Archive for February, 2008

Solihull Osteopaths for Osteopathy Solihull if you want a registered GOsC Osteopath

Solihull Osteopath is preparing to open a new Osteopathic practice in Solihull. Located on the Hall Green / Shirley Border in Birmingham West Midlands, the new Atlas Pain Relief Centre Osteopathy practice will offer both Cranial Osteopathy for infants as well as Structural Osteopathy for musculo-skeletal problems.

Solihull Osteopath John Williams will be joined by an additional female osteopath Shakeela Rashid, a practitioner with 8 years experience. Between them they offer a wealth of experience in treating back pain, sciatica, trapped nerves and neck problems.

Cranial Osteopathy for infants and babies is available from both practitioners. Parents who have infants who are restless with poor sleeping habits, irritable children or infantile colic can visit the clinic for help.

The new clinic is situated on the Robin Hood Island and shares the premises of Atlas Sports Injury Clinic at 1565 Stratford Rd. Both Solihull Back Pain Clinic and Atlas Pain Relief Centre Osteopathy Practice are part of the successful Atlas group of clinics which offer Osteopaths, Physiotherapists, Acupuncture, Podiatry / Chiropody and Sports Injury treatments.

Solihull Osteopaths will now have a new Solihull Back Pain Clinic for Birmingham back pain sufferers and offer a first class facility at their multi-disciplinary clinic.

Free customer parking is available outside the clinic and generous opening hours are available for patients

Visit the website www.solihullbackpainclinic.co.uk or phone 0121 745 8792 for an appointment.

Solihull Osteopath (alternative to Chiropractor) looks at back pain internet searches and what makes you choose between an Osteopath and a Chiropractor for back pain relief.

Solihull Osteopath John Williams is the Clinic Director of Solihull Back Pain Clinic located in Hall Green, Birmingham, West Midlands. John looks at what search terms you may use on the internet when you want back pain relief.

Solihull Back Pain Clinic have a team of back care practitioners who have vast experience in acute and chronic back pain and backache. They do not have Solihull Chiropractors at the clinic but offer Osteopaths, Physiotherapists and Acupuncture as an alternative to Chiropractic treatment. Testimonials can be viewed on the website www.solihullbackpainclinic.co.uk

If you are looking for back pain relief in the Solihull area and search the internet, you may use terms such as Solihull Chiropractor, Solihull Chiropractors or Solihull Chiropractic. Looking further, you might try Birmingham Chiropractic, Birmingham Chiropractors or Birmingham Chiropractor if you specifically wanted a West Midland Chiropractor.

If you want back pain relief you may try Solihull Osteopath, Solihull Osteopaths, Birmingham Osteopath or Birmingham Osteopaths if you wanted a West Midland Osteopath. All of these search terms should gain you access to back care practitioners in your area and you have to decide if its Osteopathy or Chiropractic that you want.

Solihull back pain sufferers can visit Solihull Back Pain Clinic and be assured you will be treated by practitioners with back and neck pain experience. Osteopaths specialise in bones and the spine and if needed can provide spinal manipulations. These Osteopathic techniques should not cause any pain or discomfort during or after treatment. Osteopaths use their keen sense of touch to feel the spine and muscles for misalignment, reduced movement of spinal segments and over-tight muscles.

Back pain can have many causes and an accurate diagnosis is essential. Different practitioners will provide you with a different diagnosis of the same condition which can be frustrating, however a diagnosis is just a personal opinion from the examining practitioner. If you wish, you can get a second opinion from another practitioner or even another profession. After all many of us get 3 quotes before undertaking any work, or compare value before purchasing goods.

.MRI scans of your spine are the Gold standard in scans for low back pain or neck pain and can be arranged without a GP referral from the Solihull Back Pain Clinic. This form of diagnostic tool is generally considered to be an accurate assessment on the structures which have been scanned. Xrays have little value as they only show bone and MRI scans highlight soft tissue injuries such as prolapsed discs, sciatica or nerve root irritation for trapped nerves.

Whatever you decide to do for back pain relief, ensure you ask around and get word of mouth referrals if possible. Look for value for money, not always the cheapest, and use recognised qualified and registered practitioners with back pain experience.

