I set up Tilehurst Chiropractic on the Tilehurst Road, Reading in 2003.
After nearly 10 years seeing Tilehurst Chiropractic expand and after outgrowing our previous location, Tilehurst Chiropractic rebranded in 2013 as the Reading Chiropractor, and we moved to our current location at the Reading Health Centre.
– Pain relief: Chiropractic care may be able to help reduce the pain associated with elbow conditions, such as tendonitis (tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow), sprains, strains, arthritis, or bursitis.
– Improved function: Chiropractic care can help improve the range of motion and flexibility of your elbow, allowing you to perform your daily tasks with ease.
– Drug-free treatment: Chiropractic care is a natural and non-invasive way to treat elbow pain, without relying on medications that may have side effects or interactions.
– Prevention: Chiropractic care can help prevent elbow pain from recurring or worsening by addressing the root cause of the problem and improving your posture and biomechanics with exercises prescribed to help you manage or prevent the pain from reoccurring.
Don’t let elbow pain stop you from enjoying your life. Chiropractic care can help treat elbow pain by addressing its root cause and restoring your joint health. If you’re interested in trying chiropractic care for your elbow pain, contact us today by calling us on 01189 394040, or by emailing us at admin@reading-chiropractor.co.uk and book an appointment.
We’ll help you get rid of your elbow pain and get back to doing what you love.
Is there something causing this discomfort?
The chiropractic approach to treating pelvic and hip pain may be the answer to your questions?
How does a chiropractor treat pelvic or hip pain?
Our chiropractic philosophy is to help our patients achieve the optimum level of spinal health, providing treatment of the highest quality, in a comfortable and sympathetic environment. We aim to ease your pain and increase your movement using safe, quick and gentle techniques. ?
Do you suffer with repetitive back pain and struggle get some relief?
Do you wonder which exercises are the right type of exercises you need to do for your type of back pain?
Your Posture is important!
Having a good posture (and maintaining it) is key in the prevention of back pain.
Straighten Up UK is a programme of simple exercises devised by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA), and designed to improve posture and help prevent back pain.
Whilst no one is immune from back pain, these simple exercises you can can promote balance, strength and flexibility in the spine to help promote a better posture and reduce the risk of back pain.
At the Reading Chiropractor we want our patients free of pain and to know what to do to be able to manage their condition. Along with chiropractic treatment, we give advice to encourage adults and children alike to start exercising to prevent recurrence of their issues.
With Straighten Up UK this set of simple, three minute exercises. are designed to be done on a daily basis and become part of the daily routine.
The programme is divided into three simple segments:
Stars: Warm Up
Flying Friends: Posture Care
Core Balance: Finish the Session
Easy to learn and do, the sequence of exercises consists of precise, slow stretches, each with a specific purpose. The Straighten Up materials have been developed with both adults and children in mind.
As you are aware, following the outbreak of Corona Virus, we were instructed by our professional association to cease all face to face appointments as of immediate effect. Thereby reducing the risk to you (the patient) and to us at the clinic, by limiting exposure.
WE ARE OPEN!
We have recently been advised that we are now able to start seeing patients again for URGENT care only. This means if you have a problem which is:
– affecting your ability to work
– not responding to advice or medication
– making you consider visit a healthcare professional
and you are not:
– seriously ill
– in the shielding group
– unwell and over 70 years of age
then we may be able to see you for an appointment.
To book an appointment you can call 01189 39 40 40 (this will be diverted to David’s mobile phone) or email admin@reading-chiropractor.co.uk
You will notice many changes have been put in place at the clinic to help keep you and us safe. We will operate a strict screening process. Appointment times will be longer to allow for a thorough sterilisation between patients and to avoid your exposure to others. PPE will be worn, and we ask that you wear a mask or mouth and nose covering (scarf/bandana).
So if we can help, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Due to the ongoing situation with Corona Virus, we have been instructed by our professional association to cease all face to face appointments as of immediate effect.
The Coronavirus
As such, any of your existing appointments with us have been cancelled, and we will contact you when the situation has changed and we are open to see patients again.
Should you experience any issues which we can help you with or if you do feel you need to speak with us regarding your condition please call us on 01189394040 (the clinic phone will divert to David’s mobile phone ). Alternatively you can email admin@reading-chiropractor.co.uk
We will do what we can to help you during this time. We are here for you please do not hesitate!
