Suffering with shoulder, neck or back pain?
NOVA Osteopathy can help you achieve long-lasting relief. Read how!
Shoulder, neck and back pain are the most common complaints people experience in their daily lives. Whether it’s due to poor posture, stress, injury, or repetitive strain, these issues can significantly impact your quality of life. At NOVA, an osteopathic clinic in Coulsdon (located at Woodcote Golf Club), we specialise in addressing the symptoms and root causes of these pains and help our patients achieve long-lasting relief.
I personally can't tell you how many times I have informed patients that their cause of pain is coming from somewhere totally different to where the pain originates. Patients are left amazed when they understand the underlying mechanics. NOVA Osteopathy is a hands-on therapy focusing on the entire body, enhancing function, mobility, and lifestyle habits for overall well-being.
5 x common causes of shoulder, neck and back pain
Poor Posture
In today's post-covid world, prolonged hours spent at desks, hybrid work setups, and increased phone usage pays a significant impact on our physical health. These factors can contribute to various issues within our muscles, joints, and surrounding tissues, overtime leading to discomfort and pain. Specifically, individuals may experience muscle overload, recurring joint inflammation in the neck (which can radiate pain to the shoulders), and back issues. It's crucial to be mindful of these potential health effects and take proactive measures to address them.
Stress
Emotional stress often manifests physically, many people hold tension in various parts of their body, with the neck muscles being a common area. This tension can lead to tightness in the shoulders and neck. Additionally, prolonged stress can contribute to back pain, as the body becomes stiff and less functional. It's vital to address both our emotional and physical health to maintain overall well-being.
Sports & everyday movement
Sports injuries, heavy lifting or everyday housework movements can lead to muscle or joint strain. If left untreated, this can become chronic. Surprisingly, even if you dont think it's related, dysfunction in the hips, pelvis or lower back can cause the shoulders to overwork. It is important to consider your body posture and positioning when moving day to day.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis that impacts millions globally. Osteoarthritis occurs as cartilage between bones wears down due to factors such as excessive overload, weight, injury, postural issues, or family history. Neck arthritis, for instance, leads to joint narrowing, affecting the space for nerves to exit the spine canal, potentially causing trapped nerves or inflammation. This condition can result in referred pain to shoulders and arms, with symptoms such as aching, pins and needles, or numbness. Similarly, collarbone and shoulder arthritis can lead to the formation of bony spurs due to bone-on-bone friction and bone enlargement. Understanding the above is crucial for managing arthritic-like symptoms effectively.
Sleep
Here are a couple of reasons why your sleep position may contribute to shoulder pain:
Side Sleeping: Side sleepers often place prolonged pressure on their shoulders, which can lead to discomfort. This is especially problematic if underlying conditions like collarbone dysfunction or shoulder bursitis are present. Bursitis, the inflammation of the fluid-filled sac, can cause pain when pressure is applied for an extended period of time.
Pillows/ Mattress: Using too many or unsupportive pillows can create excess tension in the neck, muscles, joints, and ligaments, leading to stiffness and aches upon waking. This can also occur if your pillows are too old or your mattress doesn't provide proper support.
For more tips on optimising sleep comfort, please visit our Sleep Council on our Useful Resources page.
NOVA’s 3-step treatment approach:
Step 1 - Patient History - Detailed Assessment
At the NOVA Osteopathy clinic, we prioritise a holistic approach to assessing your body's capabilities. Our approach focuses on understanding your body's needs and limitations to ensure a successful progression. By evaluating your posture, movement patterns, and areas of tension, we pinpoint the root cause of your pain.For example, lower back discomfort may be linked to poor ankle mobility or hip tightness.
Step 2 - Manual Techniques
NOVA’s treatment involves a variety of hands-on techniques such as joint mobilisations, soft tissue massage, stretching, acupuncture and functional manual release. These techniques aim to release tension and enhance the quality of movement in the musculoskeletal system. For instance, in addressing neck pain, specific techniques are utilised to alleviate tension in the cervical spine, shoulders, and adjacent muscles.
Step 3 - Posture and Movement Correction:
Beyond hands-on treatment, NOVA focuses on guiding the body to achieve all postural movements so it understands what it should be able to perform. Which it probably currently wouldn't be able to achieve. Whether you’re suffering from back pain, shoulder pain, we’ll provide exercises and advice tailored to your lifestyle. This approach not only helps relieve pain but also prevents it from recurring. Your treatment doesn't stop when you walk out the clinic door, oh no we make you do homework! We’ll want to get a full understanding of your situation, we often get patients to send pictures of their set up and we make quick changes before their next follow up appointment.
Contact NOVA Osteopathy Clinic in Coulsdon to relieve shoulder, neck and back pain.
We’re passionate about helping our patients live pain-free, active lives. Whether you’re dealing with chronic neck pain, acute lower back pain, or shoulder tension, our experienced osteopaths are here to provide lasting relief.
NOVA Osteopathy are proud to serve patients in Coulsdon and the surrounding areas of Purley, Chipstead, Banstead, Sutton, Wallington, Kenley, and Caterham.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
0785 657 7067
enquiries@novaosteopathy.com
Woodcote Park Golf Club, Meadow Hill, Bridle Way, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 2QQ