If it´s a multi-disciplinary holistic approach you want then try Solihull Back Pain Clinic at Robin Hood Island, Hall Green, Birmingham.

For a Free Consultation Tel 0121 745 8792 or visit the website www.solihullbackpainclinic.co.uk

Solihull Back Pain sufferer’s have a Birmingham Back Pain Clinic on their doorstep who will treat back pain and neck pain. Solihull Back Pain Clinic based in Hall Green Birmingham is located on the Robin Hood Island, Stratford Rd, Hall Green which is close to the Shirley / Solihull border.

Atlas Pain Relief Centre have set up a back pain clinic to treat low back pain and backache in the Solihull area and a new clinic will see a multi-disciplinary approach to back and neck pain.

Free consultations can be arranged by telephoning 0121 745 8792

Back pain without drugs has to be the way forward and if back pain sufferer’s could access Osteopathy from an Osteopath before visiting the GP then this would not only ease the burden on already overworked GP’s, but allow the patient access to someone who has been highly trained in this area of work.

It is no fault of the GP who has very little time to spend with the patient and has few options of treatment available. Pain killing drugs or anti inflammatory medication is often prescribed to control the symptoms of pain, but little is done to treat the cause of the problem. This often results in frequent return visits to the GP if the condition persists and wasted time of both patient and Doctor before a referral to either Physiotherapy or a Consultant is arranged.

We do not have to have a crystal ball to realize that nobody wins in these situations. Patients are in discomfort for longer than necessary and Doctors keep seeing the same patient with the same condition over and over again, which takes up their valuable time. Drugs are often the limited option available to a GP when confronted with a patient with back pain.

Let’s look at an alternative for the Solihull back pain sufferer. Should they decide to visit the Solihull Back Pain Clinic in Hall Green, Birmingham, they would get a Free Consultation with an Osteopath, Physiotherapist or Acupuncturist all experienced in treating back pain.

Should they decide to undergo treatment, a thorough case history is taken and relevant examinations carried out to determine a working diagnosis of their condition. At this point it may be necessary to refer the patient back to their GP for a second opinion if is felt necessary In most cases this is not necessary and treatment is carried out as per the treatment plan agreed with the patient.

This option is far better than visiting the GP first. Osteopaths can ease the workload on the NHS and GP’s in the area of musculo-skeletal injuries and pain and should be considered as a first point of contact in my opinion. Osteopaths are trained to recognize pathology and serious disease and would refer back to the Doctor anyone who they felt were in this category. Osteopaths could be utilized for working alongside GP’s in an attempt to cut waiting lists and reduce the workload of the GP which would free them up to do what they are best at, which is treating ill patients.

Government targets would be better achieved, waiting lists reduced and patients would be much happier having prompt treatment from well trained professionals who understand back pain.

Many Osteopaths have a good working relationship with the local GP practices and share patients.
This is reflected at Solihull Back Pain Clinic where they treat local GP’s for both back pain and sports injuries.

Visit the back pain website on

www.solihullbackpainclinic.co.uk

Solihull Birmingham Osteopath John Williams looks at back pain and backache and why this is so common in the UK.

Back pain and backache will affect many of us to some extent in our lifetime. Sciatica and trapped nerves are very common symptoms which are very painful and can continue for long periods if not treated correctly.

Muscular back spasms are common when experiencing back pain, as the muscles in the area of the problem tighten up to protect the spine trying to reduce your activity and enforce rest. Muscles are servants of the body and in most cases only contract and tighten when instructed to do so by a nerve impulse. Should you have a back problem, it is common to see the low back muscles in a protective spasm.

Backache is common when poor posture is involved. Spinal ligaments are put on stretch as core stability muscles weaken and fail to hold us erect. The ligaments are easily inflamed when overstressed and pain and discomfort in the form of a low grade backacke follows.

Chair and seat designers are probably at fault many years ago when considering backrests for chairs. If a back rest is available then we will rightly rest our backs against it. Problems occur when over time the postural muscles keeping you erect whilst sitting become unemployed. They become weak with neglect and fail to do the job they were designed to do. This results in a slumped appearance when you see someone sitting on a stool. This is a major problem and has resulted in a nation of low back pain sufferes.

