BDHH APRIL NEWS

  • BDHH Practitioner updates (Prosthetics & Orthotics)
  • DISS Program
  • April Promotion – Kids health
  • Focus on Pregnancy & Osteopathy

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Practitioner Update

Coming soon to BDHH Bayswater North, Samantha Barton will be offering Prosthetic & Orthotic consultations (along with her Remedial Massage). Here is a little more about how orthoses can help people.

Orthotist Sam Barton

Comprehensive Orthotic Treatment for Optimal Support & Mobility

At By Design Holistic Health, we provide expert orthotic care tailored to your individual needs, offering a holistic approach to managing mobility challenges, pain, and overall well-being. Our goal is to deliver customized solutions that enhance function, provide stability, and improve your quality of life.

Our Orthotic Services Include:

Foot Orthoses & Footwear Solutions – Professionally designed foot orthotics and specialized footwear to improve alignment, relieve discomfort, and enhance mobility.

Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) & Lower Limb Orthoses – Designed to support, brace, and stabilize the ankle, knee and lower limb, aiding in recovery and improving mobility.

Upper Limb Orthoses – Splints, and braces for upper limb injuries, arthritis, or other conditions requiring support for optimal function and pain management.

Spinal Bracing – From cervical collars to lumbar braces, we provide spinal support solutions for conditions that require stabilization, correction, or pain relief.

At BDHH we take pride in delivering personalized orthotic care that ensures the best possible outcomes for every individual. Whether you need support for injury recovery, chronic conditions, or enhanced daily function, our experienced team is here to help.

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DISS Program

Dr. Natalie Barton, Dr. Libby Rochstein and nurses Beck and Erin, are working in 5 local schools delivering health outcomes to secondary school students at their schools. This is an amazing program that BDHH is supporting as the accredited medical clinic. Libby will continue offering her medical acupuncture consults on Wednesday afternoons and Natalie will be in the clinic on Thursday afternoons offering her Integrative GP service, consulting with students and peri-menopausal women only.

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April Promotion

Kids supplements and products are 10% off for April and May. Here are some helpful tips to get your kids through the cooler months.

Autumn brings a unique set of challenges to our immune system such as smoke haze, cooler weather and increased humidity. I’d like to offer you some excellent tips to help fortify your child’s innate defences, protect them against avoidable illness and prepare for Winter.

Keep warm. Babies and children have less body mass to weight ratio compared to adults making them more susceptible to cold. Ensure their feet, lower back and necks are kept warm. Wear socks and slippers inside and shoes when playing outdoors. Jumpers, thermal tops and neck gaiters are excellent at keeping your children warm and toasty.

Encourage adequate rest. When your child is rested they are more resilient at fighting off illness. In my last article I wrote about sympathetic dominance or, Fight and Flight overdrive which results in chronic stress and compromised immune function. A well rested child will be relaxed and have better quality sleep. A significant amount of immune surveillance and repair occurs during sleep and a relaxed child will assimilate more nutrients in their small intestine. This is important given around 80% of immune function depends on gut health.

Amazing diet. A whole food diet, rich in plant-based foods that are seasonal and preferably organic will serve your family well. There is plenty of evidence to support the health effects of whole foods in preventing, treating and reversing illness. A diverse diet will provide a rich array of phytonutrients and building blocks that support excellent immune development and function. In my practice I encourage children to eat at least 15 different foods every day with as many colours of the rainbow. I get them to make a chart and map their success. It’s best to avoid cold food and drink during Autumn and Winter too. Remember, the body is trying to keep cold out, not invite it in.

My kids are still sick……Troubleshooting tips Sometimes though, kids are still prone to frequent illness. In these cases it’s necessary to dig deeper, and address the underlying cause(s). I routinely find that gut dysbiosis, nutrient deficiency, malabsorption, food sensitivity, and environmental drivers such as mould and biotoxins, compromise immune function. This can be quite a mine field to navigate and should be assessed by a qualified and experienced practitioner.

I have no doubt your kids immune systems will better for these tips. Wishing you all the best for a cosy and healthy Autumn and Winter time – Dr. Tim Howden, Naturopath

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Common Conditions During Pregnancy and Osteopathic Treatment
Dr. Schae Harrison – Osteopath

1. Low Back and Pelvic Pain

Low back pain is one of the most frequent complaints during pregnancy, affecting around 50–70% of the pregnant population, while pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is another common condition, impacting approximately 20% of the pregnant population. Sciatica, is another common condition experienced during pregnancy often related to the back, hip and pelvis region. As the uterus expands, the body’s center of gravity shifts, which can place additional strain on the lumbar spine and lower back muscles. The hormone, relaxin, which helps prepare the body for childbirth, also increases ligament laxity, further contributing to instability and pain.

Osteopathic treatment may help to alleviate low back pain by improving function, restoring mobility to the joints, and releasing muscle tension. Techniques such as spinal mobilisation and soft tissue therapy may help relax tight muscles and promote better posture, which may reduce strain on the lower back. A study by Liddle & Pennick (2015) found that osteopathic treatments significantly reduced low back pain and improved functional disability. Further evidence supports osteopathic treatment for low back pain and pelvic girdle pain during and post pregnancy (Franke et. al, 2017).

2. Middle Back Pain (Thoracic Pain)

As pregnancy progresses, many women experience pain in the upper back or thoracic spine due to changes in posture and the increased weight of the growing fetus. This pain can be exacerbated by prolonged sitting or standing, leading to discomfort in the thoracic region.

Osteopathic treatment targets the thoracic spine to reduce stiffness, restore normal joint function, and ease muscle tension. By addressing restrictions in the ribs and thoracic vertebrae, Osteopaths focus on assisting breathing mechanics, attempting to reduce overall discomfort.

3. Neck Pain (Cervical Pain)

Neck pain is another common complaint in pregnant women, often caused by postural changes, increased stress on the cervical spine, and tension from carrying additional weight. As the head and neck shift forward to compensate for the growing belly, the muscles of the neck and shoulders can become tight and painful.

Osteopathic treatment for neck pain focuses on releasing tension in the cervical spine, improving normal range of motion. Gentle techniques such as soft tissue massage and cervical mobilisation may help achieve this.

4. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the wrist, leading to pain, numbness, and tingling in the hands and fingers. Pregnancy-related changes, including swelling and fluid retention, can contribute to the development of this condition.

Osteopathic treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome includes techniques to release tension in the wrists and forearms, improve circulation, and address any restrictions in the cervical spine and upper extremities that may contribute to nerve irritation. Burnham et. al, (2015) demonstrated that Osteopathic treatments could significantly reduce carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms during pregnancy.

Summing it all up

Osteopathic treatment offers a safe, non-invasive approach to managing many of the common musculoskeletal conditions that arise during pregnancy. With its focus on improving structure and function, reducing muscle tension, and supporting the body’s natural healing processes, Osteopathy may help pregnant women achieve symptomatic relief from low back pain, pelvic girdle pain, sciatica, thoracic pain, neck pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

If you or someone you know has been wondering about whether Osteopathic treatment is suitable, feel free to give us a call or book an appointment – Dr. Schae Harrison (Osteopath)