London Osteopath W1 N2 N10 Archives - The Robin Kiashek Clinics

GDPR – How the soft opt-in relates to our practice

In the final days of the rush to comply with the much-anticipated GDPR legislation ahead of the 25^th May deadline, we discovered a ‘soft opt-in’ ICO clause.

In plain English, this clause says is that if you give me verbal approval (during a Consultation, say) for me to send you my newsletter – in which there is always an ‘unsubscribe’ option – then your actual ‘opt-in’ written permission is not required after all, which is a great relief to everyone!

The actual wording – and this is taken from Page 2 of the GDPR Advice Sheet: Communicating with Patients (©Technology Tamed Limited 2018) headed ‘Marketing to Existing Patients’ – is:

‘The ICO has produced some specific guidance on communicating with existing “customers”, confirming that in most cases you do NOT have to contact your existing patients before May 25th to obtain their explicit permission to continue communicating with them.

This is what the ICO says: “131. Although organisations can generally only send marketing texts or emails with specific consent, there is an exception to this rule for existing customers, known as the ‘soft opt-in’. This means organisations can send marketing texts or emails if: · they have obtained the contact details in the course of a sale (or negotiations for a sale) of a product or service to that person; · they are only marketing their own similar products or services; and · they gave the person a simple opportunity to refuse or opt out of the marketing, both when first collecting the details and in every message after that.” *

Although this is not mentioned specifically in the GDPR Regulation text the ICO has confirmed that soft opt-in is permitted under GDPR. This means you may continue to email or text existing patients to tell them about new goods and services such as new therapists joining your practice as this would be deemed to be soft opt-in.

Note that you must provide a simple method for your patient to opt-out of receiving further marketing communications. This means having a clear option to unsubscribe from marketing emails (which is easy to do if you use a program such as Mailchimp) and in text messages giving the option for the patient to reply using a term such as “STOP” to remove them from the marketing database.’

You may remember that the ICO is short for the Information Commissioner’s Office, an independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

I hope that’s clear for everyone and that we can now all move forward in the knowledge that we are all compliant!

* Source: https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1555/direct-marketing-guidance.pdf

June 7, 2018/by Robin Kiashek

London Osteopath W1 N2 N10

Do Something Different!

Someone once mentioned to me that “we are the sum total of the decisions we make in life” Did you see Chelsea Cameron on Victoria Derbyshire’s show when she thanked her drug-dependent parents for all the things they DIDN’T do for her as a child and the choices she made subsequently?:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38825332

With this in mind, my wife Georgie and I found ourselves last year at a craft exhibition in London. Whilst we were looking for a particular exhibitor, we came across the work of Peter Lanyon who was exhibiting his woodcraft furniture in one of the stalls (www.peterlanyonfurniture.co.uk).

Rewinding the clock nearly 50 years, one of the few subjects I enjoyed at school, apart from Biology, was woodworking but being a boy and it being the 1970s, science was the obvious avenue to pursue.

Magazine rack made at school, circa 1973

I was taken by Peter’s beautiful handmade Devon furniture, which uses coppiced wood i.e. freshly cut unseasoned Greenwood and traditional woodworking tools. On the spur of the moment, I signed up with my wife to do Peter’s ‘Introduction to Greenwood Furniture Making’ for my 60^th birthday present!

Shaping the Ash legs from a split tree trunk

Whilst this was relatively familiar territory for me, for Georgie it was very much out of her comfort zone. So why mention this in my newsletter to you? The answer I believe is that as we all become older, so we become more set in our ways, both emotionally and physically. For most of my patients and our society generally, lives are largely sedentary and much like me, one gravitates towards what is most comfortable and familiar.

It is interesting I find how conquering one’s own, seemingly trivial, mental limitations can have profound and far-reaching results in one’s lives. My wife, who is a primary school teacher, had an OFSTED-type class inspection the following week after her return from Peter’s course. She claims that her ‘Outstanding’ OFSTED result was, in part, due to the positive emotional influence she felt having conquered her reservations of her own ability to do woodcraft.

