Tag Archive for: holistic

What price health? More people turning to private healthcare including Osteopathy

A recent report by The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), found that rising NHS waiting times are prompting one in six to consider private healthcare if they have to wait longer than 18 weeks for care.

This is borne out by what experienced Osteopath, Robin Kiashek, is seeing in clinic.

Robin says: “I’m seeing an increasing number of patients who may not have previously considered paying for private Osteopathy.  But they are doing so now because the NHS waiting time they have been given is unacceptable to them.

In theory this should be good news for the NHS – pressure off lists.  And good news for the patient – quicker access to treatment.

Disgruntled patients

But not so much in practice.  The first thing that Robin must do is to unpick these patients’ disgruntled feelings around no longer being able to quickly and easily access treatment on the NHS for free.

Robin says: “I understand that this is a change to what we’re used to. But patients quite clearly feel aggrieved. Not at having to pay for my services necessarily but at having to pay for treatment that they believe should be free. And this manifests itself in two ways.  They are generally quite cross at our first consultation, and they believe that I should be able to ‘fix’ them in the minimum number of sessions. None of which is terribly conducive to their recovery.”

We’ve written before about the need to be a patient patient. Previously this centred around patients being reluctant to commit the necessary time to recovery.  Instead forging on with strenuous exercise programmes.  But now the focus is around a perception of value.

As Robin explains: “If an NHS therapist were to recommend six or eight sessions of therapy to bring you to recovery then I doubt many patients would ask if that could be achieved with less sessions.”

Robin tries to encourage patients to focus on what they are getting. Rather than where they feel they might be missing out.

Initial consultation

At an initial consultation Robin takes a detailed case history including full medical background, information about your symptoms, health problems and any medical care you have been receiving. This is usually followed by a physical examination,  You will be asked to undergo various movements in a bid to reproduce your symptoms. Robin will use a combination of visual analysis and touch (or palpation). He may also use orthopaedic tests and occasionally refer for further x-ray or MRI investigation to help form a diagnosis.

Follow up treatment

Once you have a diagnosis, Robin will provide a full explanation and treatment plan. A treatment will be included in the initial Osteopathic consultation, assuming it’s safe to do so.

Robin adds: “I take a more holistic approach when it comes to treating musculoskeletal disorders relating to muscles, ligaments, joints, nerves, cartilage, tendons and the general skeletal system. I’ll also identify underlying causative factors. So I can work with you to help heal your specific condition/s and work towards preventing this from reoccurring.”

And that’s not all

Robin generally spends around 45 minutes at an initial consultation and 30 minutes on follow up appointments. He can’t promise to run exactly to time but he’s not yet left a patient sitting in his waiting room long past their appointment time. And you get to see the same person – Robin – at every consultation. So there is excellent continuity of care.

The last word goes to Robin: “Patients who work with me are extremely kind with their positive feedback. I do understand that we’d all rather be able to access treatment quickly and for free on the NHS. But I believe that complementary therapists in the private sector have a vital role to play in healthcare in the 21st century.”

So, if you’re languishing on a waiting list or struggling with ongoing pain then please do get in touch.

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To treat, or not to treat? That is the question for Osteopaths

The title of this blog is not just a play on words from one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. It is also the question that most Osteopaths ask themselves each time they see a new patient.

Osteopaths take a holistic approach when it comes to treating musculoskeletal disorders relating to muscles, ligaments, nerves joints cartilage, tendons and the general skeletal system.

They also identify any underlying factors to get to the root cause of the problem. Which is why Osteopathy can not only help ease specific conditions, but also work towards improving your overall health.

 

Extensive training

 

Osteopaths are trained to degree level, with courses usually lasting four or five years.  These are a combination of academic studies, research and more than 1,000 hours of hands-on patient-facing training.

An important part of the training is about establishing whether the symptoms that patients present with require further medical investigation or a referral.

Registered Osteopath Robin Kiashek graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Osteopathic Medicine. He has since gone on to add a number of other qualification strings to his bow. Robin said: “I work with patients to address their presenting symptoms and understand causative factors to promote ongoing health.

“Much of my initial process is around ruling out other pathologies. As a member of the General Osteopathic Council – the body that promotes patient safety by setting, maintaining and developing standards of osteopathic practice and conduct – I am committed to helping my patients achieved optimal physical and emotional wellbeing.”

 

Referral required

 

At an initial consultation Robin spends around 30 minutes taking a detailed patient history.  This includes physical and emotional lifestyle factors.  Then he moves on to a physical examination.

And if there any indicators that further investigation or medical involvement would be appropriate then he won’t hesitate to make a referral.

