Osteopathy and/or manual therapy clinic in BKK

[Yuriy Che]

Hello everyone,

Please advice an osteopathy and manual therapy clinic in BKK.

Have known problems with my neck.

It would be perfect if x-ray can be done there as well

Thanks

[Sheryl]

If you mean chiropracty, see this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717723-acupuncture-chiropractors-and-therapeutic-massage-sources/

But beware that this sort of treatment is virtually unregulated in Thailand. Most places not only will not do Xray, they won't bother to (or in some cases know how to) read one done elsewhere.

As you have known neck problems I strongly suggest you first see an orthopedic doctor and get a written report stating the problem and specifying any type of manipulations to be avoided. Dr. Wicharn at BNH Spine Institute is excellent.

Frankly it is playing with fire if you have known pathology of the cervical spine to undergo chiropracty. People whose pain is muscular in origin will often get relief, but with actual pathological changes in the vertebrae there is an increased risk of making things worse...sometimes seriously worse.

I would suggest instead that you get hold of a book entitled "Treat your own neck" (I think Amazon has it) and follow those exercises, or or do a google search for its exercises. Be mindful of any pain (as opposed to the normal soreness that may accompany stretching tight muscles) and heed it as a warning not to push further with a particular exercise. As long as you don't make the mistake of persisting with exercises that induce pain, you aren't likely to come to any harm with such exercises on your own and it will if nothing else relieve muscle tension/spasm and any pain that is due to same.

Another thing you can do which is very helpful for temporary pain relief (sometimes lasting as much as a few days) is cervical traction, can get simple home devices for it on Amazon as well -- neck-pillow shaped things that you inflate. It gently separates the cervical vertebra relieving pressure on nerves due to herniated disks etc. It will also gently stretch out neck muscles, relieving pain from muscle spasms.

If that fails, seek proper medical treatment.

Pain due solely to pressure from a protruding disk will usually resolve with time, and the measures above will give some symptomatic relief in the interim (there are also medications that can be prescribed that will greatly help and speed this along). Pain due solely to muscle spasm will certainly resolve with time and stretches/exercises will greatly help. Sometimes a change of pillow or use of a neck brace at night is helpful if the spasms are induced by positions during sleep.

But if pain due to insufficient space for the nerve root to exit the spine, as a result of bone spur formation, or a combination of congenital narrowness and erosion of disks, then surgery may be necessary. You'll get temporary relief with surgical traction but the pain will quickly recur. In such instances it is a mechanical problem and needs a mechanical solution (decompression of the nerve root).

[Yuriy Che]

Sheryl, thank you for the detailed and useful answer.

No, I don't mean some "non-official medicine" like healers and so on.

I had manual therapy treatment in Vietnam about a year ago. It was based on MRI results and all manipulations have been made in a state hospital by the real doctor.

It would be perfect if something similar exists in Thailand.

I don't remember the diagnosis exactly. Time to time I have problems. It usually starts from impossibility to relax neck muscles, but the main problem it terrible headache that starts right after that. Intracranial pressure is rising, vision become worse and so on. It happened two or three times and every time only manipulations helped.

Thank you for the book, I've read something similar, about a year ago I started yoga and it was good. But last two months were stressful enough, I gave up and it started again

[Sheryl]

I'm not sure you will be able to find an equivalent to what you had in Viet Nam here. But as a place to look, I'd try the Chinese Medicine clinic in Saint Louis Hospital on Sathorn, ground floor. They have actual Chinese doctors. I know they do acupuncture, not sure about other manipulations. Do you still have the MRI report, or a medical summary of some sort? As that would be important otherwise they have to start the diagnostic process all over.

What you describe sounds like possibly a basilar migraine. If so and if the spine itself is OK then Thai massage could be tried, but not otherwise. With Thai massage, takes a lot of trial and error to find someone good with neck issues. But don't try this if there were vertebral issues.

The cervical traction I mentioned might also help and can't hurt.

[NickJ]

Years ago I purchased a well made home cervical traction unit made by the Saunders Group. It was designed by one of the worlds best PT's Dwayane Saunders. Portable and lightweight. used while on your back.