Who’s Who
Chiropractor - a professional who treats problems with joints, bones and muscles, and the effects they have on the nervous system. Working on all the joints of the body, particularly the spine, they use hands for manipulation, to improve efficiency of the nervous system and release the body’s natural healing ability. Chiropractic does not involve the use of any drugs or surgery.
Naturopath - uses a number of therapies as part of a treatment. In addition to diet and nutrition, they employ a variety of treatment methods that work with the body’s own healing mechanisms - e.g. bodywork (lymphatic drainage, osteopathic techniques etc) homoeopathy, acupuncture, kinesiology and hydrotherapy. Through a combination of approaches, they aim to establish health by improving nutrition, detoxification and elimination down to a cellular level. Naturopaths recognise the importance of addressing ‘maintaining causes’, e.g. re-educating the patient towards a healthier lifestyle.
Osteopath - a therapist who diagnoses and treats problems with muscles, ligaments nerves and joints to help the body’s natural healing ability. Treating the body with hands-on manipulation allows it to be more balanced and efficient and to function with a minimum of wear and tear. Osteopathy does not involve the use of any drugs or surgery.
Physiotherapist - a health care professional concerned with human function and movement, and maximising potential through physical approaches to promote, maintain and restore physical, psychological and social well-being, taking account of variations in health status. It is science-based, and the exercise of clinical judgement and informed interpretation is at its core.
Pilates Consultant - a teacher of the Pilates Method, which represents a unique approach to exercise that develops body awareness, improving and changing the body’s postural and alignment habits and increasing flexibility and ease of movement. The core fundamentals of the Method are based upon a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the human body. Osteopaths, physiotherapists and general practitioners are now recommending Pilates as one of the safest forms of exercise today.
Rheumatologist - a medically qualified doctor with special training in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with diseases of the joints and muscles, including arthritis.
Useful contacts
www.acupuncture.org.uk
British Acupuncture Council
www.ausphysio.com
Australian Physiopherapy and Pilates Institute
www.backcare.co.uk
National Back Pain Association
www.bant.org.uk - British Association for Nutritional Therapy
www.cfp.org.uk - The Chartered Society of Physiopherapists
www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk
British Chiropractic Association
www.corh.org.uk
Council of Organisations Registering Homeopaths
www.csp.org.uk
Chartered Society of Physiotherapists
www.gcc-uk.org
General Chiropractic Council
www.gncouncil.com
General Naturopathic Council
www.health-perception.co.uk
www.ifaroma.org International Federation of Aromatherapists
www.jwcco.org.uk
Institute of Classical Osteopathy
www.naturopathy.org.uk -
General Council and Register of Naturopaths
www.nutritionaltherapycouncil.org.uk -
Nutritional Therapy Council
www.osteopathy.org.uk -
General Osteopathic Council
www.pilatesfoundation.com
Pilates Foundation UK
www.rheumatology.org.uk
British Society for Rheumatology
www.shiatsu.org -
Shiatsu Society
www.stat.org.uk -
Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique
www.taichiunion.com -
Tai Chi Union for Great Britain
What’s What
• Aerobic Exercise - Exercise that increases the need for oxygen: aerobic literally means ‘with oxygen’, and refers to the use of oxygen in the energy-generating process for muscles. Aerobic exercise describes any type of exercise, typically performed at moderate levels of intensity for extended periods of time, that increases your heart rate. Oxygen, fats, and glucose are used to produce adenosine triphosphate, the basic fuel for all cells.
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• Arthritis - Inflammation of a joint - usually a destructive process affecting a joint. This may result in pain, deformity and/or restricted function. It may also be asymptomatic. There are many different causes ranging from an initial injury to a joint, to infection, to autoimmune conditions (where the body’s natural defence system turns on joints and destroys them).
• Arthroscopy - Minimally invasive surgery to a joint performed using a small telescopic camera and special instruments.
• Articular surface - The surface of a joint in its normal state. In a healthy joint this will be smooth and regular, allowing low friction movement (with little wear) to occur.
• Bone - Rigid connective tissue, made hard by the high levels of calcium within the tissue, that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates.
• Bursa - A small fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion in parts of the body that need extra proctection, often located between movable parts of the body especially at joints. Bursitis is where the bursa has become inflamed.
• Cartilage - A complex tissue that has various different types. Perhaps most importantly it forms the smooth lining of most joints, allowing low friction motion. It is assisted in this by synovial fluid, a thick biological lubricant present in most joints.
• Chondroitin - see The Essential Joint Nutrients.
• Cod Liver Oil - An oil obtained from the livers of cod and similar fishes; taken orally as a source of vitamins A and D.
• Collagen - a major part of the proteins that make up connective tissue, from which bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage are formed - ie an important component of most of the tissues in our joints.
• Essential Fatty Acids - Unsaturated fatty acids that are essential to human health, but cannot be manufactured in the body. There are two types of essential fatty acids (EFAs): Omega 3 and Omega 6. EFAs are needed by all tissues; among their many functions they modulate inflammatory responses in the body, and so can be very useful for joint problems.
• Glucosamine - see The Essential Joint Nutrients.
• Intra-articular block - A direct injection of local anaesthetic into a joint. Used as post-operative pain relief.
• Joint - A structure in the body where two or more bones meet, which allows movement.
• Ligament - A sheet or band of tough fibrous tissue connecting bones or cartilages or supporting muscles or organs. Ligaments connect bones either side of a joint.
• MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging. This is a way of imaging tissues without exposing them to the low dose radiation associated with x-rays. The technique involves a high magnetic field. This can be contra-indicated if you have a metal implant (eg a joint replacement) and certainly if you have a pacemaker. It is a technique which gives dynamic information about the state of tissues. It is the best way of imaging soft tissue (ie non-bony tissue).
• Muscle - A soft tissue which contracts when stimulated by its nerve supply, producing movement across a joint.
• NSAID’s - Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs, for example Aspirin or Ibuprofen. These drugs act both to reduce pain and also to reduce inflammation.
• Osteoarthritis - The commonest form of arthritis. Also known as “wear and tear” arthritis. Often this remains localised to just one or two joints.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis - A specific type of arthritis that often affects many joints. It is classified as an “autoimmune” disease and hence its effects may not be limited to joints but may cause injury to other tissues of the body.
• Sprain - An injury to the ligament(s) stabilising a joint. It can range from some minor bruising to a complete disruption leading to the joint becoming unstable.
• Synovium - A soft tissue present in varying quantities in normal healthy joints. It produces synovial fluid, a biological lubricant.
• Tendon - A tough, rope-like tissue that connects muscles to bones.
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