Woman Magazine features Leicester physio clinic achieving exceptional outcomes for slipped discs

Woman Magazine recently featured the story of 37 year old herniated disc sufferer, Sarah Phelan who finally found relief from pain with IDD Therapy spinal decompression.

For two years, Sarah suffered with debilitating back pain and grinding sciatica in her leg which left her totally dependent on her partner and her parents. She says:

“I couldn’t see a future without the pain and I was feeling heartbroken - I’d gone from being a very happy and active mum, doing lots of outdoor activities with my children...to a fragile and miserable shell of a person who was reliant upon everyone around me for help with the smallest of tasks.”

It transpired that Sarah had a herniated disc in her lower back which was putting pressure on nerves in her spine, causing her back pain and sciatica. She finally found relief with IDD Therapy at The Ashleigh Clinic, Leiceister and is now enjoying a normal family life again.

“I finished my treatment programme a couple of months ago and I’m feeling fantastic: my pain has drastically reduced and I’m able to walk, drive and sleep properly.  It’s really not an exaggeration to say that IDD Therapy has changed my life completely."

The Ashleigh Clinic is part of the UK network of IDD Therapy Spine Centres.  Treatment outcomes are impressive - clinicians in the network report significant improvement in 70-90% of patients.

Clinic Director and Craig Mortimer says:

“It’s wonderful to see patients like Sarah making such an excellent improvement with IDD Therapy and getting their lives back to normal.  IDD is our first-choice treatment for herniated discs and sciatica - it's an invaluable treatment tool to have within our back pain services.”  

To read or watch more IDD Therapy patient and clinician testimonials click here

For details of IDD Therapy at The Ashleigh Clinic call  0116 270 7948 or visit www.ashleighclinic.co.uk/iddtherapy.

Essex physiotherapist helps slipped disc sufferer avoid surgery with IDD Therapy

38 year old scaffolder, Scott Bryan suffered with excruciating sciatica (leg pain) for months as a result of a herniated ('slipped') disc.  At the height of his pain, he was unable to work, sleep or enjoy any family activities.

Physiotherapist Dan Smith with  happy patient ,Scott

After osteopathy and acupuncture failed to help him, a spine consultant suggested surgery - with the usual four month wait for an operation.

Meanwhile, Scott was helped back to health with a programme of IDDTherapy at Sports & Spinal Physio in Brentwood, Essex. The clinic is part of a UK network of  IDD Therapy Spine Centres providing the targeted disc treatment to back and neck pain sufferers.

Since the treatment programme Scott's pain has drastically reduced and he's able to walk, drive and sleep properly again.

"Best of all, I’ve just had a great Easter break with my family and been able to play footie with the boys again.  It’s really not an exaggeration to say that IDD Therapy has changed my life completely. " 
  

Read Scott's story by clicking below:

Sports & Spinal Physio IDD Therapy success story 

The clinic’s Director, physiotherapist Dan Smith is a back and neck pain expert who works closely with local GPs and pain consultants. 

Sports and Spinal Physio is a leading back pain and sports injury clinic in Brentwood, Essex.
You can reach the team at: 01277 219553
www.sportsandspinalphysio.co.uk

Herniated Disc Treatment in Herefordshire - Local back pain expert talks about IDD Therapy spinal decompression

Leominster Osteopaths has been providing IDD Therapy treatment for herniated discs and sciatica for four years.

The second clinic in the UK and the first in Herefordshire to make IDD Therapy available, the clinic has treated patients with some very difficult back pain and neck pain conditions.

Here clinic director Mark Roughley talks about IDD Therapy at his clinic in the heart of Leominster, Herefordshire.

Stephen Small of Steadfast Clinics is pictured here with Leominster Osteopaths Clinic  Director Mark Roughley.

For more information about back pain and neck pain treatment with IDD Therapy at Leominster Osteopaths, visit www.leominsterosteopaths.co.uk or for more information generally about IDD Therapy visit www.iddtherapy.co.uk

Herniated Disc Treatment Helping Back Pain Sufferers in Croydon and Greater London - IDD Therapy

A leading osteopathic clinic in Croydon has been providing a new treatment for back pain and neck pain since the summer of 2013.