VW Reveals UK’S £21 Billion ‘Builder’s Back’ Bill – British Chiropractic Association, Posted on 2nd Apr 2019 by BCA
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles reveals 70% of van drivers suffer from back pain • Van drivers take an average of three weeks off work a year due to ‘Builder’s Back’ • Downtime caused by bad backs costs UK economy an estimated £21 billion per year* • Brand partners with British Chiropractic Association (BCA) to reveal top tips to sit correctly behind the wheel.
More than two-thirds (70%) of van drivers have taken time off work due to back pain** – costing the UK economy on average £21 billion per year, according to a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles survey.
Drivers who suffer from ‘Builder’s Back’ take an average of three weeks off work** and the resulting downtime costs companies an estimated £500 a day per van. Poor seat adjustment could be to blame for triggering back issues, especially as many drivers spend up to seven hours a day in their vans.
During a day’s testing spent at Cordwallis Van Centre, Heathrow, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and a chiropractor from the BCA discovered that while half of van drivers say that they adjust their seat to the correct position, two-thirds are still sitting incorrectly or missing crucial steps***.
Although most drivers adjusted their seats before driving, many committed common mistakes of positioning the seat too close to the steering wheel and angling the seat too far back.
Prab Chandhok, chiropractor and member of, British Chiropractic Association, commented: “Many people now point to driving as a trigger for their back or neck pain, so it’s really important that your van is set up properly for your needs, to help ease the strain that driving – especially for long periods of time – can have on your back and neck.
“The key thing to remember is that there is no single seat that is perfect for everyone, so it’s practical to test the seat out fully before you buy a new vehicle. The more adjustable it is the better.â€
Sarah Cox, Head of Marketing of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “Labourers commonly suffer from ‘Builder’s Back’ for a variety of reasons but poor seating position can often be overlooked. Our research made it evident that the majority of drivers don’t adjust their seats correctly. The effect of this is not only causing over two-thirds of van drivers to suffer from back pain but also hits the UK economy with up to £21 billion in opportunity cost.
“We were delighted the BCA were on hand to help us during our testing at the Cordwallis Van Centre and to provide us with some top tips to ensure drivers are able to understand the correct way to adjust their seats and avoid back pain.
“As part of our brand promise, Working With You, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ aims to create the smoothest and most comfortable journey possible for van drivers, and in turn avoid downtime, especially as so many of our customers spend such extended periods of time in their van.â€
SEVEN TIPS TO ADJUST YOUR SEAT
1. Height: Your thighs should be as parallel to the floor as your seat will allow, and where possible try to get your hips higher than your knees. You should also adjust the thigh support if you have one to ensure you have the maximum surface of your thighs touching the seat. 2. Pedals: You should be able to push the pedals to the floor with a bend in your knees. 3. 110°: Bring your seat all the way up so it’s straight and then take it back until you are comfortable whilst maintaining a 110 degree angle between your back and thighs. 4. Lumbar Support: The lumbar support should be adjusted so you can feel it support the hollow in your back but so it’s not causing your spine to arch more than is normal for you. 5. Head Restraint: The height and angle of your head restraint should be adjusted so you can feel the centre of the support touch the middle of the back of your head, although it does not need to be touching at all times 6. Steering Wheel: Once in correct seating position, bring your arm up in front of you and position the centre of the steering wheel to be in line with the fold of your wrist. 7. Rear Mirror: Lift up your chest by five degrees and then adjust your mirrors to help stay in an upright position on long drives.
*Figure is based on £500 a day downtime costs. 70% of 4 million van drivers and an average of 15 days off work due to back pain
**Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles survey, October 2018, 500 UK van drivers
***Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and British Chiropractic Association test data, November 2018
Generally it is best to apply cold therapy to your back in the first 24 to 72 hours following an injury, and back injuries are no different. Cold can help to reduce the inflammation and swelling caused by the injury. This in turn will reduce your pain by numbing the area through the slowing the response of the nerve endings and also decrease the tissue damage caused by the inflammation.
Cold can be applied in numerous ways: a frozen bag of vegetables (peas work well) , frozen gel packs, and ice cubes in a damp towel. Regardless of which option you choose, make sure to note the following precautions:
To avoid burning the area, place a towel or tea-towel between the ice and your skin.
Apply cold therapy for no more than 15-20 minutes at a time. You can re-apply cold therapy every hour up to 8 to 10 times per 24 hour period.
