It may sound counter-intuitive when first telling someone suffering with arthritis of the knee that they should exercise to help relieve the pain. But, research suggests that some forms of aerobic, aquatic and strength training will ease pain and improve function.

But not every study is created equally and sometimes certain published claims don't stack up with what our daily hands-on experience is telling us. Some examples...

Acupuncture is known for its safe application with less adverse side effects compared to conventional pain treatments. For this very reason we expect to see a continued growth in its use with children.

You may hear acupuncture being referred to as an 'alternative' treatment based on ancient chinese methods of regulating the body's energy pathways. A more modern and western approach refers to medical acupuncture as a complementary treatment, now used by a great many medical professionals in a wide range of clinical settings. Chartered Physiotherapists are increasingly undergoing post graduate training in medical acupuncture as an adjunct to their treatment approaches and achieving very good results.

Headaches are among the most commonly treated problems in medical practice. 

In this post Paula Morgan reviews - “Myofascial Trigger Points and Their Relationship to Headache Clinical Parameters in Chronic Tension Type Headache”

Otherwise known by the very medical term of ‘Hurty Knee’ (!) according to Paul Noonan, the lead singer of one of my favourite Irish bands - BellX1. Knee pain can be very debilitating as it can affect our mobility and independence not to mention being a darn nuisance possibly leading one to dread getting out of bed in the morning.

The fact acupuncture is an effective treatment for headaches and migraines is not news for us. We have been effectively applying medical acupuncture techniques alongside our Physiotherapy practise for many years, with excellent results.

I am currently managing a lady in her mid forties, a real achiever and very driven in the workplace who suffers from chronic muscular tension type headaches for many years.

As the cold winter sets in some of you may find that those knees have become a little bit achy. The term arthritis is often mentioned when such aches and pains begin to surface over time. This is a condition that we treat regularly here at Mount Merrion Physiotherapy. Let’s look at a bit more detail into the meaning of the term 'osteoarthritis'.

Groundbreaking Study Reveals That Acupuncture Is Superior For Chronic Pain

“Acupuncture (needling in the right place) is superior to both sham (so called ‘placebo’ or needling in the wrong way or wrong place) acupuncture and standard care (usual medical care) for the treatment of different types of chronic pain. This suggests that the effects of acupuncture are more than just placebo effect.”

Back Pain - Are You One Of The 33%?

Many of our clients visiting the clinic suffer some form of back pain. Some come to us after trying various treatments from other sources with little relief. In this article I wish to share an insight into the assessment and treatment of a particularly challenging back pain condition.

Do you fit this profile?

Acupuncture is continuing to gain widespread interest from the general public and is becoming an ever increasingly popular form of treatment. If you're not familiar with the 'Medical Acupuncture' approach you can read a bit more about it here - What is Acupuncture

Earlier this month I was privileged to be able to attend a Masterclass in dry needling (a medical acupuncture technique) by Dr Robert Gerwin at the Royal London Hospital for integrated medicine, in London, UK.

Dr Gerwin is a world renowned expert in treating myofascial pain (muscle pain and trigger points) using needling techniques. He is a neurologist and fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and practices in Washington DC.