HCE Chiropractic

12/07/2025

I've had such a lovely week off this week. Spent a lot of time outside visiting lots of places and playing tennis. 2nd to last day today and such fabulous weather again. What better way to spend it than sitting indoors renewing my first aid 😂🤦‍♀️ you better all be grateful! 😂

P.s. I would be grateful if none of you make me use it 🙂👍

04/07/2025

******** INJECTIONS ********

NO! This is NOT a vaccination post! This is a post about steroid injections. Actually, it is really about people taking an interest in their own health and understanding why certains treatments are being recommended and knowing what investigations may need to be done but it just happens that steroid injections have inspired the post 😜

I cannot tell you the number of patients that come to see me that have had steroid injections. Why? Most of the time they don't actually know. Not properly. I find this quite worrying. For example:

1) A while ago a patient came in with shoulder pain. Had previously been to the GP and NHS phsyio. They were told purely based on history and very brief physical exam that it was probably a "rotator cuff problem" (those of you that have had conversations with me about this will know how much I HATE this 🤦‍♀️) and advised to have a steroid injection. It didn't work. I'm not surprised if their diagnosis is "probably a rotator cuff problem"

2) Another patient I saw recently came in with low back pain radiating down the left leg. Again, had been to the GP and NHS phsyio. History and exam done and patient was advised it was probably the sacroiliac joint. Again, no imaging done and patient was advised to have a steroid injection. Again, it didn't work.

Patient 1 actually had osteoarthritis in the acromioclavicular joint (where the collar bone meets the shoulder) and after some laser treatment, manual therapy and exercises showed great signs of improvement and we are now just maintaining that.

Patient 2 had a herniated disc that was compressing one of the nerve roots in the spine and, again, after some treatment and exercise advice has made brilliant progress.

Now I am not setting out to bash GPs or physiotherapists as they get enough of that already and there are plenty out there that do an AMAZING job. This is also NOT a post bashing steroid injections. For a small group of people they have their place (although I do think they are given out WAY too often and not actually always required). BUT, what really gets my goat is when patients have these injections (or any other invasive treatments, with no proper diagnosis and no imaging. A "rotator cuff problem" is NOT a diagnosis. The rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles. Are they all screwed?! Probably not. Is it definitely one of the rotator cuff muscles that is the problem? Maybe but maybe not (as was tha case with patient 1). And just injecting someone in the back when you have no official diagnosis is just plain stupid (in my humble opinion). How can anyone know where and what to inject if they have not confirmed what the problem is?!

Now I know I have previously posted about how images don't always correlate with people's symptoms, and that is true, but surely they are a good place to start if you are planning on injecting someone?

So please, my plea to you, please please please make sure you fully understand what the problem is and, before having any invasive treatments such as steroid injections or surgery (yes I've had people that have had surgery and don't know why or what procedure was done), do some digging to see what alternative treatments there are and get some imaging done. The type of imaging depends on what the problem is and what we suspect is going on. If in doubt, get a 2nd opinion. A good clinician will have no issue with you seeking someone else's help/opinion/expertise as they should just want you to get better and nobody can know everything. I know I don't!

Rant over 😂. Have a lovely weekend everyone!

26/06/2025

******** Locked in syndrome********

If, like me, you have been bombarded with all the recent posts about a man suffering from 'locked in syndrome' after a routine visit to a chiropractor, you may now be fairly worried about seeing one. I totally get it! It is scary! So, I thought I would do a post explaining a little more about this. Not to "defend my profession" but to help people understand.

▪️ Locked in syndrome is a condition where a person is totally conscious but paralysed.
▪️ Locked in syndrome is very rare.
▪️ Locked in syndrome CAN be caused by a stroke but there are other causes too.
▪️ Symptoms of a stroke can include neck pain, dizziness and headache.
▪️ Many people will visit a chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist, GP for the above symptoms.
▪️ The above listed professionals are all trained to take a full and thorough history, conduct an appropriate examination and then reach the most logical/appropriate diagnosis.
▪️ There are times when conditions do not present in a typical way. For example; we have all seen/heard the FAST adverts. Has someone's face fallen on one side, can they raise their arms, is their speech impaired, act FAST. Stroke is NOT that simple although that is still a useful guide for the general public. Unfortunately, sometimes the only symptom someone has is a headache or neck pain and I have lost count of the number of people I have treated successfully for headaches and/or neck pain.
▪️ A stroke does not always happen instantly. It may take several days to weeks to fully present and can show signs of improvement and then regression.
▪️ With ANY treatment method there is some sort of risk. For treatments done by chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists etc, the risk is INCREDIBLY LOW.
▪️ Spinal adjusting (the "cracking") is a fantastic technique that is VERY EFFECTIVE a lot of the time although it is not suitable for everyone.
▪️ There have been MANY studies to determine cause and effect with spinal adjusting and stroke and, as far as I am aware, there is no reasonable research that says spinal adjusting will cause a stroke.
▪️ The conclusions to the majority of cases where a patient has suffered a stroke after seeing a chiropractor (for some reason chiropractors seem to be targeted far more than osteopaths and the physiotherapists who have trained in the same techniques 🤔) has been that the stroke was happening anyway and that person just happened to go to a chiropractor (or other healthcare professional) to seek treatment.

