Patterson Allied Health

Word of the Day: Jaw 🦴 /ʤɔː/

From Middle English jawe (later jowe), the word comes from Old English ceowan, meaning “to chew.” 🍽️ Scientifically known as the mandible, the jaw forms the lower part of the skull and connects to the temporal bone at the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

This small but powerful joint is remarkably versatile - opening up to around 50 mm when you yawn 😮, gliding forward to bite 🦷, and shifting side to side as you chew or speak. It’s an extraordinary range of motion for such a compact structure - but with so much movement, things can sometimes go awry. Enter Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), which causes pain, stiffness, or clicking when the joint isn’t moving as it should.

If you’re suffering, call Patterson Allied Health on (03) 9776 1600 to learn how osteopathy may help ease jaw tension and support smoother movement. 📞

🤯 Your headache might feel like it’s “all in your head,” but the science tells a more intricate story. Many headaches originate from biomechanical and neurovascular dysfunctions in the cervical spine and upper thoracic region. Tight muscles, restricted joints, and altered postural mechanics can compress cervical nerves, distort vertebral alignment, and impede blood flow - all of which increase nociceptive input to the trigeminocervical complex, the brainstem hub that integrates sensory signals from the neck and head. Over time, this sensitises the central nervous system, turning minor tension into full-blown headaches.
Osteopathy works to address these underlying mechanisms to recalibrate pain signalling and support your body’s innate self- regulation. In essence, it’s about rewiring tension, rebalancing flow, and resetting your headache circuitry.

Call Patterson Allied Health on (03) 9776 1600 to explore how osteopathy may help modulate your headache pathways. 🌿

Did you know your body’s fascia is like an all-encompassing web, wrapping every muscle, bone, nerve, and organ? It helps transmit force, keeps you moving smoothly, and supports your body from head to toe.

But sometimes - over time - the web can tighten. Fascia can become tight or restricted due to injury, poor posture, repetitive movements, weight or hormonal changes, or even stress 😣. When this happens, movement can feel limited, muscles may tense up, and aches can appear in surprising places. Restricted fascia can also affect fluid circulation, which further affects recovery and tissue health. Our osteopaths work to release restrictions and restore mobility. We’ll also provide guidance on movement and self-care to keep your fascia functioning at its best. 💪

Feeling a bit stiff or tense? Call (03) 9776 1600 to make an appointment at Patterson Allied Health.