Sciatica or sciatic nerve root irritation is yet another painful condition affecting the common sciatic nerve. Sciatica can be caused by a number of complaints which may include inflammation, disc bulges called herniated or prolapsed dics or arthritic degenerative changes causing compression of the lower lumbar nerve roots.
Sciatic nerve irritation can present with low back, buttock pain or nerve pain which travels down the leg into the foot. An accurate diagnosis should be obtained to establish the cause of the complaint followed by an effective treatment plan to help you recover.

Xrays have little use in diagnosing soft tissue injury and ultrasound or MRI scans are the choice if they can be arranged. Solihull Back Pain Clinic in Hall Green Birmingham, West Midlands are located on the Robin Hood Island, Stratford Rd and they offer pain relief and treatments for all back and neck pain. MRI scans can be arranged within 7 days usually and results normally back 3 days later.

Solihull Osteopath John Williams and his team at Solihull Back Pain Clinic have a lot of experience with acute and chronic back pain and have a lot of success in helping people back to good health.

Testimonials can be viewed on the website www.solihullbackpainclinic.co.uk

If you need help or advice on back pain, email us
or telephone 0121 745 8792

Atlas Sports Injury Clinic Solihull
Find’s permanent home in Hall Green, Birmingham

Located in a group of retail outlets on the Robin Hood Island, Stratford Rd, Hall Green, Birmingham, the new address is Atlas Sports Injury Clinic, 1565 Stratford Rd, Hall Green, Birmingham B28 9JA.

The new telephone number will be 0121 745 8792.

The new Solihull Sports Injury Clinic is situated between the Hall Green / Shirley border and is just a short distance from Solihull town centre. Designated private parking places are available for Atlas Sports Injury customers in front of the clinic and appointments can be arranged by telephoning reception between 9am and 7pm Monday to Thursday and between 9am and 5pm on Fridays. Appointments can also be arranged on Saturday mornings from 9am till 1pm.

The Solihull Sports Injury Clinic has no connection with Blossomfield Rd and is a branch of the Atlas group of clinics which specialise in sports injuries, sports massage and back pain. Clinic Director John Williams and his team of experienced sports physiotherapists, sports podiatrist, sports massage therapists and sports therapists are available to treat all aspects of sporting injuries. The sports injury practitioners have a “fast recovery” reputation as they are all involved in sports themselves and understand the requirements of the athlete.

Running injuries are well catered for as the Solihull Sports Injury Clinic practitioners are all experienced in distance running. Chartered Physiotherapist Richard Mason is a 2 hour 20’s London Marathon runner, Sports Podiatrist Peter Taylor is a 1hour 10min half marathon winner and Sports Physiotherapist and Osteopath John Williams had the fitness to complete full marathons and half marathons in respectable times without any training.

The new Birmingham Sports Injury Clinic in Hall Green will cater for runners and running injuries and have a motorised treadmill with video gait analysis. Full biomechanical evaluations and assessments of the runner’s feet and gait is carried out by a sports podiatrist and Laser Foot Scanning for prescription orthotics can be carried out if you are over pronate when you run. Training advice and tips from the Atlas team are a valuable bonus if you visit the clinic.

Testimonials, information about the practitioners and treatments available can be viewed if you visit the website www.solihullsportsinjuryclinic.co.uk

Solihull back pain clinic for back pain Solihull. Solihull Back Pain sufferers can access treatments for low back pain and back pain from experienced back pain practitioners in Hall Green, Birmingham. The new address will be at 1565 Stratford Rd, Robin Hood Island, Hall green, Birmingham, which is on the Hall green / Shirley border. As an alternative to Chiropractic treatment from Chiropractors, the Atlas Back Pain Relief Clinic offers a specialised blend of osteopathic and physiotherapy techniques which have a synergistic effect on low back pain.

