of the upper and lower limb was covered from frozen shoulders down to gouty toes, and Dr, Reynolds successfully managed to implement both the traditional acupuncture points in the body e.g. the bladder 3 (web of the big toe) as well as the more conventional muscle trigger points e.g. tightness in the upper shoulder muscles. As well as teaching a fantastic module on acupuncture and dry needling, Dr. Reynolds and Sue shared with us valuable information, that could only come from time and experience, about using acupuncture on patients on a clinical and day to day basis. This weekend course made me more aware of the different ailments and pain can be treated with acupuncture and dry needling, and in some cases have excellent results eg sciatica, H/A's, chronic asthma and sinus problems.

June 2006 The British Medical Journal published a review by Koes, van Tulder and Thomas of the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain. These authors are well known in the field of back pain research and their opinion is well respected. One of the recommendations given for acute (recent onset) low back pain was that manipulation should be considered as a treatment for pain relief. Manipulation should also be considered for chronic low back pain. This opinion validates the position taken by the chiropractic profession that manipulation is an appropriate treatment for patients with back pain. This well researched paper contrasts starkly with the article by Ernst in the JRSM (below). Because it was good news and non-sensationalist, it received no publicity either!

Chiropractors nationally were very disappointed that this article appeared, and also that it received so much publicity. There are just 16 studies examined and the authors have selected negative articles in support of their conclusions when national clinical practice guidelines, based on much more and better research than the studies this article has selected, has come to exactly the opposite conclusion. The usefulness of manipulation is that it can be added, substituted or modified as part of a package of care that provides management, pain control and advice. Recent clinical trials funded by the Medical Research Council (UK BEAM 2004) and published in the British Medical Journal, show that manipulation is effective and cost-effective within such a package for back pain. The BEAM trial is new research, and makes for much more relevant reading. The British Chiropractic Association gives a very succinct reply to the JRSM article. Our advice? Ignore the JRSM article!

Anne Marie Leddy is the latest recruit to the clinic. She replaces Finn O'Brien who leaves at the end of March. Anne Marie is shadowing Finn during March in order to meet current patients. Anne Marie trained at the Welsh Institute in Glamorgan, and was in the same year group as Finn. She has been working in Northern Ireland since graduation. Find out more about Anne Marie here.

Clinic Newsletter Summer 2007

Clinic Newsletter Autumn 2005 Clinic Newsletter Autumn 2003

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