Jaw pain can be present as a headache or pain along the face or jaw. Some people suffer ear fullness, joint noises or TMJ Disc locking. Causes may include abnormal chewing behaviours, posture, and neck joint dysfunction.
We examine for joint and muscle dysfunction to help you control and limit the problem and then use specific treatment to give you lasting relief. We also work with dental, medical or specialist practitioners when needed.
Back pain is very common, affecting 8 out of 10 people. It usually settles quickly over a few weeks and sometimes can cause residual discomfort over a few months. Exercise and spinal joint mobilisation or manipulation are effective and safe techniques. The scientific evidence about low back pain suggests longer-term success with back pain relies just as much on lifestyle, your activity level and how you perceive the problem. It is important to get excellent treatment and good guidance from the specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist here at Peak MSK to recover your lifestyle.
Headache, migraine, and facial pain may relate to the joints, muscles, or nerves of the face, jaw, and neck. Occasionally it may account for balance and reading problems. Half to three-quarters of adults aged 18-65 years in the world have had headaches in the last year and, among them, 30% or more have reported having migraines. The World Health Organisation in 2010 listed Tension-Type Headaches and Migraine after Toothache as the most prevalent of disorders. Headache is a global problem in any language.
A part of the nerve system in the deep brain called the brainstem relays information from the head, neck, and face. Its sensitivity is becoming increasingly recognised as a common denominator across migraine. This means your neck is may a cause, and this can be treated successfully with physiotherapy.
Neck pain may relate to the joints, muscles or nerves of the neck. It may cause pain in the upper back or arms as well. Occasionally it may account for balance and reading problems. Longer-term neck pain usually has features of poor head-on-neck control, poor muscle coordination and neck joint stiffness. Your specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist will examine for these and other features and prescribe hands-on treatment and a restorative programme to give you back your comfort.
Pain may stay after the injured tissues have fully healed. The causes are very complex and related to changes in the responsiveness of the nerve system to sensation. Often the response is over-amplified or out of proportion because the nerve system adapts “high geared” protective responsiveness.
In this case, we work as part of the team of professionals that may be involved in your care. Musculoskeletal physiotherapy management addresses movement patterns to ensure healthy body movement and loading. It also involves reviewing how you manage activity and how you cope with pain to help you control and limit any nerve system overdrive.
We can advise on proper warm-up but not how to reduce your handicap. Importantly these problems are often not just overuse, but a combination of overstressed tendon tissue and changes in the way the nervous system interprets the stress and strain, compounding the discomfort.
Strategies to control and improve the situation are employed, looking at upper limb movement, posture and spinal mechanics. Your golf coach may also be consulted.
Scientific evidence points to the importance of rehabilitation after surgery. The recovery of tissues means ensuring you have the right movement control so your body is working in a healthy way. Starting your “prehabilitation” before your operation may also help obtain better outcomes after your surgery.
Knee or hip pain may arise from poor loading through these joints, poor muscle coordination, or through wear and tear. Increasingly, specific neuromuscular exercise is being recognised as key to minimising loads that cause excessive strain or wearing of the joints.
