Alison Odey

Although it is a very good idea to visit a good Osteopath for a check up if you feel that you need it or have an obvious spinal problem, personally I feel that continual frequent spinal treatments in many cases are not necessary if the nutritional health of the body is taken care of adequately.

In many parts of NZ the magnesium levels are extremely low and this causes, among other things, excessive muscle tension.

If the muscles are in a state of tension then no amount of massage or manipulations are going to help for very long, as the muscle will very quickly go back into spasm and pull the spine back out of alignment.
A course of magnesium given to a patient with continual back pain often has very good results. As an added bonus you will often find that the accompanying constipation and at times heart fibrillations that are further effects of magnesium deficiency will disappear.

This is best followed up by taking Colloidal minerals in the long term as
the overall mineral balance is better than simply supplementing magnesium on its own.
See page on ‘Minerals – why we need to supplement’.

There are also other supplements available that work beautifully where there appears to be a long term problem affecting the spine.

Glucosamine works well, as does Green lipped mussel (Seatone TM) extract, in relieving inflammatory symptoms and helping strengthen the ligaments. If taking either of these supplements take note that they need to be taken over a long period of time for good results to be obtained.
Also see page on ‘Glucosamine vs NSAIDs’.

Go to On-line shop for any of the products mentioned above.

Flaxseed oil is also a very necessary and useful supplement if you are not already obtaining sufficient Omega 3 in your diet. Omega 3 improves the flow of blood through out the body and you will notice that the joints will move far more freely.

A classic sign of Omega 3 being deficient in the body is the ‘clickyness’ of the joints, otherwise known as ‘crepitus’. About 1tbsp a day is necessary to correct this.

A further supplement that is very effective where there is deep seated nerve pain present (as opposed to a more superficial muscle ache), is Vitamin B12. This needs to taken separately, but in conjunction with a B complex, preferably on an empty stomach in order to improve absorption.
See page on ‘Vitamin B12’