Yugen

29/05/2022

A wonderful animation on the stresses and strains our bodies endure.

If you, or anyone you know, is in pain, suffers from chronic stress, or never quite did get over those old injuries; make an appointment today.

Alleviating pain, restoring function, and improving ones quality of life is our only objective here at yugen.

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.

12/05/2022

The BBC, Wednesday the 11th May 2022.

An exclusive survey of over 4,000 adults aged 16-75 for BBC News, carried out by research company Ipsos, suggests that a quarter of people in the UK are living with chronic pain - an often hidden and misunderstood condition.

Pain specialists warn the health service is not set up to deal with such complex conditions. They say the treatments on offer are decades behind the science, leaving millions of patients without the support they need to manage their pain.

07/04/2021

The Guardian, 7th April 2021.

"There is little or no evidence that treating chronic pain conditions with painkillers makes any difference to the person’s quality of life, or the pain they suffer, or their psychological distress; according to the new NICE guidelines on the assessment and management of chronic pain".

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.

https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2021/apr/07/chronic-pain-sufferers-should-take-exercise-not-analgesics-says-nice

Medicines watchdog recommends physical and psychological therapies when treating pain with no known cause

16/03/2021

The Times, 3rd of March 2021.

About 28 million people in the UK suffer with chronic pain, according to research led by Imperial College London and published in the journal BMJ Open in 2016. That’s 43 per cent of the population - more than the combined total of Britons who have heart disease or diabetes or who have had a stroke.

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chronic-pain-when-the-drugs-dont-work-this-doctor-has-a-plan-ghsmvqmnd

Long after the Covid emergency has subsided, Britain will remain in the grip of another terrible pandemic – an agonising plague of persistent pain that neither drugs nor surgery can salve. About 28

25/09/2020

As previously discussed, our autonomic nervous system regulates our organs without us consciously thinking about it. It controls organs such as our heart, stomach, intestines and some muscles. It is further recognised as having two branches; the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for our ‘fight or flight’ response. The SNS is what takes over when we would traditionally encounter danger such as a saber-toothed tiger. This response releases cortisol and adrenaline into our bloodstream for any energetic reactions required to keep us safe. Conversely the parasympathetic nervous system is our ‘rest and digest’ response. It helps us digest our food correctly and get adequate rest.

We need both of these systems working equally for us to be healthy, however the problem occurs when one system becomes dominant.

Unfortunately, with the pressure and demands of modern life, a lot of us are perpetually stuck in sympathetic overload. Our body doesn’t know the difference between being stressed from a saber-toothed tiger or stressed from a deadline at work.

Sometimes it can be difficult to notice when we are in a state of sympathetic overload. We can be so consumed by the immediate ‘threats’ in front of us (bills, deadlines, etc) that we forget how stressful they are. Signs of being in sympathetic overload include feeling extremely sensitive, stressed, emotional or exhausted to name a few.

It’s important to note that the SNS isn’t all bad news, and we do want it to switch on at certain times. However we also need to find a balance and be able to turn off that stress response.

Yugen's top tips for correcting sympathetic overload:

1. Meditative breathing.
2. Mindfulness.
3. Laughter.
4. Live by your biorythms.
5. Social connection.
6. Stress reduction.
7. Exercise.
8. Get organised, and slow down.
9. Take care of yourself and listen to your body.
10. Wholesome diet and exercise!

If you, or anyone you know suffers from stress, anxiety, or just can't relax get in touch today and book an appointment.

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.

25/09/2020

Our autonomic nervous system involuntarily regulates everyday physiological functions and processes such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, digestion, visceral organ functions, and sexual arousal.

This is in stark contrast to our "voluntary" musculoskeletal system whereby we consciously decide to, and execute, movements.

As we have only unconscious, hormone controlled, autonomic ex*****on of these systems it is very difficult to stabilise a balance between fight/flight & rest/digest thought processes, and actual physiological reactions to stress, life, & events.

If you, or anyone you know suffers from stress, anxiety, or just can't relax get in touch today and book an appointment.

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.

15/09/2020

Our arterial circulatory system moving oxygenated blood from the heart to the body, and venous return, moving blood from the body back to the heart to get reoxygenated in the lungs. ❤️

02/09/2020

We are, our muscular system is, made up of 320 bilateral pairs, 640 isolated levers and pulleys functioning in harmonic groups, making up around 40% of our body weight, all complimenting each other, contracting and relaxing in perfect synergy to keep us moving, maintain posture, generate heat, breathe, communicate, and ultimately facilitate us to lead positively rewarding lives.

There are 3 types of muscle:

Skeletal Muscle; conscious stimulation to move us around and exercise. Muscle movement happens when neurological signals from the brain produce electrical & chemical changes in muscle cells, causing slow & fast twitch excitations of muscle fibres, resulting in musculoskeletal movement.

Smooth Muscle; involuntary, autonomous muscle fibres in our GI tract for digestion and in our blood vessels for blood/lymph regulation. It contracts in response to stimuli and nerve impulses, its peristaltic rhythms propel digestion and blood flow throughout the body.

Cardiac Muscle; this type of muscle creates its own electrical impulse to induce involuntary autonomous contractions that regulate your heart beat and drive blood through your entire body.