The finished products (Georgie’s table left)

So my message to everyone is: DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT! It needn’t be doing a course – I sometimes ride my motorbike to work a different way …. it’s very small and trivial but it’s just “doing something different”. When was the last time you spontaneously said “hello” to a stranger in an elevator? How often do you stop to say “hello” to someone living rough? And so the list goes on and on. In NLP jargon, it’s called “changing state”.

February 8, 2017/by Robin Kiashek

London Osteopath W1 N2 N10

How to help relieve pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis during winter

Almost every one of us knows somebody who suffers from Arthritis, and of the most common statements you’ll have heard those friends or family members make is that their symptoms worsen in the winter. Indeed many people who have the condition go to warmer climates for a holiday at this time of year to lessen the symptoms.

In this article I will take a look at what arthritis is and why winter can make it so painful.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

It’s an autoimmune disease which causes stiffness and pain because of inflammation in the joints. It’s not to be confused with the much more common Osteoarthritis caused by regular wear and tear on the body which is why it troubles people as they get older. Osteoarthritis can cause deformities in the hands as can be evidenced on television in a well-known celebrity baker who is advanced in years.

Doctors usually treat Rheumatoid Arthritis with anti-inflammatories and pain relief medicine however a growing number of people are looking for a natural approach. If you remember a few months back when I circulated ‘The doctor who gave up drugs’ this is an approach I support as a registered naturopath.

Why are the symptoms of Arthritis harder to manage in winter?

According to Robert Jamieson, Professor at the Harvard Medical School and chief psychologist at the Pain Management Centre at Brigham Hospital, it may be a change in barometric pressure which causes the worsening of symptoms rather than cold, rain or snow. He carried out a survey focused on patients with chronic pain which reported “67.9% of the people surveyed responded that they were sure changes in the weather had an effect on their pain. Most of the patients reported that they can feel a change in their pain before rain or cold weather occur.”

His reasoning on it being barometric pressure cause was from a test conducted on a balloon. “When a balloon is inflated, it has the maximum inside and outside pressure. High barometric pressure that pushes against the body from the outside keeps tissues from expanding.” His conclusion was that the falling barometric pressure falls led to tissues expanding in the body and that in turn puts more pressure on nerves that control pain signals. He concluded that “it doesn’t take much expansion or contraction of tissue to affect a pain trigger.”

What if you can’t avoid bad weather?

Living in London makes bad weather pretty unavoidable and not all Arthritis sufferers have the luxury of being retired and able to spend chunks of the winter in sunnier regions. So I would suggest a number of lifestyle changes which could help to lessen your symptoms including:

Research naturopathy – we really are what we eat and there’s a connection to many foods and their ability to lessen inflammation. Turmeric contains Curcumin which is very well known for the aforementioned inflammation reduction properties, however if you feel you cannot eat enough curries to contain a beneficial amount there are supplements available in health food shops. Celery is also well known to reduce inflammation and a great way to eat as much as possible is through soup, I have included a recipe from the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/celerysoup_85016

If you are overweight try to lose a few pounds – the heavier you are, the more pressure you put on joints which in turn causes more pain
Try acupuncture – there is increasing evidence that acupuncture can lessen symptoms of arthritic pain. My website has much more information on acupuncture so that would be a good starting point in finding further information.
Exercise more – I said above that losing weight would help and regular exercise will aid this. However the more you flex joints the more you’ll keep them flexible so try things that aren’t weight bearing (as running would cause more damage) like swimming or yoga. It’s purely coincidental that my other article this month is on the benefits of yoga to chronic back pain sufferers.

In summary, there is a lot you can do to lessen symptoms. However if the information above seems daunting them feel free to make an appointment with me to discuss manageable changes in your life which can help to lessen the pain – just call 020 8815 0979 or click here to request an appointment.

