Sciatica Treatment
Sciatica Treatment is aimed at achieving your goals. We want to get you moving, manage your pain and promote independence.
March 7, 2022
the osteopath's role
As an Osteopath, it is my goal to help each and every one of my patients ot the best of my abilities. Usually, my patients will present with a musculoskeletal condition that is well within the remit of Osteopathic practice and I’m able to assist them with their recovery from pain, management of a condition or improve structure and function. However, when someone comes to the clinic with any other issue, it’s extremely important I ask myself ‘how can I help this person?’
If an individual visits a healthcare practitioner, they seek assistance for one or more issues with their health. So when you strip back the ways in which an osteopath, physio, doctor, podiatrist, dentist, psychotherapist or any other practitioner can help, you must first define what health is. so…what is health?
the WRONG definition
If you do a quick online search or look in most dictionaries, you will get the following definition:
“Health is the state of being free from illness or injury” (Oxford Dictionary, 2020).
Now, many people will hear this and think it sounds about right, maybe think about any illness or injury that they have, or have had, and relate this definition to their own opinions on health and ill-health. However, the issue with this definition is that it implies that if you are medically well and don’t have injuries, you are ‘healthy,’ but if you roll your ankle or catch a cold, you are ‘unhealthy.’
This simply isn’t true. This definition disregards the other aspects of health and does not look at the bigger picture.
the RIGHT definition
A MUCH better definition of health is the following:
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organisation, 2020).
Now, we’re talking. This definition incorporates multiple contributing factors and ‘pillars’ or health. If someone runs six times a week, has a six-pack and can bench press 200kg, but often feels sad and lonely, this person is not completely healthy. Obviously, they are physically healthy and their musculoskeletal system functions well, but their mental and social health isn’t as good as it could be.
Equally, the happiest, most social person in the world could suffer from a host of medical conditions that limits their physical health.
Health vs ill-health
Now it’s really important to mention that health and ill-health is a spectrum, not two separate categories.
Nobody is perfect and nobody is perfectly healthy, but equally nobody is at the opposite end of the spectrum. My personal outlook on healthcare is that everyone who walks through the door should leave with big positives that we can maintain, and a few things to work on to improve their health. Being open and honest with the overall picture of health is really important in making steps to improve it.
The three pillars
(1) Physical wellbeing
The physical part of health is the part most people know about. This includes musculoskeletal health, the function of your heart and lungs, skin, hair, organs etc. This pillar is the one that osteopaths, doctors, dentists etc mostly focus on.
It’s extremely important and as a healthcare practitioner it’s essential we work on improving the function of your body as a whole to keep you ‘healthy.’
(2) Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing is the ‘health’ of your mind. This includes your thoughts, emotions, opinions, feelings and overall mental state. Mental health is a spectrum on its own, and is difficult to define a mentally healthy or unhealthy person. This area of health is hugely important and I’m a massive advocate for the ‘mental health movement’ that is ongoing, which supports the open conversation with regards to mental health and ill-health, such as anxiety and depression, in order to break the stigma and improve the mental health of the population.
(3) social wellbeing
Social wellbeing is all about interactions with others. This is the extent to which you feel a sense of belonging, inclusion and stability. Friends, family, colleagues and the person in the shop can all be included in this, and its unique to you. It can have positive or negative effects on other pillars of health. Social wellbeing encompasses lifestyle, values and beliefs, many of which are interchangeable with mental wellbeing.
The bigger picture
The points of writing this blog were to get people thinking about the different aspects of their health, to educate about the different pillars, and to show how important it is to look after all aspects of our health.
All three pillars contribute to health. Not one is more important to the other. Any one can affect either one of the other two positively or negatively. All should be focused on in their own right and as a part of the bigger picture of health. Health status changes regularly and is a spectrum.
We should look at the good and bad bits
Please, talk to your friends, family, osteopath, WHOEVER, about your health. It’s important, and, well…it’s healthy.
Bibliography
Health, fitness and exercise. (2020). Retrieved 12 October 2020, from http://resource.download.wjec.co.uk.s3.amazonaws.com/vtc/2015-16/15-16_21/eng/section1.html
Tips to Move Easy straight into your inbox
No spam, ever.
Stay Connected; Start Movin' Easy
Readers who read this, also read these
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, which runs down the back of the thigh into the foot.
March 5, 2022
Neck Pain North Finchley
Osteopathy is an effective way of treating neck pain in North FInchley to get you back doing what you love.
March 3, 2022
