What Are Microorganisms?
Microbiomes are made up of colonies of microorganisms that come in various types, depending on what you're exposed to and what you eat. When there's a healthy amount of microorganisms, there's quite a range of diversity. Conversely, a lack of healthy microorganisms results in little diversity, which can lead to health problems such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ADHD, and many more.

The Impact of Diet on Your Microbiome
The documentary highlighted that a diet rich in vegetables can significantly increase the diversity of your microbiome. Interestingly, the good and bad microorganisms in your body will battle each other based on what you feed them. For instance, if you constantly consume sugary foods like chocolate, it will starve the good microorganisms, leaving you with fewer of them. Conversely, eating healthy foods will starve off the bad guys.
Additionally, certain microorganisms thrive on fats. If you consume a diet high in fats, these fat-loving bugs will feed on the fat, influencing the composition and health of your gut microbiome.

The Battle Within
One of the fascinating aspects is that the more you eat sugary foods, the more you crave them. This happens because the bad microorganisms get "angry" when you try to starve them. However, if you persist in eating healthier, the baddies lose their power and cravings diminish.

Real-Life Testing and Results
The documentary featured microbiome and gut health testing on four people. Although some participants weren't doing as bad as they thought, the results showed a lack of microbiome diversity for most of them. This revelation led them to change their beliefs and decide to work towards better treating their bodies.
Interestingly, one participant who had been consuming a blend of different fruits and vegetables saw a significant improvement in microbiome diversity due to this change in dietary behaviour. It's fascinating to know that such changes can really affect your body if you choose to make them. The documentary recommends consuming 20 to 30 different fruits and vegetables per week.

Fecal Transplant Donations
The documentary also touched on fecal transplant donations of microbiomes. Yes, that does pretty much mean a poo transplant! This process can improve the health of someone with bad microbiomes if the transplant is filled with healthy microorganisms. Interestingly, they also mentioned that it can transfer symptoms such as depression or hormonal acne, so its sounds like you want to be fairly picky with the donor if you were ever to try out a poo transplant yourself!

Understanding how your microbiome affects your body and mind is crucial. This knowledge can be particularly useful for those struggling with IBS and other gut-related health issues. By making informed dietary choices, you can enhance your microbiome diversity, leading to better overall health.

Watching "Hack Your Health" opened my eyes to the incredible impact of microbiomes. As we learn more about these tiny organisms, it's clear that taking care of them can lead to significant improvements in our health and well-being. If you haven't seen the documentary yet, I highly recommend giving it a watch. It might just change the way you think about food and health forever.​

Pain Management and Injury Rehabilitation: Myotherapy
If your primary goal is pain relief, injury recovery, or improving your mobility, Myotherapy is one of the most effective forms of treatment available. Unlike traditional relaxation massage, Myotherapy is a clinical therapy that focuses on assessing and treating musculoskeletal pain, dysfunction, and injuries in a highly individualised manner.

What makes Myotherapy so effective is the comprehensive assessment that precedes each treatment. Myotherapists don’t just treat the symptoms of pain—they work to understand the underlying causes. Whether it's back pain, neck stiffness, or a sports injury, a Myotherapist will assess how your muscles, joints, and nerves are interacting, identifying the root cause of your discomfort. This allows them to develop a tailored treatment plan that addresses your unique needs.

The Techniques Used in Myotherapy
One of the reasons Myotherapy is so effective for pain relief is that it combines traditional massage techniques with evidence-based clinical practices. While traditional massage techniques, like deep tissue or Swedish massage, are useful for loosening tight muscles, Myotherapy goes beyond this. Here are some techniques a Myotherapist might use:

• Dry Needling: This involves inserting fine needles into trigger points in the muscles to relieve tension and promote healing. It's particularly effective for reducing pain and improving muscle function.
• Joint Mobilisations: These are hands-on techniques used to improve the mobility of stiff or painful joints. By gently mobilising the joint, Myotherapists can help restore range of motion and reduce pain.
• Prescribed Exercise Programs: Myotherapists often design individualised exercise programs to support recovery between sessions. These exercises help strengthen weak areas, improve mobility, and prevent future injuries.