For example, earlier this year, a patient came to Robin after two trips to a local hospital with lower back and abdominal pain. Both times she had been sent home without being examined and painkillers had been prescribed.

Robin explains: “I conducted a physical examination and it was immediately clear that this pain was not going to be cured by painkillers.  I wrote a letter referring the patient to A&E. The diagnosis was eventually a stone in the ureter. And that required follow-up treatment.”

 

Face to face with your Osteopath

 

Osteopaths are classed as key workers. Therefore, Robin has been able to keep both his clinics open during lockdown. He adheres to all government guidelines of course and, being a sole practitioner, patients are not sitting in a crowded waiting room.

 

Obviously, changes and concessions to face to face medical appointments had to be made during the past year.  But it’s reassuring for patients to know that face to face Osteopathy is still available should they be in pain.  And that Osteopaths not only have the skills to provide treatment but also the training to know when to refer.

 

So, patients really are in safe hands.

 

If you are in pain then don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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The body-mind detective and the case of the referred pain

There are many things that can go wrong with the human body. Hardly surprising, given its 206 bones, 600 muscles, 900 ligaments and 100 billion nerve cells, plus the 12 major organs.  All with the potential to be adversely affected by accidents, injuries, postural issues, bad habits and general wear and tear.  Not to mention state of mind, environmental factors and genetic inheritance.

So it’s perhaps unsurprising that the symptom that initially prompts a patient to make their tat first Osteopathy appointment isn’t necessarily the cause of the issue. For example, with lower back pain, it’s possible that the real problem lies in the neck but is felt elsewhere thanks to connective tissue chains running throughout the body. Similarly, knee issues could be referred pain from a hip or foot problem.

Holistic approach

I believe in treating the person and not just the problem they present with.  But with increasing pressure on GPs there is unfortunately not always time for this on the NHS.  But this ‘body-mind detective’ role – systematically locating and treating the root cause of often very complex problems – is one I greatly enjoy!

I have the time to take a full history to build up a picture of my patient’s routines and habits to see where things might be going awry. With headaches or migraine sufferers for example, I quiz them about their diet, sleep patterns, how often they exercise and how they feel emotionally.

I can also employ several additional techniques to determine the cause of a patient’s symptoms:

  • Naturopathy – based on the idea that the human body knows best how to heal itself naturally. We work with patients to identify factors that may be undermining their health and develop an individual plan to tackle problem areas.
  • Autogenic training – a potent relaxation therapy with powerful abilities in restoring, healing and developing mind and body. We teach patients a set of lifelong skills and exercises to use whenever and wherever they want.
  • Western Acupuncture – fine needles target trigger points associated with certain ailments to help with pain relief and so on.
  • Low Level Laser Therapy (or LLLT) –  low power or ‘cold’ laser light is used on problem areas to alter cellular function, improve outcomes and speed up the body’s natural healing process.

Kind words

I’ve seen many patients who have been struggling with an issue for a long time.  One had this to say:

“Robin’s treatments have helped reduce my back and neck pain which had plagued me for years. He has taught me how to reduce re-occurrences through exercise and lifestyle change – I was very despondent before I came to see him and he continues to help me hugely; I’m very grateful.”

So if you’re suffering from anything from a niggle to a nightmare in your back, neck, shoulders, elbows or knees why not book an appointment to see if we can solve the case and identify the source of your problem?  Then we can work together to improve your overall health as well as relieve pain.

 

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Mindfulness and Meditation can Change the Brain Structure in Eight Weeks

At The Robin Kiashek Clinics, we believe in a holistic approach to your general health. Therefore, as well as assisting patients with conditions that are currently causing them pain, we also look to encourage and promote other preventative techniques and practices such as meditation and mindfulness. After reading about some exciting new research in this field, we thought we would share some of the findings with you.

The benefits of regular meditation

We have long known of the benefits to body and mind from regular meditation and focused relaxation, but the evidence has often been dismissed as anecdotal. Now, across the world, we are seeing more and more studies into what happens to us physically when we engage in this kind of mindfulness activity regularly.

What is mindfulness and meditation?

meditation

Before we discuss this latest research, let’s briefly touch on what meditation and mindfulness is. Meditation has been traditionally associated with the Buddhist faith and is considered to be a state of contemplation or prayer. Nowadays it is considered to be the practice of sitting quietly with one’s thoughts or focusing on breathing. The idea is to keep your mind in the present moment, calmly clear your mind of any particular thoughts, whilst in a lying or seated position, and becoming aware of the energy coursing through the body in order to relax.

Mindfulness is similar, in that it is a the practice of remaining present and becoming conscious of your thoughts, how they spring up, what they are telling you about your situation and learning how to observe those thoughts with a view to overcoming any negativity. It can also be practiced whilst going about daily tasks, by way of stepping back and being more aware of how we are feeling or acting.