February 1, 2017/by Robin Kiashek

London Osteopath W1 N2 N10

Perrin Technique – NHS Research

STOP PRESS: NHS Research findings 2016 –
9th Perrin Technique Conference for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The push for Evidence Based Medicine seems to be a double edged sword – without a double blind trial supporting a claim of efficacy, as required by The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), one is unable to make claims for a treatment of any condition a patient may be suffering. With costly research, Osteopathy is lagging behind the ‘firepower’ of well-funded pharmaceutical companies.

With this in mind, osteopath Dr Ray Perrin, who was recently awarded the Institute of Osteopathy’s (iO) prestigious research award, has recently completed a unique NHS research project ‘Examining the accuracy of a screening tool for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis’ at The Wrightington Hospital, Wigan.

At the annual Perrin conference on December 4th, the research findings were presented by Lucy Hives, Allied Health Professions Research Unit at the University of Central Lancashire.

The research has proved successful however as with any research there is a period of confidentiality so I cannot dwell on them in detail in this article. The results are being currently submitted to the BMJ (British Medical Journal) for publication, hopefully, next summer. When they are published I will be delighted to share them with you.

Following the presentation, there were lectures from German doctors Dr. Klaus Dorhage , PhD and Dr Andreas Grothusen, PhD (the former also a German Osteopath, the latter a German Chiropractor and both trained in The Perrin Technique) on ‘CFS/ME: A Neuro-Lymphoma-Endocrino-Immunopathy’.

December 14, 2016/by Robin Kiashek

London Osteopath W1 N2 N10

Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind over Body

You may remember that I recently wrote about the BBC programme The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs. Along similar lines I recently attended a workshop based on Cure: A Journey Into the Science of Mind over Body which is a bestselling book by Jo Marchant.

Just some of the questions posed throughout the book include:

Are those who turn to alternative medicine deluded, or are they on to something?
Can our thoughts, beliefs and emotions influence our physical health?
Can we train our brains to heal our bodies?

As an Osteopath who is also a qualified Naturopath who offers, amongst other therapies, Acupuncture and Autogenic Training I truly believe in treating the whole person rather than a symptom or set of symptoms.

The philosophy and direction behind the book made me assess the best way to fulfil my ethos of helping my patients achieve physical and emotional wellbeing.

This book had me gripped from the start when Jo Marchant reviewed the science of what we understood about placebos and how they have the power to make people feel better. She asks if “kissing it better” really works, which most children who have had a bump or graze healed in this way would say it did. She then goes on to ask how and what can be the mechanics of such a thing, perhaps a release of endorphins?

Over the pages she stages a riveting discussion of how language, meaning and culture determine how people experience illness.

I cannot recommend this book enough and if you would like to purchase a copy on Amazon please click here.

November 28, 2016/by Robin Kiashek

London Osteopath W1 N2 N10

The doctor who gave up drugs

So who has been watching on BBC1 a two-part program called The Doctor Who Gave up Drugs?

For those of you who have not watched this program, it is a must watch (only a few days left for episode one!)

A two-part social experiment

Episode one is the first of a two-part social experiment in which Doctor Chris van Tulleken takes over part of a GP surgery and stops patients’ prescription pills. Here is a link to the program, which can be found on BBC iPlayer: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07w532p

Using exercise to overcome illnesses

In 1995, as part of my 3^rd year Osteopathic dissertation, I was very fortunate to meet a charismatic GP by the name of Doctor Hanratty, who worked from East Hailsham in Surrey. Doctor Hanratty had set up an Exercise-on-Prescription program during the preceding years, having sought alternatives to medicating certain patients who suffered from conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and depression:

http://www.wealdencommunitystrategy.co.uk/about_us/lsp_meetings_and_events/Presentations/220512/Freedom%20Leisure%20-%20GP%20Referral%20Programme.pdf

I approached Doctor Hanratty as I was interested in the possibility of using exercise to help patients overcome illnesses that I thought resulted from lifestyle factors. In particular, I wanted to see if patients suffering from depression can be helped with exercise and with Doctor Hanratty’s help I undertook my dissertation ‘The Effects of Exercise Training on Clinical Depression’, working alongside numerous Surrey GPs who referred patients for my ‘Exercise-on- Prescription’ project.