Solihull Back Pain Clinic will be offering Free Consultations
should you wish to obtain advice on back pain or pain relief

Realising that back pain is different in many cases and treatment options need to be varied in order to cater for the individual, the Birmingham based Solihull Back Pain Clinic which is a branch of the Atlas Pain Relief Centre group of clinics has recruited industry respected back pain practitioners from Osteopathy, Physiotherapy, Acupuncture and Podiatry. The clinic offers no Solihull Chiropractors or Solihull Chiropractic treatments from the Hall Green centre.

Solihull Chiropractors offer Chiropractic treatment for back pain should you wish to visit a Birmingham Chiropractor, however if you want an alternative treatment to chiropractors for back pain then the Hall Green back pain clinic may be the answer. Spinal manipulations can be carried out by experienced Osteopaths should it be required and the Physiotherapists all specialise in back pain and musculo-skeletal pain and injuries.

There is much confusion about the differences between Chiropractors and Osteopaths with some people believing they are similar and others who feel they are totally different. Some believe Chiropractors treat the spine and Osteopaths treat muscles which is not accurate. The term “Osteo” refers to bone and Osteopaths are practitioners who specialise in bones. As the spine is a major bony structure that can produce backpain symptoms then Osteopath’s work is mostly involved in treating the spine. Osteopaths are highly trained in spinal manipulations which should not hurt you if performed correctly. Trapped nerves such as sciatica and other nerve pain which may result in pins and needles or altered sensation are all treated by Osteopaths.

Osteopaths also work on muscles, manipulating soft tissue and stretching fascia which can have a dramatic positive effect on patients who are stressed or suffer from tension. If you combine Osteopathy with Physiotherapy treatment you get the best of both professions. Add Acupuncture and Podiatry and you have a more holistic approach to treating pain and providing pain relief.

Atlas Pain Relief Centre provides multi disciplinary practitioners from a variety of professions and they will be offering treatment for back pain, neck pain, stiff neck, sciatica, trapped nerves, twisted pelvis, bulging discs, slipped disc, shoulder pain, knee pain, heel pain, sacroiliac joint pain, leg length differences, scoliosis, subluxed or misaligned vertebrae, muscle twinges and pulled muscles, tendonitis and inflammation.

Other conditions such as Stress, anxiety, fertility problems, hormonal, digestive problems and many others are treated with acupuncture from female acupuncture practitioners. Experienced massage practitioners from sports massage and hot stones massage therapists for therapeutic heat massage will help restore flexibility and vitality into tired aching muscles.

Healthcare is a priority for the Atlas team who are available to help you manage your healthcare problems and offer you a better quality of life. Pain relief is the first step to enjoying life and any opportunity which allows you to reduce pain relief medication has to be a positive approach.

If you live near Birmingham, Solihull, Shirley, Hall Green or in the West Midlands and are in pain or suffer from back or neck pain then visit the website for testimonials.

wwwsolihullbackpainclinic.co.uk

Telephone 0121 745 8792 for Free Consultations

Back pain and back ache are so common that nearly all of us will experience some kind of back related complaint in our lifetime. What causes back pain and what is the best form of treatment for back pain relief. If you visit your GP you may be prescribed pain killing medication in the form of one drug or another. This form of treatment is designed to treat your symptoms of back pain and not the cause. Drugs may have unwanted side effects and perhaps an alternative approach that treats the cause of your back pain is a better solution.

Who treats back pain?

Osteopaths, Chiropractors, Physiotherapists and Acupuncturists all treat back pain as well as Orthopaedic Consultants. The choice is varied and each profession will have a different approach to back pain.

Orthopaedic Consultants may use injections into the spine or facet joints to reduce inflammation and pain. Spinal surgery for disc damage is common when it involves pain from trapped nerves such as sciatica. Surgery may result in tethering of the nerves from scar tissue post operatively and this can lead to a return of your symptoms in some cases. All invasive procedures have a risk involved and should be considered very carefully before you proceed with this option. There is no guarantee of success and some patients may indeed feel worse if the procedure is not successful.

Chiropactic treatment is a choice of some who believe that manipulation is the answer to their problems. Chiropractors believe that the joints in the spine have to be in line in order for the body and its nerves to function correctly. Subluxions or spinal segments that are not in line are supposed to be unhealthy and the chiropractic practitioner will manipulate your spine in an attempt to realign your spine and solve the problem for you. Chiropractors may use diagnostic equipment such as xrays or thermal scanning computer machines to highlight what they feel is your problem. Some scanners are computer generated images which allegedly highlight spinal subluxations, these scanners are unlikely to be used by other professions such as osteopaths, phyiotherapists and orthopaedic consultants.

