Conditions

In regards to surfers ear – as the ear canal is narrow, you are more likely to get up buildup of earwax that doesn’t clear itself naturally, causing reduced hearing (feeling of being under water muffled), feeling of ‘fullness or pressure’ or trapped water in the canal.

If water is trapped behind the wax, the likelihood of ear infections (swimmers ear) is increased significantly. It is advisable, that any buildup of wax is removed to prevent this from happening therefore regular check-ups and earwax removal is advisable. We are then also able to give you the recommended the best advise to keep this at bay!

In regards to swimmers ear – this will need to be addressed by a medical practitioner especially if you have any leakage or pain, however once the initial infection has been treated; you can be left with debris and dead skin cells that need to be removed to prevent future issues in regards to infection and blocked ears.

Swimmers ear normally occurs with people whose ears are exposed to water regularly through activities like swimming (hence the name). This regular exposure can cause bacteria to manifest in the ear canal causing infection of the ear canal.

This maybe painful, itchy and have a sensation of fulness or pressure and in some cases may have a leakage or discharge from
the ear. Normally antibiotic drops are used to treat this.

So it not the same but it may be possible to have both. If you are in any pain – it is best to seek medical advice.

Due to prolonged exposure to the elements, surfers ear is best described as bony growths (exotosis) of the ear canal, due to the ear trying to naturally protect the ear from continual exposure to water and wind.

In most cases it causes a slight narrowing of the ear canal that does not need medical intervention but can cause some minor issues such as increased likelihood of ear infections (swimmers ear), minor reduction in hearing and the likelihood of a build-up of earwax (cerumen) due to the increasingly small space.

In severe cases the growths can be significant enough that they may be removed surgically.

Book your appointment at The Physiotherapy Centre couldn’t be easier! Honestly, we have made is as convenient as we can, allowing bookings to be made either by coming into the centre, calling us, emailing or online.

Online you can book your initial appointments and most follow up appointments. We do have some appointments that cannot be booked online as we need to check that what you are enquiring about is the most appropriate for you.

Booking your appointment can be done with any of these methods below …

Book Online: ONLINE BOOKING PAGE
Email: QUESTIONS@THEPHYSIOCENTRE.CO.UK
Call: 02392 215 050
Pop In: 96 LONDON ROAD, WIDLEY, PO7 5AB

If you can think of any other methods that would help when booking an appointment, please do let me know. We haven’t tried carrier pigeon yet, but if that’s what you want then we can look into it.

Just one little caveat, if you are booking an appointment that will be funded by a third party you cannot book online. Sorry!

Many thanks, Patrick

Yes, we use acupuncture where it would be clinically appropriate and when a client is willing to have acupuncture used.

Acupuncture is great for pain relief on many conditions, including muscles, tendons, headaches and has also been proven to be effective on our women’s health clients.

Our acupuncture specialist, Angela, can talk you through your pain relief options and if she feels you will benefit from the treatment it can be added as part of your treatment plan.

Acupuncture costs £74 per session, and is most effective when used over several weeks. We are able to offer discounts when a package of sessions is required.

For more information on the effectiveness of acupuncture please visit our dedicated ACUPUNCTURE PAGE on the website.

Yes, we are able to use Shockwave Therapy for treatments.

Unlike other clinics, we are able to offer two versions of Shockwave – Radial and Focused. Most clinics are only able to offer Radial Shockwave, however there are several conditions where this is not as effective as Focused Shockwave. We are also to combine the two versions so the treatment can be even more effective for certain conditons.

Shockwave therapy is a great way to accelerate the healing process on injured tendons, ligaments and soft tissues. It is particularly effective on plantar fasciitis amongst other ailments, including Male Pelvic Health conditions.

To find out more about the differences in what we can offer with Shockwave compared to other clinics visit our dedicated SHOCKWAVE THERAPY PAGE on the website.

An assessment is approximately 45 mins to an hour long, this will be dependant on how the initial part of the assessment goes and how complex your condition.

This is gives the practitioner the opportunity to spend time getting to know you and your needs and wants, work through your medical history and where clinically appropriate perform some initial treatment on you.

In the assessment your practitioner will discuss with you any future treatments plans and options with you.

Our physiotherapy team have all been trained to the highest standard and they all have specialities in certain areas of physiotherapy. For example, Neuro Physiotherapy, Orthopaedic Physiotherapy and Paediatric Physiotherapy. Alongside this, we have specialists in Women’s Health and men’s health. We also have Hydrotherapy and Shockwave specialist practitioners.

Some of which cannot be found anywhere else on the south coast.

Hydrotherapy can help a range of conditions, for example following surgery or fracture (once your wounds are healed) or with injuries or presentations that make it difficult to move well on dry land due to pain, weakness or restricted movement. These could include neurological conditions (such as stroke or brain injury) or injuries including spinal and upper and lower limb injuries. 

Pro’s

• The buoyancy in the water helps to reduce stress on joints and soft tissue while exercising, making it easier for those in pain to move better. This means that people can often exercise for longer in the water than they can on dry land. 
• Water also creates resistance to movement, meaning that it can help with getting stronger without the need for weights or resistance bands. Combining the buoyancy with the resistance that the water provides can allow for more comfortable exercise than on dry land.
• The water provides hydrostatic pressure, which can help to reduce inflammation and also helps in improving joint and muscle position sense, which is often disturbed after an injury or surgery
• Warmth- the warmth in the water helps to reduce pain levels, relax muscles and increase blood flow to injured tissues, which can promote healing. 

Con’s

• Some people with more sensitive skin will not tolerate the chemicals in the water as well as others. The hydrotherapy pool at TPC makes use of a UV light system, which reduces the amount of chemicals needed to maintain the water. 
• Risk of drowning
• Some people can feel very fatigued after being in the water