Weaning off medication

Twenty years later, Doctor Tulleken’s fascinating two-part program illustrates how people suffering with, what he would describe as lifestyle illnesses can gradually begin to be weaned off their medication (with their GPs guidance); these patients suffer from a variety of different conditions including long-term chronic lower back pain, depression and hypertension, to name a few.

Whilst Doctor Tulleken is not against medication, a view shared by myself, he does illustrate how patients can be encouraged over weeks and months to make changes in their lifestyles, enabling them to slowly reduce unnecessary medication and regain control of their lives.

As I mentioned previously, a MUST WATCH program!

Links to both episodes on the BBC iPlayer can be found here:

Episode 1: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07w532p/the-doctor-who-gave-up-drugs-episode-1

Episode 2: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07wwd9d/the-doctor-who-gave-up-drugs-episode-2

October 12, 2016/by Robin Kiashek

London Osteopath W1 N2 N10

Video Blog: The Dripping Tap Syndrome

Back in June, we posted an article describing The Dripping Tap Syndrome, which aims to explain the reason why many people visit an Osteopath.

This month we follow this up with a video blog from Robin explaining further what this means.

If you would like to speak to Robin about anything covered within this video or to discuss any symptoms you may have please contact the clinic on 0208 8815 0979.

September 15, 2016/by Robin Kiashek

London Osteopath W1 N2 N10

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica (or in layman’s terminology lumbago) is a common nerve pain, which is a symptom of an underlying condition that affects the back, hips and legs. It is characterised by a pain accompanied sometimes by pins & needles and/or numbness and/or weakness in the legs. Sometimes the pain affects both legs, and though it most commonly runs down the back of the legs, it can manifest at the front or side too. The cause of the symptoms is irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve.

What is the sciatic nerve?

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body, beginning at lower spinal region, running through the buttocks and extends right down the length of the leg to the feet. The symptoms (pain/pins & needles/numbness/weakness) can be felt either locally in the lower back or anywhere along the course of the sciatic nerve (as far as the feet). Other areas, including the genital region, can also be affected.

How do you get sciatica?

In most cases sciatica is caused by an irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, commonly a bulging disc in the lower (Lumbar) spine. Discs are very special shock-absorbing, cushioning tissue structures, which sit between the vertebrae (the bones that make up the spinal column). Structurally, discs can the thought of as having an inner soft core (nucleous pulposus) surrounded by tough circular outer fibres (nucleous fibrosus), the outer fibres holding in place the softer inner core. Typically, over a period of time, the outer surrounding fibres develop micro tears due to, for example, poor posture or overloading over a long period of time (see the June blog article ‘The Dripping Tap Syndrome’). Bearing in mind the lower spinal discs absorb most of the upper body weight, these micro fissures in the outer fibres begin to allow the inner soft core to bulge outwards through the tougher outer fibres, resulting in a ‘disc bulge’, which in turn can begin to impinge on the surrounding tissues, including the sciatic nerve (this scenario is commonly eroneously called a ‘trapped nerve’).

How is sciatica treated?

Here at the Robin Kiashek Clinics we promote prevention, and have plenty of advice on keeping your spine healthy and pain-free (see our recent article ’10 Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Spine’). However, if you are either experiencing symptoms, no matter how mild, or would like an assessment, an initial consultation should be considered. Robin will take a full case history followed by a clinical examination, which will provide you with a ‘working diagnosis’ of your situation.

You will get a care plan for your treatment, which may include a couple of follow up appointments, and you will get plenty of guidance on understanding pain, and will be given a strategy to move your recovery forward, including advice on exercise.

For more information on sciatica or to book an appointment with Robin, please call 020 8815 0979.

August 23, 2016/by Robin Kiashek