If you suffer from a neurological condition you may have difficulties with your physical functions. This can include include mobility, muscle strength, range of movement and balance. Neurorehabilitation also known as neurological physiotherapy helps you regain those lost abilities.

It aims to increase your independence and quality of life by maximizing your potential and slowing down the physical deterioration.

If you’ve suffered from a sudden event such as stroke, it’s most likely you haven’t reached your full functional capacity after your acute inpatient-rehabilitation at the hospital.

Your recovery process has only just begun and therefore continuous, individualized therapy is of upmost importance. Neurorehabiliation should commence as soon as possible for the best possible recovery.

What does it include and where is it done?

Every person with a neurological condition presents differently. Based on an initial assessment a personalized rehabilitation program is designed, suited to your specific condition, symptoms, needs and goals. Where needed we use a team approach including the service of our nurses and doctors.

The goal is to increase your ability with everyday tasks and promote the functional activities you value the most. This may include walking, climbing stairs, gardening, managing your wheel-chair or simply being able to roll over and change position in bed.

In-clinic visits

The Osteopathic Health Centre Dubai has been rehabilitating patients for the past 21 years. Our team of experts include physicians, physiotherapists and osteopaths, all working together to give our patients the best treatment outcomes.

Our clinic is located at Villa 969, Al Wasl Road, Umm Sequim, Dubai.

At the comfort of your home

Getting treatment in the comfort of your home has a number of benefits. Besides getting the best possible treatment despite not being able to leave the house, your therapist can work with you in your home environment and embed the exercises into your daily routine. In addition, home treatment allows the rest of the family to be involved and gain a better understanding of the condition and learn how to optimize their help.

Who can benefit from neurorehabilitation?

We provide rehabilitation to people with neurological conditions such as:

• Stroke
• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Guillain-Barre

Neurological physiotherapy treatment will help:

• Improve ability with everyday activities
• Increase muscle strength, range of movement, endurance
• Improve gross or fine motor skills, posture, balance, gait
• Lengthen tight muscles to help decrease spasticity and reduce contractures
• Reduce risk of falls and fight fatigue
• Improve breathing patterns and reduce chest infections
• Relieve pain, vertigo and stress
• Increase independence and self-confidence
• Optimize living environment
• Achieve maximum potential

Nutrition and neurorehabilitation

Nutritional support during recovering phase of trauma, stroke, or any chronic condition helps to speed up the recovery and improves outcomes.  The following nutrients are especially important for neurorehabilitation:

Fatty acids; 60% of central nervous system tissues comprise lipids. Adequate amounts of fatty acids, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, can have a significant positive effect on the recovering structure and function of the nervous system.  Sources of essential fatty acids are salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. 

Proteins and amino acids are building materials for neurons and muscle cells. During rehabilitation, the demand for these nutrients might be higher than usual and should be 1.0-1.3g/kg of body weight. Sources rich in amino acids are fish, poultry, lamb, meat, beans, and legumes.

Fiber comes from plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and grains. Fiber contributes to a feeling of fullness and helps maintain a healthy weight, helping to manage blood sugar and blood fat levels and essential for normal bowel movement and detoxification.

Phytonutrients are natural compounds found in all plant foods that give them color, taste, and smell. In the human body, phytonutrients play a role in many processes, including cognitive function, toxin elimination, and strengthening the immune system. It is important to include a variety of colorful fruit and vegetables each day.

If you or anyone you know has suffered from a neurological condition, contact us today for an assessment

 

The Osteopathic Health Centre have signed up with Esaad Loyalty Program for another year.

The Esaad Card is a loyalty program that offers exclusive privileges, discounts, and promotions to government employees under the General Directorate of Dubai Police. This program aims to strengthen Institutional Loyalty and improve quality of life, to promote employee happiness.

An Esaad card holder is eligible for a 20% discount on all Osteopathic Health Centre services. Esaad card holders and immediate family are eligible for the discount.

To learn more, contact us at 04 348 7366.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the walls of cells in all parts of the body, from the nervous system to the liver to the heart. The body uses cholesterol to make hormones, bile acids, vitamin D, and other substances.  

The body makes all the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol circulates in the bloodstream but cannot travel by itself. As with oil and water, cholesterol (which is fatty) and blood (which is watery) do not mix. So cholesterol travels in packages called lipoproteins, which have fat (lipid) inside and protein outside. 

The two main types of Lipoproteins are:  
■ Low density lipoprotein, or LDL, which also is called the “bad” cholesterol because it carries cholesterol to tissues, including the arteries. Most of the cholesterol in the blood is in LDL form. The higher the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood, the greater your risk for heart disease.  

■ High density lipoprotein, or HDL, which also is called the “good” cholesterol because it takes cholesterol from tissues to the liver, which removes it from the body. A low level of HDL cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease.