By combining these clinical techniques with traditional massage therapy, Myotherapy provides a holistic approach to pain management. Whether you're dealing with chronic back pain, a recent sports injury, or a repetitive strain injury, Myotherapy offers a comprehensive solution that goes beyond temporary relief.

Relaxation and Stress Relief: Day Spa Massages
If your goal is relaxation and stress reduction, however, Myotherapy may not be the best choice. For those looking to unwind in a peaceful, meditative environment, a massage at a day spa is often more appropriate. Spa treatments, such as those offered at places like Endota, focus on creating a serene experience aimed at soothing the body and mind.

Day spa massages typically focus on relaxing the body, calming the mind, and releasing general muscle tension. These treatments often occur in a quiet, tranquil setting with soft lighting and calming music, offering an escape from daily stresses. If you're after a silent, meditative experience, this type of massage is perfect for you. However, it's important to note that while these treatments can help alleviate tension, they may not be sufficient for addressing underlying pain, injuries, or mobility issues.

Myotherapist Training: Why It Matters
One of the key reasons Myotherapy is so effective for pain management and injury rehabilitation is the level of training that Myotherapists undergo. Many Myotherapists begin their careers as Remedial Massage Therapists, where they learn essential techniques for relieving muscle tension and improving circulation.
After gaining experience, many therapists go on to complete further education, obtaining an Advanced Diploma of Myotherapy or a Bachelor of Health Science (Myotherapy). This advanced training equips them with a deeper understanding of the musculoskeletal system and the clinical skills needed to assess and treat complex conditions. It also allows them to integrate clinical techniques like dry needling, joint mobilisation, and rehabilitation exercises into their practice. This additional education and experience make Myotherapists uniquely qualified to treat pain, injuries, and mobility issues.

Choosing the Right Treatment for You
Ultimately, the most effective type of massage depends on what you're hoping to achieve. If you're looking for pain relief, injury recovery, or improved mobility, Myotherapy provides a targeted, evidence-based approach that addresses the underlying causes of your discomfort. By combining clinical techniques with hands-on therapy, Myotherapy can help you manage pain, recover from injuries, and improve your overall function.

On the other hand, if your goal is to relax and de-stress, a massage at a day spa is the better choice. Spa treatments provide a calming, meditative experience designed to soothe the mind and body, offering a peaceful break from the pressures of daily life.

Our therapists are all highly qualified Myotherapists with experience in injury rehabilitation and pain management. We are here for you 7 days a week to support you through treatment of painful conditions - you can book online with any of our therapists.

While our team technically can provide a relaxation style treatment, this is not our primary focus, and we can recommend many day spa and beauty therapy locations nearby who can better accomodate for a relaxing, enjoyable spa treatment.

By Megan Cornish, Myotherapist

With breakdancings recent debut in the olympics, and the current trending entry from Australia in the 2024 Paris Olympics (I think we know which one I’m referencing), I can’t think of a better time to talk about just how physically demanding this sport truly is and the level of skill required to not only execute this style of dance well, but to not injure yourself while you do it!  ​

​Back pain is a common issue that many people experience, but it can be difficult to determine when it’s just a minor issue and when it requires immediate attention. Understanding the type of pain, the mechanism behind it, and recognising red flags are key in identifying whether your back pain might be more serious. Here’s how to tell when to seek urgent medical help and when myotherapy might be the right solution for your discomfort.

​Types of Back Pain
Back pain can vary widely in intensity, location, and quality. Understanding the characteristics of your pain can help you assess whether it’s something that may resolve with time or requires more urgent care:

• Dull, Achy, or Bruise-like Sensation: This type of pain is often related to muscle strain or overuse. It’s usually not serious but can become problematic if left untreated, especially if it persists or worsens.
• Sharp, Shooting, or Intense Pain: If your pain is sharp, shooting, or feels like a shocking sensation that radiates into the limbs, it could indicate nerve involvement, such as a pinched nerve or disc herniation. This kind of pain might be associated with sciatica, where pain travels from your back into your legs.
• Referred Pain: Pain that travels from the back down into your arms or legs can signal nerve compression, particularly if it’s accompanied by tingling or numbness. It often worsens with certain movements or positions.
• Pain with Weakness: If you experience pain that is coupled with weakness in your arms or legs, this could be an indication of nerve damage or compression, which should be evaluated promptly.
• Pain with Specific Movements: Pain that worsens with particular movements, such as rotating toward the painful side, could be a sign of a facet joint sprain. Similarly, pain that increases when you contract a muscle may indicate an injury to the muscle or tendon fibers, such as a strain or tendinopathy.
• Breathtaking Pain: Any pain that is so intense it takes your breath away or feels unbearable could suggest a serious issue such as a spinal injury, fracture, or significant nerve involvement, especially if there has been a specific incident or injury.