Manipulation of the neck is potentially dangerous and have resulted in strokes, although this is relatively rare, this procedure once again should be carefully considered before giving your permission for a neck manipulation. Your practitioner should inform you of any intent to manipulate your neck and explain the risks involved before you consent to this treatment. Manipulation of upper cervical structures is highly controversial as it could cause injury to vertebral arteries which supply the brain with blood. There is much debate about neck manipulation amongst practitioners who manipulate spinal structures.

Neck manipulations performed following a careful case history being taken and diagnostic tests such as a VBI test should help reduce the risk of injury. Osteopaths are now recommended to use an informed consent form which informs the patients of the potential risks of neck manipulations and requires them to sign it prior to manipulation.

Osteopathy treatment is a choice of musculo-skeletal treatment available which also uses spinal manipulations as part of its treatment options. “Osteo” means bone and osteopaths treat spinal conditions and back pain in a similar way to chiropractors.
Both professions have a 5 year training degree programme and both professions can manipulate the spine. One profession is not better at spinal manipulations than the other as it is down to the individual talent and expertise of the practitioner. The fundamental difference on manipulations between osteopaths and chiropractors is the fact that chiropractors tend to favour short lever direct adjustments whereas osteopaths employ longer levers to achieve the adjustments using your arms and legs as levers to avoid pressing over painful areas.
Osteopaths work on the appendicular skeleton (which is your limbs) in addition to your spine and pelvis.

Osteopaths have chosen not to adopt the title of “Doctor” before their name whereas chiropractors and some dentists have. Your chiropractor may be referred to as “Doctor” as the word “Doctor” is not a protected title and anyone can use the term. In most cases your chiropractor will be referred to as a “Doctor” of chiropractic which is not a medical doctor such as a GP. Orthopaedic consultants prefer to be called “Mr” and not “Doctor”

Physiotherapy treatment is the most well known amongst the general public and is available on the NHS. Back pain is a common problem and long NHS waiting lists are not helpful. Often patients are in acute pain and dosing on prescribed pain relief medication for months before they can access any physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy often relies on self treatment via a series of exercises which the patient is supposed to carry out unsupervised at home. This is not the best of solutions which often results in patients seeking help from the private physiotherapy sector who manage their condition for them. Diagnostics is always a problem when treating back pain and an accurate diagnosis of the problem needs to be made before treatment commences. Ensure you select a physiotherapist with back pain expertise as some physiotherapists lack experience in this area of work.

Acupuncture treatments are widely used within the NHS and in private practice. First ensure that your practitioner has received adequate training in acupuncture and is suitably qualified and insured. They should also be registered with the local authority who visit the premises and issue a licence to practice. If they do not display this, I suggest that you ask where it is and report anyone who is not registered. This is done for your safety!
Acupuncture makes claims that it treats everything and has a large following of people who believe it helps their condition. There is once again debate whether it treats the cause or just treats the symptoms as many patients have to continually receive treatments to sustain long term relief from pain. There is western acupuncture and chinese acupuncture as well as electro-acupuncture and acupressure which all use meridians or energy channels as their focus. For pain relief and back pain relief acupuncture will work for some but maybe not for others. Claims of a back pain cure using acupuncture for just a few sessions need to be viewed with caution and practitioners who try and get you to sign up for many sessions and pay up front should be avoided. Try it first and see if it works for you before booking a course of treatment.

Atlas Pain Relief Centre has a clinic in Hall Green, Birmingham which specialises in neck and back pain. They offer Osteopaths, Physiotherapists, Acupuncture, Massage, and Podiatry/Chiropody. The Clinic is called Solihull Back Pain Clinic and is located on the Robin Hood Island, Hall Green Birmingham, West Midlands. They have no chiropractors working at the clinic and offer an alternative approach to back pain.

