Living with pain is hard but there are some foods that can help ease pain, particularly those struggling with aches and pains in their muscles and joints. I was chatting with my Mum recently and she was raving about the healing powers of banana peel on our skin. I had heard about this years ago but hadn’t really thought about it any further. Here are some other foods that can help ease pain. Ginger This is one of my favourite spices. It has got some seriously impressive anti-inflammatory powers. A study carried out by the University of Miami found that ginger extract can be as effective as non ..read more

Love running but struggling with persistent pain and stiffness in the bottom of your foot? You may have a condition known as Plantar Fasciitis. These are the best exercises to prevent plantar fasciitis Firstly, let’s talk about what is causing the pain in the first place. The plantar fascia is the thick piece of tissue or ligament that connects the heel bone to your toes. One of its main functions is to support the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets swollen and inflamed and this is what causes the pain. Plantar Fasciitis is common in people who run a lot, especially ..read more

A tightening of the head and neck muscles may be causing your neck pain and headaches. This is called a tension headache and is common among teenagers and adults. Here’s how osteopathy can help. Many of us are using smartphones, tablets and laptops for hours on end so it is no wonder neck pain and headaches are one of the most common conditions we treat at Nolan Osteopathy. What causes a tension headache? Tension headaches are usually caused by a tightening of the head and neck muscles. This can irritate the blood vessels in or around the head. It can also irritate the meninges, which are thre ..read more

Many people struggle to get a good night’s sleep and lower back pain is often a key reason. The Sleep Council recommends that healthy adults should get 7 to 9 hours sleep per night. Children and teenagers need even more than this. This blog explains the best way to sleep if you have lower back pain. How can I sleep better? While there is no one right way to sleep, there are some sleep positions that we as osteopaths recommend to people who suffer with certain types of pain and medical conditions.  The best position to sleep is on your back or else on your side, especially if your lower ba ..read more

Why does my jaw hurt? Jaw pain can be caused by a problem with your TMJ or your temporomandibular joint. Some people will have a clicking jaw but no pain and this can also be unpleasant. This joint is located just in front of your ear and connects your jaw to the skull. If the joint gets damaged or you suffer an injury to it while playing sports, for example, you can experience pain in your jaw and ear. You are likely to have a problem with your TMJ if any of the following symptoms familiar; pain under the ear behind the jaw bone a clicking, popping or grinding noise when you chew a buzzing/b ..read more

An osteopath is trained to find the underlying cause of your pain and is able to treat sciatica in a gentle and natural way. What is sciatica? Sciatica is caused by the compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve. This is a large nerve that runs from your lower back, into the buttocks and down the back of both legs to the feet. What are the symptoms of sciatica? Firstly, the symptoms can vary from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms of sciatica are; – Persistent pain down one buttock or leg – Pain that is worse when sitting down due to nerve irritation – Weakness, numbness or ..read more

We get asked a lot by our patients what they can do to boost their immune system. The simple answer is a balanced diet goes a long way to keeping your immune system working in optimum condition. The best foods to support your immune system will have lots of vitamins such as A, B6, C, D and E and key minerals such as zinc, selenium and copper. Here is what we recommend. Spinach Spinach is packed full of vitamins and minerals that support a healthy immune system. It is a great source of vitamins A, B2, B6, C and E. You’ll also find lots of calcium, potassium, zinc and phosphorus in there. Red pe ..read more

OUR CLINICS REMAIN OPEN Our clinics in Henley on Thames and Thatcham will remain OPEN during the current period of restrictions as announced by the government on 04.01.21 Osteopathy is considered essential healthcare by the government and Public Health England. We are supporting the NHS to carry out urgent and non-urgent services safely and it is vital anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help. You are permitted to leave home for healthcare appointments. Therefore, we will continue to provide treatment for both NEW and EXISTING patients. Our strict ..read more

OUR CLINICS REMAIN OPEN IN HENLEY ON THAMES AND THATCHAM We are heading back into a second national lockdown. Thankfully the public is still allowed to access healthcare services and this includes osteopathy. This means that our clinics in Henley on Thames and in Thatcham are OPEN. Osteopaths are considered essential healthcare workers by the government. We can remain open to provide much needed local health services. Here is a helpful video explaining what you can expect when you come to visit us at our clinics. The Prime Minister has recommended that the public should keep scheduled appoin ..read more

It’s a jungle out there!! Yep I’m talking about the health & fitness industry. I work in this industry and even I’m bamboozled by the amount of “experts” out there, each promoting their own unique ground breaking formula on how I can improve my health and get in better shape in 2021 I don’t know about you but I find it all a little extreme for the vast majority of people, who just want some simple advice on how they can improve their health Here are the 5 simple lifestyle habits that I follow and when I’m consistent with them, I can honestly say make a huge difference to my health and ha ..read more