IDD Therapy is the non-surgical spinal decompression treatment which provides a targeted treatment to help unresolved conditions, notably where there is a disc-related condition such as a herniated disc (commonly referred to as a ‘slipped disc’) and sciatica. 

The Osteopathic Clinic of Physical Medicine in Croydon is led by clinic director Paul Morrissey.  Paul has pioneered new treatments in the UK and was amongst the first to introduce Shock Wave, as well as establishing a fully equipped pilates centre.

Paul is part of a network of UK IDD Therapy providers and says:

“For several years I watched with great interest the developments in IDD Therapy non-surgical spinal decompression.

After experiencing the treatment for myself and hearing the positive experiences of other UK clinicians and their patients, I was keen to introduce the IDD Therapy programme at our clinic.

IDD Therapy helps patients suffering with persistent back or neck pain who are not making improvement with manual therapy alone. There is no such thing as a cure-all for back pain, but the IDD Therapy treatment programme offers real opportunities for patients who need something more their pain.”

Whether you have simple back pain or a complex condition, with Paul and his dedicated team, patients can be assured of being in safe hands.  For more details visit www.osteopathclinic.co.uk/idd-therapy or to check your suitability for treatment call Croydon 020 8662 1155.

For more information about IDD Therapy treatment in general, visit www.iddtherapy.co.uk .

How do herniated discs occur and what are the best treatment options?

“Ouch….I’ve slipped a disc!” 

Low back pain affects over 80% of the population at some point in their lives and it’s the second most popular reason for visiting the GP after the common cold. It comes in many guises but a herniated or ‘slipped’ disc is one of the easiest things to succumb to and is one of the most difficult types of back pain to relieve. 

This article examines the ways in which herniated discs can occur and explains the treatment options available to help patients get back to their usual daily activities.

Contrary to popular belief, slipped discs are not just common to people who do manual work involving heavy lifting: many office-based workers succumb to disc problems as a result of sitting in one position for too long, putting pressure on the disc walls so that they weaken over time.

The spine is made up of 24 individual bones called vertebrae which are stacked on top of each . Discs are the protective circular pads of connective tissue in between - the ‘padding’ which acts as shock absorbers, protecting the spine when we run or jump.

We cause small weaknesses in our spine all day long with prolonged sitting or standing in certain positions, for example at workstations or hunched over the ironing board.

The intervertebral discs are unlike other parts of the body in the sense that they have a limited nerve supply.

Very often we are not aware of the discs being under strain until the accumulation of months or years of stress has reached a point where small tears form in the outer disc wall. These tears can result in several months of nagging discomfort.

As a defence-mechanism against further damage, the body will often react to this situation with muscle spasm or at the very least, ‘muscle guarding’ which is when the long muscles of the spine tighten up. This causes compression of the discs and a lack of mobility in the spine. 

If this situation prevails, the tears can very often become worse and allow the inner jelly like part of the disc – the nucleus – to herniate outwards. This is referred to as a herniated, bulging or ‘slipped’ disc.

Disc problems can also cause pain in other areas of the body, the most common of which is sciatica, a grinding pain which travels down the length of the leg.  Sciatica can be caused by the bulging part of the disc squashes the nerve root next to the disc or when chemicals from a prolapsed disc irritate the nerve endings.  

Neck pain, headaches or numbness in the foot can also be a sign of a damaged disc. So, what are your options for treatment?

Your first port of call should always be a good osteopath, physiotherapist or chiropractor who will have experience in treating disc-related problems. With this type of manual therapy in most cases you should see a marked improvement in your condition in 6-8 weeks.

At the same time, if you are in so much pain that you can’t sleep then your GP can prescribe you painkillers and/or anti-inflammatory medicines which can be taken alongside physical treatment.

If you see no real sign of improvement after eight weeks of manual therapy, it would be advisable to get an MRI scan of your spine to confirm the possible causes of your pain and the location (level) of the spine affected.

If a disc problem is identified, a programme of treatment including IDD Therapy non-surgical spinal decompression may be recommended.