Muscular conditions we treat here at yugen are:

Muscle pain & tightness
Sprains & strains
Spasms & cramping
Neck pain
Frozen shoulders
Elbow, wrist, & hand problems
Lower back pain
Hip, knee, & ankle problems
Old injuries & rehabilitation
Fibromyalgia
Plantar fasciitis

If you, or anyone you know, suffers from muscle pain or discomfort, or pain during movement, get in touch and book an appointment.

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.

19/08/2020

The human nervous system.

Quite literally everything we sense, do, and experience. Every reactive reflex, every registered sensation, every executive motor movement.

Wow. Just wow.

If you, or anyone you know is experiencing pain, you will find it's origins within this neural network. Furthermore, the pain may NOT be coming from the area or structure in which it is felt or acknowledged; this is known as referred pain.

Understanding the mechanism of pain, how we perceive it, and what can be done to alleviate that pain is just about our only objective here at yugen.

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.

20/07/2020

At the base of our skull there is a group of small muscles, the suboccipital muscles; they are infamous pain generators, being the source of debilitating headache pain for many people. Recent research has demonstrated that tight suboccipital muscles at the base of our skull compress the corresponding nerves that set off a series of events that lead to tension-type and/or migraine like headaches

Tension-type headaches - A tension-type headache is the most common type of headache. The main symptom of a tension-type headache is pain on both sides of your head. Your neck may also ache. Tension-type headaches are usually treated with painkillers. Putting a cool flannel on your forehead or a warm flannel on your neck may help. Tension-type headaches can be triggered by things like stress, tiredness, dehydration and loud noises.

Migraines - A migraine is a condition that often causes painful headaches. A migraine can feel like a throbbing headache, usually on 1 side of the head. Other symptoms include feeling sick and sensitivity to light. You can ease symptoms of a migraine with painkillers and medicines to stop you feeling sick. Lying down in a dark room may also help. It's not entirely clear what causes migraines. They're known to be triggered by periods, stress, tiredness and certain foods or drinks. You may be able to reduce your migraines by avoiding things that tend to cause them. Eating and sleeping well and regular exercise can also help.

Cluster/Thunderclap headaches - Cluster headaches are a rare type of severe headache, perhaps the worst of them all, acute and intense. The main symptom of a cluster headache is attacks of severe pain in 1 side of your head, often felt around your eye. The main treatments for cluster headaches are injections or nasal sprays that you use soon after a headache starts. The exact cause of cluster headaches is unclear. They can sometimes be triggered by alcohol or strong smells like perfume, paint or petrol. You can help prevent cluster headaches by avoiding things that trigger them. Doctors can also prescribe medicine to help prevent attacks.

TMJ headaches - Sometimes headaches can be a direct result of TMJ disorders, or other times they can be secondary. The typical headache that occurs with TMJ is a tight, dull aching headache. It is most commonly on one side, but can be on both. Normally, it is worse on the side where the TMJ is worse. The headache is aggravated by jaw movement and relieves with jaw relaxation. It also is usually associated with tenderness of the jaw and nearby muscles.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6531183/

https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-019-1023-y

https://erikdalton.com/blog/suboccipital-triangle-headaches/

https://www.painscience.com/articles/spot-01-suboccipitals.php

There are other significant signs and complications that should not be overlooked regarding new headaches, or "the worst headache" you have ever experienced; it may be "different" or more severe than you normally experience.

If you, or anyone you know, suffers from headaches or migraines, get in touch and book an appointment.

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.

25/06/2020

We all know that different parts of our brains do different things.

This body map is called our cortical homunculus, it is a neurological representation of which part of our brain is dedicated to which part of our body, both motor and sensory. For example, brain injuries and strokes in this region will result in neurological deficits in the corresponding limb or organ, or postural and walking deterioration will be noticed.

Historically, the homunculus theory was the proposal that a fully formed individual existed within the germ cell of one of its parents prior to fertilisation, and would grow during gestation until ready to be born. This is known as "preformationism". (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/preformationism)

Note how much of the homunculus is dedicated to the face and hands, this represents how sensitive these areas are; our faces are particularly sensitive to light touch, and we have amazing fine touch capability with our hands and finger tips.

This is also where pain is received and consciously acknowledged. When we understand the mechanisms of pain and how it is perceived by each individual, and apply proven clinical reasoning on how to alleviate that pain, the implications on how this has a butterfly effect on a person's life, and that of their family, is HUGE.

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549841/

https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/140/11/3055/4566636

And here's a quick 2 minute video on our motor functions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APuiZCxDnTA

21/06/2020

But you just wouldn't believe me if I told you all the ways in which your feet and the way you walk are connected to your jaw...

Interestingly, dentists and other health professionals are increasingly recognizing the connections between TMJ dysfunction and pain experienced all over the entire body, particularly neck, shoulder, and back pain.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3976491/

https://www.greenbaydental.com/back-pain-and-tmj.html

https://dallascosmeticdental.com/tmj-connection-how-jaw-alignment-affects-whole-body/

https://www.thejoint.com/colorado/longmont/longmont-38019/204853-can-pain-in-your-jaw-be-from-your-spine

Being in pain is not how it is supposed to be. Let's do something about that.