I am NOT in any way saying that no chiropractor has ever done anything wrong and of course, like all professions, sometimes things do get missed. In these instances, we have to learn and take steps to try to avoid future mistakes happening. We DO NOT jump on the bandwagon and attack the person or entire profession. It is also worth noting that, in this particular incident, the chiropractor spotted the signs of stroke during the appointment and sent him to hospital where the patient was initially misdiagnosed so I'm not sure why the chiropractor is the target of the headlines....

I hope this has helped a few people understand as the media is brilliant at spreading misinformation to create a headline. Please don't stop seeing your manual therapists as they can provide so much relief.

Feel free to share this post with anyone you know who may be concerned

21/06/2025

Anyone else have a musical animal? Thankfully she doesn't try to join in but whenever I sit and play my piano, Bella ALWAYS comes and sits or lies down next to me. My old cat used to do the same. Maisy couldn't care less and has no interest at all and is currently sat staring out the window at the sheep 😂

13/06/2025

After our 2 week elimination diet and 2.5 weeks off alcohol, this is very welcome. Happy weekend everyone! 🥂

04/06/2025

Many of you will know that an ill fitting bridle is one of my biggest bugbears.

Why Bridle Buckles Should Sit at Eye Level — Not on the TMJ

I thought id do a post about this for educational / awareness purposes, I see this alot and most of the time its simply because people are not aware.

Proper placement of the bridle’s cheekpiece buckles is more than just a matter of appearance — it’s crucial for your horse’s comfort and health. Buckles should sit roughly in line with the corner of the horse’s eye, not higher, where they can press against the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

The TMJ is located just in front of the ear, where the jaw hinges. It’s a sensitive, complex joint that plays a vital role in the horse’s ability to chew, flex at the poll, and respond softly to the bit. When bridle buckles sit too high, they can put direct pressure on this joint, especially when a noseband or bit is engaged.

Why This Matters:
Pain and discomfort: Constant pressure on the TMJ can cause soreness and inflammation, which may result in the horse displaying signs of discomfort such as head tossing, grinding the bit, or resisting contact.

Restricted movement: Pressure on the TMJ can limit the jaw’s natural motion, affecting chewing and soft acceptance of the bit.

Behavioural issues: A horse in discomfort may become anxious, unwilling to work, or develop avoidance behaviours under saddle.

By positioning the buckles at eye level, you ensure they rest on the flatter part of the horse’s face where there’s no joint or nerve pressure. This promotes relaxation, clearer communication through the reins, and a much more comfortable experience for your horse.

I personally prefer to ride without a nose band at home, less it more when it comes to a horses sensitive face/nerves in my opinion.

* The left bridle is made to measure, fly veils can alter fit so it was fitted with and without to ensure there was no pressure points. The right bridle is an example of an ill fitting " off the shelf " bridle.

04/06/2025

Day 4 of the elimination diet and I have learned some more things:

1) Gluten free pasta is surprisingly good
2) Vegan cheese is passable but definitely not as good as the real thing
3) Going to events like BBQs or post tennis match tea is quite annoying as can't eat any of the yummy food provided

I am however, thrilled to announce that I have found some cookies and fake crunchies that, apart from the price, make me very happy! 😂 my tea breaks have been saved 😂🍪☕

02/06/2025

Congratulations to sponsored rider Poppy Tiley and Harley on their win the the British Novice today! 🥇💪🍾

31/05/2025

For the next 2 weeks I am going to do an exclusion diet where I only eat foods that are free from:
Gluten
Nuts
Dairy
Eggs
Soya

Why? To see what effect this has on my energy levels and any aches and pains I have. I am always trying to learn more ways of helping my patients and nutrition can play a huge role in helping the body heal and be healthier.

Things I have learned to far:

1) Gluten free bread sucks as bread but is passable as toast
2) Coconut based yoghurt is vile and needs to be drowned in honey or jam
3) I need to find a nice snack to have with a cup of tea

If anyone can help with point 3 that would be amazing!

Also, if anyone else has done a similar thing, please comment with meal ideas that also don't contain fish as I can only just tolerate salmon. Any other fish is almost as vile as coconut yoghurt 😂

29/05/2025

Feeling a little bad that I forgot this one's 5th birthday yesterday! One of her struggles being the 2nd child 😂
She'd appreciate lots of birthday wishes to make up for the lack of parental attention yesterday 😂

17/05/2025

Friend and patient Ross Bartlett is in the middle of this awesome trip for charity. Going from John o' Groats to Lands End on a 1942 Fordson Standard. Awesome that people have even seen him and just donated without knowing him If you can spare anything I know he would be very grateful! Link is in the comments

13/05/2025

One of my horse clients today was a beautiful Clydesdale who has been recently rescued by her current owners. She was an absolute sweetheart and if I'd had a trailer attached to my car I'd have struggled not to take her home.

Anyhoo, aside from being very malnourished, she had a very pink shnoz (nose/muzzle for the non-horsey folk) which sadly was quite sunburnt. So this is a reminder to all of you who own horses with pink bits to check them regularly and make sure they don't burn. Butter cups in fields can also cause burns to a pink shnoz so look out for that too.

As is the norm for me I forgot to take any photos so this is just a stock image to show you that horses can burn just like we can