Risk Factors – There are certain modifiable and non- modifiable risk factors:  

• Age, sex, family history, ethnicity, genetic susceptibility are all non modifiable.  
• Diet, smoking, high blood pressure, excess weight, physical acidity and blood glucose are modifiable.

Types of Fats  

• Saturated fat
• Unsaturated fats 
• Trans fat 
• Cholesterol 

Diets with too much saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol are the main cause for high levels of blood cholesterol . 

Excess weight tends to raise your LDL level and triglycerides. Losing the extra pounds may help lower your LDL and triglycerides, while raising your HDL.

Triglycerides, which are produced in the liver, are another type of fat found in the blood and in food. Causes of raised triglycerides are obesity, physical inactivity, cigarette smoking, excess alcohol intake, and a diet very high in carbohydrates(60 percent of calories or higher).  

Recent research indicates that triglyceride levels that are borderline high (150–199 mg/dL), high (200–499 mg/dL) may increase your risk for heart disease.

Food Sources – Healthful Tips

• Limit saturated fats under 7% of your total calorie intake and keep trans-fat intake to 0. 
• Trim the skin and fat from your poultry and meat and limit food items rich in cholesterol, e.g. eggs yolks, shrimps, etc. Steam, grill, poach, broil or grill your food.
• Increase soluble fibres like oat bran, barley, kidney beans, fruits such as apple, pear with skin etc. 
• Choose olive oil spreads and other heart healthy oils for routine consumption. 
• Have oily fish at least twice a week.
• Be mindful during snack times, and choose from natural options like veggie sticks, fibre rich oats or fruits. 
• Include healthy legumes and pulses in your meals. 
• Have planned meal times, with smaller portion of meals.  
• Choose whole grain whole food concept for your plate.  
• Add natural plant sterols like wheat bran, almonds, olive oil etc. to your diet.  
• Other therapeutic items beneficial for cholesterol management are apple cider vinegar, green tea and garlic. 
• Quit smoking .

Fibres

• Research shows that adding soluble fibres to your diet reduces your LDL cholesterol.
• 8 to 10 grams of soluble fibres daily can contribute towards improving LDL levels.  
• Please increase the fibres gradually, and start on small amounts since a large amount can result in bloating and gas.
• Make sure to be well hydrated to support the functions of the soluble fibres.
• Examples of foods high in soluble fibre: oat bran, barley, oatmeal, banana, pear, apple, orange, grapefruit, peach, black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, broccoli, etc.  

To learn more, please contact our homeopath Dr Priyanka Sainani

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Dr Priyanka Sainani

Headaches, or excruciating pain in the head, can be quite debilitating and result in poor quality of life. Taking the support of homeopathy or natural medications often helps treat the pain in the gentlest possible way.

Headaches are broadly classified as Cluster Headaches, Stress Headaches, Tension Headaches and Migraines. Homeopathic treatment can be helpful with acute management and preventive management of headaches.

In homeopathy, the factors which are taken into consideration for effective treatment are:

• the character of the pain, e.g. throbbing, bursting type of pain;
• the location, e.g. forehead, temples, back of the head;
• associated complaints, such as poor appetite, nausea, bloating, giddiness and so on; and
• underlying complaints, e.g. hypertension, sinusitis, insomnia, undue stress, previous trauma etc.

Other factors taken into account during the treatment are the typical causes or triggers for the headaches, such as heat, skipped meals, sleep cycle, swimming in the pool, etc.

The treatment involves a long case history, where the homeopath will spend time with you to understand your lifestyle, eating habits, stress levels and emotional health. As a part of the treatment plan you will get natural and safe homeopathic medicine along with the support of nutritional counselling to help you holistically.

Nutritional counselling would help improve your mindfulness towards your eating behaviour and food choices suitable to your given health conditions and add certain foods with therapeutic benefits to manage an underlying ailment.

Many of us derail ourselves from our normal routine during the holiday season, so here are a few tips by our homeopath, Dr Priyanka Sainani, to follow a week before the period of indulgence begins!

• Boost immunity and metabolism: antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium and Zinc will help exhaust calories during the time of festive dining; a glass of warm water with some lime, in the mornings, can also be helpful
• Go LEAN: avoid saturated fats for 7 days
• Avoid SUGAR: avoid added sugar and refined carbohydrates for a week to give your body a sense of balance
• Fast: for a few hours in a day to balance energy levels and give the digestive system some rest (keep in mind fasting does not mean starving)
• Keep hydrated: drink 8 to 12 glasses of water to flush out all the toxins
• Sweat it out: daily for 30 minutes by choosing any physical activity, as per your convenience and health condition
• Fix digestion: by having natural probiotics with your meals, chewing food well, eating slowly and mindfully

For any specific queries, please call 04 3487366 or send an email on info@108.160.159.203

Clinical Pilates focuses on posture, core strengthening, balance, breathing, and flexibility. Exercises are specific to individual needs, and the main goal is to help activate targeted muscles for a safe return to optimal physical capacity.