IDD Therapy is a computer-controlled mechanical treatment used by clinicians to gently and safely relieve pressure on specific discs, alleviate muscle spasm and increase mobility in the spine.
 
As part of the IDD Therapy programme, patients undergo a course of core-strengthening exercise to help them maintain their healthy spine.

In a small number of cases, patients with severe disc damage/degeneration may require invasive treatments including injections and/or surgery. Also, in rare circumstances, the patient may require immediate surgery, for example, when the bowel and bladder function is affected.

There are different types of surgery for a herniated disc, the most common is the microdiscectomy where fragments of the disc may be cut away.

Another common type of spinal surgery is the lumbar fusion where the vertebrae surrounding a disc are fused together.

Thus, there are now several treatment options available to patients with herniated discs and indeed, a wider array of effective non-surgical options allowing more patients to avoid invasive procedures.

Robert Shanks BSc (Hons) Ost
Clinical Director
Spine Plus
Tel: 020 8501 0937
www.SpinePlus.co.uk
Spine Plus is a group of multidisciplinary clinics in London and Essex

For more details about IDD Therapy or to find your nearest IDD clinic, call Steadfast Clinics on 01279 602030 or visit www.SteadfastClinics.co.uk

Hereford back pain sufferer finally cured after 20 years with IDD Therapy

"My life was ruled by back pain...until IDD Therapy Spinal Decompression came to my rescue."

56 year old Steve Moore of Avenue Landscapes, Hereford suffered for 20 years with severe back pain which overshadowed all aspects of his life.  He explains:

“The pain I suffered was unbearable at times and it had a negative impact on my life in general.  I have a very physical job as a landscape gardener so the spasms I suffered affected the way I worked; my body was very stiff and I wasn’t able to bend forward without support so this made strenuous tasks such as digging and putting up fences very difficult.”

Over the years Steve tried several manual treatments including chiropractic, acupuncture and massage therapy.  The treatments helped him but the therapeutic effects were only ever temporary.

“The treatments I got from the chiropractor, acupuncturist and sports massage therapist seemed to relax my spine at the time but after a day or two I would feel the spasms returning and once again my back would tense up and I’d be afraid to move.”

In November 2011 Steve’s condition worsened and as well as the pain in his lower back, he began to get pain across the middle of his spine, in his ribs and a sciatic pain radiating down his thighs.

“Suddenly, over a period of a few weeks, my pain seemed to travel into other parts of my back and I began to get shooting pains down my thighs.”

Steve’s sports therapist suggested that he visit Leominster Osteopaths as the clinic was offering a non-surgical back pain treatment called IDD Therapy which might be able to help him.

“In January 2012 I went to Leominster Osteopaths; they arranged an MRI scan which showed that I had scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and several disc bulges which were pressing on some nerves in my spine.”

Steve was advised that the safest and most appropriate way to treat his condition would be a series of IDD Therapy treatments.

Back pain conditions are usually located at a particular level of the spine.  IDD Therapy is a mechanical treatment which uses gentle and precise computer-controlled pulling forces to safely distract (draw apart) targeted segments of the spine, taking pressure off specific discs and relieving muscle spasm.

“I felt relieved when I was told that my condition could be treated with IDD Therapy.  I had to be patient as the improvement was very gradual but with every session I became more mobile and was in less pain.

At the end of the programme I was completely free of pain - and two years later, I’m still amazed that can do my job and live my life without anything holding me back.”

Clinic Director Mark Roughley is delighted with the positive impact IDD Therapy has made on both his clinic and his patients.  He says:

“We’ve been treating patients with IDD Therapy for three years now.  If we didn’t have IDD, many of these patients would probably resort to invasive treatments such as injections or surgery.

IDD Therapy has finally enabled us to offer our patients an effective non-invasive treatment option.  IDD isn’t the answer to all back pain problems, but overall, our disc patients in particular, have seen a distinct and lasting improvement with the treatment.  

From a personal perspective, it’s extremely gratifying to know that we have been able to help them.”