Use heat to encourage healing
After the initial swelling and inflammation has eased, applying heat therapy will encourage healing in your lower back. Heat helps to stimulates blood flow in the area of injury, thereby allowing the inflammatory mediators and damaged cells to be removed whilst bringing oxygen and nutrients to help repair the damaged tissues. Heat can also inhibit the transmission of pain signals to your brain and decrease your stiffness by helping to relax tight scar tissue in the muscles and ligaments.
At the Reading Chiropractor, we would always recommend the use of moist heat therapy, this penetrates deeper and therefore will have more of an effect to the deeper tissues of the low back. This can be achieved with a hot water bottle wrapped in a moist towel, or a nice warm bath.
If you have diabetes, an open wound, or dermatitis it is best to avoid heat therapy altogether.
Additionally, if you do suffer from extended or chronic lower back pain make sure to receive care from a qualified medical professional, such as a chiropractor at the Reading Chiropractor. Relying on self-care for too long may make your back pain worse.
To read more on the on the use of ice-packs in the relief of low-back pain https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/heat-therapy-cold-therapy/ice-packs-back-pain-relief
A new study shows that doctors are actually quite bad at estimating the benefit andharm associated with treatments they prescribe.
As a chiropractor I am a primary contact practitioner. This means that patients come to see me with all types of ailments, some of which are chiropractic issues (for which we can help) and others are not, which we need to be aware of and refer out.
As a result, on the initial consultation we perform a detailed medical history. I am amazed at the amount of times patients are unaware as to why they are taking certain medications or why they have had certain medical procedures performed.
We all have an individual responsibility towards OUR OWN health, and naturally this includes our healthcare.
In a systematic review of 48 studies performed in 17 countries and involving more than 13,000 clinicians, they found that doctors rarely had accurate expectations of benefits or harms. The inaccuracies were in both directions but more often, harm was underestimated and benefit overestimated. V
If highly trained doctors don’t understand their colleagues’ intentions it stands to reason that most patients feel even more hapless, caught in an endless tangle of tests and explanations but the knowledge and power asymmetry is such that it’s impossible to question the doctor, who must surely know better (if not best).
To help make better decisions with your doctor on benefit vs harm, here are three questions that every patient should ask of every new proposed drug or intervention:
What are my options?
What are the specific benefits and harms to me?
What happens if I do nothing?
If patients asked these questions more often and doctors took it upon themselves to answer faithfully, medicine might yet experience a new dawn.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published updated guidance on low back pain and sciatica, including recommending manipulation and massage with exercise in all its forms such as: stretching, strengthening, aerobics and yoga .
The guidelines also recommend encouraging people to continue with normal activities as far as possible.
Acupuncture for treating low back pain is not recommended, as current research has not shown this to be effective, however massage and manipulation with exercise is recommended.
In regards to medication, paracetamol on its own should no longer be the first option for managing low back pain. Instead, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or aspirin, should be tried first. Weak opioids, such as codeine, are now only recommended for acute back pain when NSAIDs have not worked or are not suitable.
Combined physical treatments (such as Chiropractic) and psychological or talking therapies are recommended for people who have not seen an improvement in their pain on previous treatments, or who have significant psychological and social barriers to recovery.
The updated guidance has been expanded to include people with sciatica, a painful condition typically caused by irritation or compression of the nerves that run from the lower back, through the legs and down to the feet.
Professor Mark Baker, clinical practice director for NICE, said: “Millions of people are affected every year by these often debilitating and distressing conditions. For most their symptoms improve in days or weeks. However for some, the pain can be distressing and persist for a long time.
Low back pain causes more disability than any other condition, affecting 1 in 10 people and becoming more common with increasing age.
In the UK it is estimated that low back pain is responsible for 37% of all chronic pain in men and 44% in women and the total cost of low back pain to the UK economy is reckoned to be over £12 billion per year.
Sciatica is also a relatively common condition, with estimates suggesting that as many as 40% of people will experience it at some point in their lives.
Professor Baker added: “It is possible to reduce the impact that low back pain and sciatica can have on people’s lives. The guideline continues to recommend a stepped care approach and means people whose pain or function are not improving despite initial treatment should have access to a choice of further therapies.
“Our aim with this guideline is to give clarity and set out the most clinical and cost effective ways to treat low back pain and sciatica based on the best available evidence.â€
Straighten Up UK is a programme of simple exercises devised by the British 