Testimonials can be viewed from delighted customers by visiting

www.solihullbackpainclinic.co.uk

For Free Consultations phone

0121 745 8792

Atlas Back pain clinics in Hall Green Birmingham & Tamworth Staffordshire can help you.

Some people suffer back pain for years without questioning whether there may be a better option to pain killers or other therapies that do not seem to improve their situation.

Birmingham and Solihull Osteopaths (an alternative to Chiropractors) Solihull Back Pain Physiotherapists and Female Acupuncture practitioners, all experts in their field, join forces and provide a top quality back pain service. This combination of skills and therapies offers our patients focused treatment plans which can lead to rapid recovery rates from many back pain conditions. If you are currently on long term medication for your Back pain, sciatica, shoulder or neck pain why not try a free consultation at the Tamworth or Solihull Birmingham clinics, we will be very happy to help you.

Being in constant pain is a sensation that those who have not suffered may not be able to understand or appreciate. Because we are continuously dealing with severe painful conditions on a daily basis we have gained a tremendous insight, through experience, on dealing with pain control and those who suffer. All of our patients feel relaxed and calm while being treated, comforted by the knowledge that our treatments do not have any side effects.

Practicing in clinics in Tamworth and Solihull, Birmingham there is easy access for patients from Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Swadlincote and Brownhills.

How acupuncture helps with Back Pain

Research carried out in 2002 indicated that almost 80% of the world’s population would suffer from some kind of back pain with lower back pain being the most common type. In addition to the high rate of incidence, back pain is also known to have a high rate of recurrence in patients.

Acupuncture is a natural method of treatment that involves no chemicals or surgery. Thin stainless steel needles are inserted into the body at various acupuncture points to stimulate the free flow of Chi or life force through the body. Free flowing Chi results in a healthy and pain free body. Large bodies of research have been able to establish a connection between acupuncture and relief from back pain-especially sciatica.

Sciatica refers to a type of back pain in which the pain radiates from the buttocks down the legs. Sometimes, sciatica pain can also be a consequence of a muscle spasm impinging on the sciatica nerve. Acupuncture can be effectively used to alleviate muscle spasms. The results are almost immediate and can provide relief within minutes.

Back pain may be caused because muscles that are not frequently exercised and stretched are suddenly put to excessive use. Muscle spasms are common in such cases and result in the individual feeling sore, stiff and a dull ache in the back. Patients suffering from sciatica may even feel a tingling sensation or numbness. This can be due to the narrowing of the disc space or a disc protrusion in the lumbar region.

Acupuncture is used to improve blood circulation to the entire lumbar region and spinal cord. It is suggested that it relaxes paraspinal muscles and provides relief from muscle spasms. The increased blood flow provides greater nourishment to the discs and increases their elasticity. Thus, acupuncture can be extremely effective in reducing back pain symptoms. It is important to remember that different patients respond differently to acupuncture sessions and it can take anywhere between 4-12 sessions to really feel the difference.
Atlas Back Pain Clinics are part of the Atlas Pain Relief Centre group of back pain clinics located in Hall Green Birmingham near Solihull and Shirley and Tamworth town centre, Staffordshire near Lichfield.
The Clinics are currently offering free acupuncture consultations by telephoning 01827 59943 or visit the website www.atlaspainrelief.com for more information

Acupuncture Solihull or Acupuncture Birmingham is often spelt incorrectly to read Accupuncture. In an attempt tp promote acupuncture in Solihull and Birmingham, Atlas Pain Relief Centre are offering free acupuncture consultations. Visit our website on www.atlaspainrelief.com

Solihull, Shirley, Hall Green, Birmingham and West Midlands patients can now arrange a Free acupuncture consultation to see how acupuncture can help you. Acupuncture is available at Atlas Pain Relief Centre in Hall Green Birmingham from our female acupuncturist. Located on the Robin Hood roundabout, Stratford Rd, Hall Green, Birmingham, the Free acupuncture consultations will be available to anyone interested in how acupuncture works and see how it can help their condition or ailment.

Acupuncture is growing in popularity and is used in treatments for depression, anxiety, stress, emotional conditions, digestive disorders, hormonal conditions, pain relief, back pain and fertility treatment. Many more conditions can be treated with acupuncture and this is your opportunity to arrange a free consultation to see how acupuncture may help you.

