There are many different facets that need to come together in order for you to recover from a shoulder, elbow or hand problem.
The fact is that only about 10% of the people referred to me actually need an operation and even after that help is needed from physical therapists. It is vital to have the right mental attitude too. If you don’t think you will get better, or don’t want to get better, then your pain will always be with you.
There are many, many allied therapies of varying degrees of acceptance by the mainstream. Osteopathy and Chiropractic treatment I would now consider main stream (although that is very user dependent!).
A Chirpractor treating a shoulder.
There are an increasing number of clinics which combine Physiotherapists, Osteopaths and Chiropractors under the same roof and in the same team. They appreciate that one size doesn’t always fit all and by combining different modalities then their results improve.
An Osteopath treating a shoulder.
As we move a little more left-field the next treatmemt we encounter is Acupunture. Now, you might expect me, as a surgeon, to rather pooh-pooh this but it does seem to work and I have lots of patients who’s pain synptoms have been relieved with Acupuncture.
This can really help.
However everything beyond that has no statistical evidence or scientific background in its support. If it makes you feel better then fine but that is an emotional improvement and not a physical one. So, homeopathy, auras, hot stones etc etc etc are all…..nonsense.
Just nonsense!
Relaxing but not treating.
Sorry – more nonsense.
If it helps you then that is fine but do not expect me to advocate, recommend or prescribe any of these sort of treatments!
