I feel my story is worth sharing

Martin Fletcher - Client for 2 years

Dear Rachel

I am delighted to write to you regarding the physiotherapy treatment you have administered on my neck and back.

My delight is a result of your expertise in diagnosing, planning and implementing a course of physiotherapy that has resulted in successfully reducing the severe pain I endured for several months.

I understand that the Bisham Clinic has a website where testimonials may be used and I feel my story is worth sharing with any potential clients who view your website.

For the benefit of your website readers:

September 2012:
I started to notice my neck had restricted movement and was painful if I tilted my head backwards. At my age (54 then) I presumed I had simply slept awkwardly and carried on with life. The neck pain became progressively worse to the point where I decided to seek the help of my osteopath. I say “my osteopath” as having lead a more physical active life when younger, I would probably visit my osteopath at least twice a year to have my back straightened out. Unfortunately he was suffering ill health at that time so I needed to find an alternative.

I was recommended to visit a chiropractor by a friend. I will not mention the chiropractors name as I feel his treatment exacerbated the problems in my neck, needless to say I was now getting desperate to remedy the cause. The chiropractor told me that my atlas bone was the root cause of my issues and would take a few weeks of manipulation to put right. Shortly after my fourth visit to the chiropractor I started to get severe pins & needles in my left hand and I couldn’t hold my head up straight without experiencing pain. In desperation I tried acupuncture which had alleviated a painful shoulder problem I had many years ago. Acupuncture had a short term effect but soon I was in severe pain again. I tried acupressure to no avail. By this
time the pain was excruciating to the point that the only place I could sleep was in a hot bath. The position of being in the bath with my head forced forward by the shape of the small bath gave me relief.

I decided to seek more indepth investgation and through my doctor I was referred to a back specialist where an MRI scan was performed. The surgeon who revealed the results to me was quite certain that I required an operation on my spine as two vertebras just below my skull had compressed resulting in nerve pressure. He informed me that there was a 100,000 to 1 chance that I could be paralysed from the neck down if the operation went wrong. High odds but not high enough for me. I asked the surgeon if physiotherapy might help, he simply said “you can try it”.

January 2013:
At this time I was on the strongest anti-inflamatory tablets available which just about made the pain bearable. I walked into your clinic with my head forced forward in an attempt to alleviate the pain and explained my sorry story to you. Your first examination was very thorough and culminated with you telling me that you would be able to help me. In that week I visited you twice where you gently manipulated my neck and gave me simple exercises to perform every day.

The results were immediate and by my third visit to you, I was able to walk tall and sleep well. As BUPA refused to pay for my physiotherapy treatment it impressed me that you would offer further treatments only if I thought I required them rather than advising me to return twice a week. You also said that extending the time between visits would allow my body to settle down and offer a more accurate snapshot of improvement. At each subsequent visit you were as thorough as on my first visit and your methodical approach gave me even more confidence.

May 2013 to date:
Today my neck has full mobility and just occasionally I feel a slight twinge but as you mentioned, nerve damage can take a long time to heal. I also appreciate that you didn’t associate the healing process with my age!

I can only speak from experience and I hold you in the highest esteem. You instil confidence and hope where I felt it was hopeless, you have a gentle, caring and warm manner which put me at ease, and your skills were administered without causing me further pain. Most importantly for me, you achieved both our objectives and helped me live a normal life again.

Thank you so much for being so good at what you do and doing what you do so nicely.

I can’t end this letter without expressing my thanks to the receptionists who have always been so polite and efficient and who would always greet me with a warm smile, the whole clinic is a credit to health care.