Patient stories

Dave's story: A pain in the neck

When IT engineer Dave started working from home, he soon noticed a pain developing in his neck.

“I had worked in IT for 16 years before the lockdown and although it’s technically a desk job, I was still quite active during the day – I’d be up and moving during my train commute, in between meetings and when out working on client sites,” Dave said.

“But this all stopped once I started working from home – I probably spent all day in front of the computer for two years, I stopped exercising and my posture was terrible due to poor office ergonomics.

“I started to feel this unbearable pain in my neck and when I sought treatment from an osteopath, I discovered I had an acute neck injury from a disk bulge which landed me in a neurosurgeon’s office.

“I was worried that I’d need surgery, but thankfully I started to improve after appointments with an osteopath every two weeks and referral to weekly appointments with an exercise physiologist.

“I am so lucky that it was caught early, it could have been so much worse if I had waited to get help. Now, after changing my office ergonomics and receiving regular treatment, I am feeling so much better and have been able to avoid more invasive interventions,” he said.

Tamara's story: Arthritis in the neck

When Aussie mum of four, Tamara was hospitalised in her late 20s with headaches, vomiting and a tingling down her arm, she received a life-changing diagnosis when doctors found a bone spur growing into her spinal cord as a result of the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis.

“It took three years to find a surgeon willing to perform surgery because I needed a disk replacement, and the risk was extremely high,” Tamara says. “The saddest part was when the doctors advised me against having any more children because of my condition.”

“While I was waiting for my surgery, I started osteopathic treatment and I’m walking today because of those treatments, plus I went on to have another beautiful baby who is now six years old!

“I still get lots of different symptoms, which I manage with osteopathy. My osteopath also provides clinical pilates, a self-guided exercise and strengthening program and collaboration with a remedial masseur. I work full time and I’m a busy mum with four children. My quality of life is only as good as it is because of my osteopath,” she says.

More patient stories...

Patients share their personal journeys and experience of osteopathy. In these videos, they describe what their osteopathic treatment involved and how it helped them get back to doing the things they love.