To book your free acupuncture consultation, please telephone 01827 59943 and quote reference APR/SOL/1

See how acupuncture is growing in stature by reading the following article.

BMJ 2000;321:11 ( 1 July )

News
Acupuncture wins BMA approval
Mark Silvert, BMJ
Acupuncture should become more widely available on the NHS and family doctors should be trained in some of its techniques, a BMA inquiry has concluded. The therapy has proved effective in treating back and dental pain, nausea and vomiting, and migraine, the BMA’s Board of Science and Education has found after a two year study.
Acupuncture is one of the most frequently requested of the complementary therapies. Up to five million people may have consulted a therapist specialising in complementary or alternative medicine in the past year, the report says.
Welcoming the report, Dr Richard Halvorsen, a GP and press officer for the British Medical Acupuncture Society, said: “It indicates a complete change in the way that the medical establishment views complementary therapies.” The study was commissioned in 1998 to “investigate the scientific basis and efficacy of acupuncture and the quality of training and standards of competence in its practitioners.” It reviewed literature and current research on acupuncture and examined safety aspects, including adverse effects.
Complication rates associated with acupuncture are “relatively low,” the study found. They generally fall into one of three categories: physical injuries, infections, and other adverse reactions. Many of the physical injuries could be avoided by ensuring that acupuncturists are fully trained in anatomy and physiology, with particular emphasis on teaching the location and depth of major organs. Inadequate or improper sterilisation techniques constitute a serious risk factor for infections, and this is recognised by professional acupuncture bodies and reflected in their codes of practice, states the report.
Transmission of infections can be avoided if all practitioners use only sterile disposable needles rather than reusable needles, which need sterilisation. Other adverse reactions include more minor events such as bleeding on withdrawal of the needle, bruising, and drowsiness. A survey of UK family doctors carried out as part of the study showed that nearly half had arranged acupuncture for patients and 58% had referred patients for some form of complementary or alternative medicine. The BMA is calling for a national register of all acupuncturists who are medically or non-medically qualified and for a national surveillance system to report adverse events.
Dr Vivian Nathanson, head of health policy at the BMA, said: “We need to see more high quality research into the effectiveness of acupuncture. Greater use of acupuncture would save the NHS millions of pounds each year.” However, she added that a consensus needed to be built on the minimum standards of training required for all potential acupuncture practitioners.
The BMA hopes that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence will consider the value of acupuncture as a next step and produce guidance for the NHS.
Acupuncture: Efficacy, Safety, and Practice can be seen at the BMA’s website (www.bma.org.uk).

Back pain Brownhills, back pain Staffordshire sufferers
discover new back pain clinic

Tamworth Staffordshire is the place to go if you need back pain relief. Atlas Pain Relief Centre in Tamworth is just a short car journey down the A5 from Brownhills, Cannock, Chasetown, and Norton Canes. Back pain treatments are offered by experienced osteopaths (alternative to chiropractors) physiotherapists and acupuncture practitioners. Foot, ankle and heel pain can be treated by the podiatrist / chiropodist who looks after your feet. We do not employ a chiropractor!

If you suffer from sciatica, trapped nerves, slipped discs, bulging discs, sacroiliac joint inflammation, scoliosis, twisted pelvis, leg length difference,strained back muscles or tired aching ligaments then Atlas Pain Relief Centre is the place to visit.

Winners of a customer service award for their 5 star customer service you will not be disappointed with your experience. Many patients are pain free in 4 treatments and this enhances the Atlas fast recovery reputation.

Treatments for back pain begin with a consultation and treatment lasting up to an hour followed by further visits if required of 30 minutes. Treatments may involve hands on therapy such as soft tissue manipulation, spinal manipulations, electrotherapy, massage and stretching with rehab advice and exercise prescription programmes if necessary.

More and more customers are traveling to Tamworth from the Staffordshire towns of chasewater, chasetown, brownhills, norton canes, heath hayes and cannock.

Testimonials from customers can be viewed by visiting www.atlaspainrelief.com