Group Classes:
Wednesdays, 8:45-9:45 am

One-on-one sessions are also available. Please call 04 3487366 for more details.

We are currently offering a 30% discount on manual therapy to Esaad cardholders. To learn more, call us on 04 423 2096 or 04 348 7366.

Hosted by: Osteopathic Health Centre

Time: 9am – 5pm

CPD: Applied

Registration Fee: 

AED 1,260 (inclusive of VAT)

AED 840 for Emirates Osteopathic Conference participants  (inclusive of VAT)

To register, please send an email to ayesha@108.160.159.203

 

This will be a highly interactive one-day lecture and practical workshop focused on chronic visceral pain, its epidemiology, mechanisms and osteopathic treatment.

Theoretical lecture

In the theoretical part of the day, Phil Austin will first present the often complex and multifactorial causes of visceral pain such as early life stress and altered gut microbiota composition. Second, he will talk about the unique and fascinating mechanisms of visceral pain that are quite different from that of somatic pain. Knowledge of these differences are essential not only for diagnosis, but importantly for clinical management. Third, he will present and discuss a number of multidisciplinary treatment options available to practitioners working in manual therapy settings.

Practical workshop

In addition to the demonstration of osteopathic techniques associated with treatment of the viscera, we shall also discuss how to integrate information relating to other types of treatment used for people with chronic visceral pain disorders.

About Dr Phil Austin

Phil Austin is a UK-trained osteopath and researcher who holds a PhD in pain medicine. His research interests include the assessment of endogenous pain modulation, the effect of virtual reality on neuropathic pain severity and painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathies. Phil’s clinical areas of interest include the effects of work-related stress on the severity and duration of musculoskeletal pain in computer-workers. Phil also works as an adjunct tutor for the M.Sc in Clinical Management of Pain at the University of Edinburgh and University of Sydney while also being involved in various areas of palliative care research at Greenwich Hospital in Sydney.

Hosted by: Osteopathic Health Centre, Dubai

Time: 9 am – 5 pm

CPD: Applied

Registration Fee:

AED 1,260 (inclusive of VAT)

AED 840 for Emirates Osteopathic Conference participants  (inclusive of VAT)

To register, please send an email to ayesha@108.160.159.203

 

About the Workshop

A large number of patients visit osteopathic clinicians with musculoskeletal and visceral conditions for which they expect relief or symptom improvement following the application of osteopathic manipulative treatment. As such, osteopathic techniques have always been a subject of great interests to clinicians. The competent, safe and effective use and integration of these procedures in healthcare is depending on a variety of factors, from the clinical reasoning and rationale behind their use, patient tolerance, time constraints to skill levels and confidence.

This one−day course will focus on “tips and tricks” in common problem areas of the body with their symptoms, briefly review the functional anatomy, physiology and neurosciences involved in the complaint, and discuss and demonstrate osteopathic manipulative techniques and rationale strategies to alleviate the symptoms. It will discuss treatment strategies in both neuromusculoskeletal complaints, and functional systemic dysfunctions and conditions (such as for instance IBS). As a learning outcome the course with have a practical and clinical focus oriented towards immediate application of principles and techniques in patient care. A variety of techniques will be demonstrated, including Still−Techniques, HVLA, articulatory, myofascial and fascial techniques, indirect techniques and lymphatic techniques.

The objective of the course is to provide information, tips and tricks for clinical practice with immediate applicability.

Workshop Tutors

Christian Fossum, D.O. is an osteopath, academic and researcher whose interests include osteopathic theory and methods and their application in the management of patients. He is previous Vice Principal of the European School of Osteopathy (Maidstone, UK); Assistant Professor, Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and Associate Director, A.T. Still Research Institute, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville, Missouri. He is currently an Associate Professor at the University College Kristiania, Oslo, Norway.  He has lectured at courses and conferences in Europe, North America and Asia for many years, and has authored numerous book chapters and articles on osteopathic principles and practice.

Caroline Kalsæg Fjeldstrøm, BSc, D.O. is an osteopath whose interests include the integration of osteopathic principles, practices and techniques into effective patient management. She is in private practice in Norway. She is also one of the Academic Directors of the Linderbergs Academy in Munich, Germany, a postgraduate teaching institution for osteopaths and osteopathic physicians. She has helped teaching postgraduate courses in the United States, Dubai, Italy, Germany and England, and she is an invited speaker to osteopathic conferences, including Warsaw, Poland. She has contributed to writing book chapters for osteopathic textbooks.

We would like to congratulate Emirates Osteopathic Society (EOS), registered under the umbrella of Emirates Medical Association, on receiving an award from the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing for the Society’s efforts to attract and host an international conference in Dubai: Emirates Osteopathic Conference.

Professor Jorge Esteves and Osteopath Youssef Youssef accepted the award on behalf of the Society as EOS board members.