Why people come to the clinic

Many people choose to see a physiotherapist because their problem is stopping them from working or is disturbing their sleep. Maybe they aren't able to sit, stand or walk without getting their symptoms.

Perhaps the problem is getting in the way of the things they enjoy doing such as gardening, a favourite sport or playing a musical instrument.

For some, painkillers and tablets are not the answer, and they feel they want to understand their problem in more depth, perhaps finding out what they can do to help themselves.

There is no doubt that aches, pains, pins and needles and other sensations can sometimes be quite worrying or even depressing, making the sufferer more irritable and 'down' than usual. Loss of confidence is a common complaint.

Physiotherapy is a popular form of treatment for all aches, pains and sporting injuries. Some people attend just one or two sessions, with the physiotherapist acting more as a 'teacher', giving advice about exercises tailored for them, which can be done at home. In fact many people find that being given up to date information about their problem is helpful and reassuring. Others may need or want more than this, and this can be discussed with the physiotherapist during the first consultation.

           The first consultation

At the first session the main aim is to find out where the symptoms are coming from in the body (this is usually joint pain, muscle pain, nerve pain or a combination of these) with the ultimate goal of removing the cause of the symptoms with physical treatment. As an example let's consider a person suffering with Elbow Pain and the diagnosis is Tennis Elbow or 'Elbow Tendonitis.' They may have been wearing a Tennis Elbow Brace for a few months, but this hasn't helped. During the initial consultation the physiotherapist will take a history and examine the area to confirm the diagnosis. The physiotherapist will also often examine the neck and shoulder and whole arm, as referred pain is common.

Before starting any treatment, a discussion will take place about what the physiotherapist thinks is wrong with you, and what treatment they think will help you.

Treatment then follows and this often consists of muscle and joint stretching or manipulation, taping, relief of pressure from irritated nerves and muscle strengthening. Treatment is a comfortable experience. Advice is given about what can be done to prevent the problem returning and home exercises are often prescribed. In the case of Tennis Elbow it is common to prescribe Tennis Elbow Stretches and Tennis Elbow Exercises.

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