Researchers have finally been able to show what happens in utero when pregnant women sleep on their side compared to sleep on their backs. And what they found is that it is better to sleep on your side. According to an article on essentialbaby.com.au, scans revealed the following:
“prior work has established that maternal sleeping position – specifically sleeping on the back – is associated with increased risk of stillbirth”
“It is known, however, that sleeping on the left side of the body increases the amount of blood and nutrients that reach the placenta and the baby.”
“when a …

I saw an interesting article recently which I thought I would share with you all. In the article, 5 experts were asked whether they thought it was safe and advisable to give painkilling medications to children. The people asked included a paediatrician, pain specialist, pharmacist and anaesthetist.
They mostly agreed that it was but had certain contingencies on that.
Some choice quotes:
Caregivers have to ensure, however, the child is carefully monitored and dosage is very carefully calculated and delivered safely. A child in pain is no less than an adult in pain, …

Did you catch the latest article on Neurosciencenews.com? If not, you’re in luck, because I did! In the article, a summary of research was outlined which showed the benefits of microbreaks for students and adults alike.
According to the study, it was shown that taking a break and doing a series of brief exercises led to:

An improved ability to focus attention
An improved ability to retain information, and
Improvements in overall learning ability.

To read more, see below.
New research from a team of scientists at McMaster University suggests that brief exercise breaks during lectures …

Super exciting news! We have a Myotherapist joining the clinic! Jess Goodwin is a Sports Therapist who studied in the UK before moving to Sydney and setting up Sydney Sports Therapy in Oatley. A Sports Therapist is the UK equivalent of a Myotherapist.

Myotherapists do university degrees studying how to diagnose and treat soft tissue injuries, so they’re basically the most highly qualified massage therapist you will ever see. I love seeing them myself so I’m really happy we are going to have one here!

There aren’t many Myotherapists here in …

A recent article on the Sydney Morning Herald website has summarised “the best available research on preventing cognitive decline and dementia”.
There are a variety of recommendations based on statistical data showing the common traits and pastimes of Australians. The researchers looked at the behaviours of people who went on to develop dementia and tried to find the differences between them and people who did not, to see what might make a difference, and why.
According to the article “more than a third of Australians aged between 70 and 90 will develop …

A recent article on The Guardian website claims that “Vast numbers of people with lower back pain across the world are being harmed, not helped, by the surgery, injections and dangerous opioid drugs they are given, according to a major new report”.
The report they refer to is a series of articles published on the medical website The Lancet, which concludes that:

“Investigating using MRI scans is counterproductive, the experts say.”
“MRIs will pick up physical abnormalities that may not be the source of the pain.”
“Scans often result in surgery or other interventions, but the …

According to a recent article on the Sydney Morning Herald website, “the peak body for rheumatologists has publicly urged doctors to try to avoid arthroscopic knee surgery, for patients with osteoarthritis, especially if they’re over 50”.
Instead, they are urging doctors to recommend seeking alternative therapies and to try to strengthen their knee joints.
It’s taken a long time – studies on this have been appearing for more than 15 years, and the downside to surgery can be huge (the cost, the recovery time, the risk of infection or death).
The official statement …

Now that codeine has been made prescription only, what are your alternatives? A recent article on the ABC Health website breaks down your options really well. It takes you through various conditions like Migraines, Period Pain, Cold and Flu etc to give you the best up to date information.
Firs of all we should point out that pain medications are only ever meant to be temporary measures. if you really want a solution you should consult your health care practitioner to try to get to the bottom of things and find …

Researchers have found a link between a super common food additive and chronic pain. A study of chronic pain sufferers found that when they reduced their intake of the flavour enhancer GLUTAMATE.
The results of reducing glutamate intake was compared with the use of painkilling medications, and was reported to be roughly the same.
To find out if there is glutamate in your diet, look for the following names:
Glutamate is also a naturally occurring chemical in some foods, like soy sauce and parmesan cheese, but is more commonly found as a food …

As I mentioned in my last article, the number one thing I recommend for students (and their parents) are regular breaks. Stand up from your desk/table/computer/laptop/tablet/phablet every 30 minutes. Move around, stretch your neck or shoulders, take a few deep breaths, then sit down and start again.
If you want to take your game to the next level, incorporate some meditation, mindfulness, or relaxation techniques. Next door to our clinic is the OpenGround Mindfulness Training Centre, and when I spoke to Tim Goddard there she recommended the HeadSpace app as a …