Mechanism of the Pain: Why Did It Start?
The onset of your back pain can provide important clues to its seriousness:

• Acute, Traumatic Onset: If your pain started suddenly after an accident, fall, or another trauma, it could indicate a serious injury. Situations such as car accidents, slipping and falling, or twisting awkwardly can lead to fractures, ligament tears, or disc injuries. Its always important to get medically checked after any serious incident, even if you don't think you have been injured.
• Gradual Onset: If your pain has built up over time, it could be due to repetitive strain or muscle imbalances. This type of pain is often less urgent but still requires attention to prevent it from becoming chronic. Prevention of chronic, ongoing pain conditions is highly recommended!

Red Flags That Require Immediate Attention
Certain symptoms, known as "red flags," indicate the need for immediate medical attention. If you experience any of the following, it’s essential to consult a doctor as soon as possible:

• Severe Pain Intensity: If your pain is extreme and doesn’t improve with rest, you may be dealing with a more serious condition like a herniated disc or spinal fracture, especially if there has been any potential acute trauma to your back like a fall or taking a heavy hit in the back. This could also indicate signs of infection in the bladder or kidneys, or of kidney stones.
• Bladder or Bowel Dysfunction: Difficulty controlling your bladder or bowel, or pain when urinating, could be a sign of cauda equina syndrome, a serious condition requiring emergency care. These changes can be noticed as incontinence, bed wetting, increased or decreased frequency of going to the toilet, less mind-body awareness of when you need to go, sudden and immediate need to urinate or empty your bowels, as well as any altered sensation in the skin or muscles surrounding the genitals and buttocks. These are serious symptoms that should not be ignored, even though they can be embarrassing to discuss.
• Loss of Sensation or Numbness: Numbness or tingling in your legs, feet, or buttocks, especially if accompanied by weakness, could suggest nerve compression or damage.
• Significant Increase in Pain with Coughing, Sneezing, or Straining: If your pain worsens significantly when you cough, sneeze, or perform activities that increase intra-abdominal pressure, such as lifting, it could indicate pressure on a nerve root, often associated with a herniated disc.
• Unexplained Bruising or Swelling: Significant bruising or swelling in the back without an obvious cause could be a sign of an underlying injury, such as a muscle tear or even a more serious issue like internal bleeding.
• Increased Pain with Neck Flexion: If bending your neck forward increases your back pain, it could be a sign of a spinal cord issue or nerve root compression, which requires medical evaluation.
• Loss of Strength: If you’re unable to lift or move your limbs effectively, or have the feeling of extreme heaviness of your limbs, this could be an indicator of significant nerve compression or a more serious spinal injury.

How Can Myotherapy Help?
For many types of back pain, especially those not associated with these red flags, myotherapy can be an effective, non-invasive treatment option. Myotherapists use a combination of techniques to alleviate pain, improve mobility, and address the root cause of your discomfort. Some common methods include:

• Massage and Myofascial Release: These techniques target muscle tension and tightness, helping to relieve discomfort and improve flexibility.
• Dry Needling and Cupping: These methods are often used to release trigger points, reduce muscle tension, and improve blood flow to the affected areas, which can speed up recovery.
• Exercise Prescription: Your myotherapist can also design a personalized exercise program to help you build strength, improve posture, and prevent future injuries.

Back pain can be alarming, but not all pain is cause for immediate concern. By understanding the type of pain you're experiencing, its onset, and being mindful of red flags, you can better assess whether your back pain is serious. For many cases of back pain, myotherapy provides a safe and effective treatment to reduce pain, improve mobility, and support long-term recovery. However, if you notice any red flags, consult with a doctor immediately to rule out serious conditions.

If you are free of red flags, its likely that our team of excellent Myotherapists can help with a strategy for your back pain. Book online to consult with one of our experts.