Recent studies of brain activity

A very recent study used MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanning to prove conclusively that meditation can affect grey matter positively, causing it to undergo large, observable changes.

The work has been carried out in the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The project’s director, Sara Lazar, has concluded that during an average daily 27-minute meditation, the very structure of the brain alters. These changes lead to prolonged positive and relaxed feelings, and if sustained over a period of 8 weeks, result in significant changes and improvements in emotional life, as well as in the body.

In previous studies by Lazar’s team, the area of the brain that relates to attention and emotional integration, the cerebral cortex, has been shown to thicken in regular practitioners of meditation, more so than in subjects who had no previous experience in such activities.

Changes in our ‘dinosaur brain’

What is more, in the amygdala, the part of the brain often referred to as the ‘dinosaur brain’, responsible for regulating anxiety and stress reactions, there is a decrease in density of grey matter, meaning that the body is less likely to respond in a stressed way when faced with displeasing or adverse situations.

None of this brain activity was observed in the group of subjects who did not engage in mindfulness practice during the period of the study. No growth boosts in the brain were found. This showed without doubt that changes in the brain were not part-and-parcel of time simply passing, but that consistently engaging in mindfulness drastically changes grey matter.

The brain can be changed

Now we know more about the brain’s incredible plasticity, and we also have more confidence in encouraging human beings to be pro-active in their own brains’ re-structuring. It is now a certainty that the brain can be assisted into a state that leads to enhanced health and improvement in emotions and relationships, as well as increasing our ability to cope with stress.

Meditation to cope with stress

So, in light of the research above, might you consider introducing a regular mindfulness or meditation practice into your daily routine? Just 30 minutes per day, either first thing in the morning or last thing at night can help to make fundamental changes that will help the brain to cope with negative emotions such as stress or anxiety. These types of negative emotions may end up leading to more serious mental or even physical complaints (many of which we can help to treat in clinic), so it is wise to have a strategy to combat them.

Wellness and The Robin Kiashek Clinics

Wellness is at the heart of scientific endeavour, and here at Robin Kiashek Clinics we use the latest studies in diverse fields to keep our services on the cutting edge. To find out more about what we offer and our holistic approach to your health, please call us on: 0208 815 0979.

 

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The Dripping Tap Syndrome

There are a number of questions I am frequently asked when I tell people I am an Osteopath. These generally go along the lines of “what do you actually do”, “how are you different from a Chiropractor” or “what can you treat?” Conversationally these questions are easier to answer, however this printed article has a finite word count. So in this instance I will direct you to my website www.robinkiashek.co.uk where not only these questions, but a multitude of others, are answered.

So why do people most commonly need an Osteopath?

london osteopath w1 n2 n10For me, within a clinical setting, I like to use the analogy of ‘The Dripping Tap Syndrome’. People will often have a small twinge or niggle of pain (a dripping tap over a glass scenario) which progressively starts to irritate that little bit more frequently (the glass starts to fill up). This can be over a period of weeks, months or even years. The analogical drip ultimately starts happening more often until eventually the final drop causes the glass to overflow and the patient experiences a significant increase in pain (commonly known as ‘acute’ pain). This ‘final drop’ can be an everyday event – maybe a sneeze, bending forward, a certain slight move etc

People come to me when the glass has overflowed. And my job is not only to turn it off, but to then understand why the tap was dripping in the first place. And the underlying reasons can sometimes be multifactorial – both on a physical level and sometimes emotional

How Can an Osteopath Help?

Assuming that someone has an issue which I can help, be that chronic or acute pain, sciatica, workplace injuries, sporting injuries or migraine, there is a very common set of three questions people ask me:

  1. What’s happening? (which is often a subtext for is it something more serious which I may not survive)
  2. How long will it take to fix?
  3. Will it come back?

A Holistic Approach to Health

Physiotherapist massaging patientUltimately I take a holistic approach to any health issue and, to go back to the analogy, find out why that dripping tap first occurred. As somebody who has undertaken extensive training from Osteopathy and Naturopathy, Post graduate studies in NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP)/Life Coaching, Western Acupuncture, The Perrin Technique for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Low Level Laser Therapy.

Stopping the drip is normally the relatively straightforward part of what I do. When it comes to preventing it from recurring this is where I need to understand the individual patient’s causative factors and working alongside them, help reduce the probability of a re-occurrence.

We both want the same goal, the patient to be happy and pain free. And by working together that is a more likely outcome.

To find out more about working with me in North or Central London please call 020 8815 0979. Alternatively you can request an appointment directly through our website here: https://www.robinkiashek.co.uk//request-an-appointment/

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