For more details about back pain treatments including IDD Therapy at Leominster Osteopaths, please cal 01568 610610 or  visit www.LeominsterOsteopaths.co.uk 

IDD Therapy is available in clinics across the UK.  For details of your nearest provider please contact Steadfast Clinics on 0345 625 2566 or visit www.IDDTherapy.eu

Sheffield Physiotherapy Clinic now providing IDD Therapy Spinal Decompression for Back Pain and Neck Pain



John Wood Sheffield Physiotherapy (right) with
Stephen Small - IDD Therapy

We are delighted to welcome Sheffield Physiotherapy to the IDD Therapy Spinal Decompression network.

Clinic Director John Wood is a highly experienced physiotherapist who has been interested in IDD Therapy for a couple of years, having visited and seen the outcomes at several clinics. 

Before setting up his clinic John worked in the NHS and was a physiotherapy manager at a BMI hospital.  John has a number of tools in his clinic, including PAMM, and is a qualified acupuncture trainer. 

John says “Physiotherapy treatment is extremely effective in dealing with many forms of back pain; however some patients – particularly those with disc-related problems – need something more than manual therapy to help their condition improve.”

With his knowledge and enthusiasm, John looks forward to helping many patients in and around Sheffield who up until now, may have thought their options were limited to pain killers, injections or even surgery.

For more details call Sheffield Physiotherapy on  0114 268 6677 or visit www.sheffieldphysiotherapy.co.uk

Sussex Back Pain Clinic - IDD Therapy going from strength to strength

Sussex Back Pain Clinic is a long-established and highly respected osteopathy clinic in Brighton and Hove.  In 2010 it joined the growing number of clinics in the UK to adopt IDD Therapy non-surgical spinal decompression treatment for its back pain and neck pain sufferers.



The clinic’s Director, Steve Morris developed an interest in IDD Therapy treatment having heard of the outcomes reported at other clinics in the UK including the Leominster Osteopathic Clinic and The Buckingham Clinic in Glasgow.




SDS SPINA at Sussex Back Pain Clinic

 “IDD Therapy really started to get my attention at the beginning of last year.  IDD addresses the problems of traditional traction by targeting treatment to isolated segments of the spine in a safe gentle manner. 

IDD was reportedly providing solutions for patients with chronic back pain and neck pain, particularly those with disc-related problems.


“We hear a lot about new treatments but I was fortunate in that I knew some of the providers and so understood that they were serious. 

With my own experience treating discs, IDD Therapy had real appeal and having converted one of our small treatment rooms we got our IDD machine in October 2010.”

As with all new treatments, there is a gradual increase of awareness when a clinic has something new to offer their patients.  Already Steve Morris has some exceptional outcomes to share with prospective patients.



IDD Therapy treatment for low back pain

After three years of dull low back pain and sciatica 43 year old Neil found little relief from standard manual therapies.

“I injured my back whilst doing some heavy lifting at work.  The dull pain in my lower back came on quite suddenly and soon I had shooting pains down my leg.  I could only walk for ten minutes without the pain becoming unbearable.  I am a keen surfer but I couldn’t even bend down to pick up my surfboard!”



MRI scan confirms large disc prolapse

Finally, an MRI scan revealed that Neil was suffering with a prolapsed disc.  Steve Morris decided to treat Neil with a programme of IDD Therapy.  Neil gained relief within days of treatment.

Sussex Back Pain Clinic is seeing these outcomes on a weekly basis and uses established research tools to track and record patient progress.

The experiences are by no means exceptional; with over 800 clinics worldwide, IDD has helped hundreds of thousands of back and neck pain sufferers worldwide.

Steve Morris is unequivocal in his praise for IDD:

“This treatment has such potential.  Without doubt, some of the outcomes seen with IDD Therapy could not have been achieved with any conservative treatment.  For many back pain sufferers IDD is a revelation, allowing them to finally reclaim their lives.

Sussex Back Pain Clinic holds “open sessions” every month for sufferers to learn about back pain and the treatment programmes offered at the clinic.  For more details please call the clinic on 01273 725667 or go to http://www.sussexbackpainclinic.co.uk/ .