Cover Story

The person behind the marvellous knitted post box toppers in the area would like to thank everyone for their continued support and let you know how much has been raised so far for local charities. The identity of the prolific crafter is no secret but they did not wished to be named here.

You can check out the creations and find out how to donate at the Facebook page /Torphins Knitted Post Box Since November 2021, the following causes have benfitted:

25th World Scout Jamboree: £1,835 raised to date in memory of Claire MND Scotland: £1,655.39 in memory of Judy Garrett Torphins Playgroup – £601.39 Children in Need – £99.30 Poppy Scotland – £175.00 AberNecessities – £597 Bright Shadow dementia support – £463

The extraordinary knitter told The Fountain: “I’m just delighted how the communities have backed what I do showing their support not only with lovely messages but these amazing totals.

“The Paper Girls are currently fundraising for a Tok Pod for Aboyne Academy. A new topper has been placed out in Aboyne in support of this new fundraising venture (pic on cover) and I’m working on more.”

When times are tough, don’t stop ADVERTISING!

The Fountain relies on adverti sing to pay for its design and printi ng and I am so grateful to our regular adverti sers.

I am always delighted to welcome new adverti sers, and you can see details of costs and deals etc on p34.

At Myriad Pro Publishing, adverti sers are not just a space on a page. Your investment allows the publicati ons to promote the acti viti es of local groups and event organisers at no cost to them.

New customers can also benefi t from introductory editorial features, and there are perks to being a long-term adverti ser too, as well as discounts for featuring in the Alford and Banchory publicati ons.

The business landscape and publicity methods are changing all the ti me, and especially at the moment! So if you have any ideas on how The Fountain can further support you, do let me know.

No matt er if you are on the main street, out in the sti cks, working from your spare room or just operati ng online, I will help if I can.

Have you started a new business in the Aboyne area? Want a menti on? Get in touch.

The Fountain represents a unique opportunity for you to promote your business to a targe� ed area at reasonable cost. Ad rates start at just £15 for a small ad (A7 size). Around 1,500 copies are distributed through the doors of residences in the village, prominent spots in the local community and within businesses willing to stock it. Geographically it covers Aboyne and the surrounding areas and includes Tarland. All Myriad Pro Publicati ons are also available to read online at issuu.com

18

Sciati ca

A Pain in the Butt ?!

If you’ve ever had pain in your lower back, butt ock or leg, then you might have assumed that you have sciati ca. What exactly is sciati ca? The defi niti on of sciati ca is pain anywhere along the course of the sciati c nerve (basically nearly everywhere from your hip to your toes!).

Pain in this area can be sharp or dull, or in some cases can feel more like pins and needles or numbness. Although the diagnosis of sciati ca is very common, receiving an offi cial name for your conditi on doesn’t necessarily make the pain any bett er!

The truth is that pain in this area can be caused by many diff erent things. Figuring out the exact cause of sciati ca can be challenging but this is essenti al to begin healing.

Potenti al Causes of “Sciati ca”:

Disc Lesions: You’ve all heard of You’ve all heard of a “slipped disc”. The truth is the disc doesn’t really slip anywhere – what usually happens is part of the disc tears and the inside of the disc bulges out. If the bulge is large enough it can push on a spinal nerve, causing sharp and shooti ng pain and pins and needles down the leg. Luckily this is a less common conditi on but extremely painful when it does happen.

Piriformis Syndrome: The sciati c nerve runs past the piriformis muscle nerve runs past the piriformis muscle (located around your hip/butt ock). The (located around your hip/butt ock). The sciati c nerve can become irritated when sciati c nerve can become irritated when the piriformis is very ti ght and sti ff (very the piriformis is very ti ght and sti ff (very common with prolonged si� ng!) resulti ng common with prolonged si� ng!) resulti ng in pain around the hip or into the thigh. in pain around the hip or into the thigh. Shooti ng pain can also occur if you are one of the 15% of people that have the sciati c nerve travelling through the piriformis!

Trigger Points: When they are very ti ght, some of the muscles around the hip and pelvis actually refer pain down the leg in a very similar patt ern to a disc lesion. This phenomenon is called a trigger point. We have lost count of how many pati ents we see who are convinced they have a disc problem, for us only to pinpoint a muscle in their hip and re-create their pain. Fortunately trigger points are much easier to deal with than disc problems!

SI Syndrome: The SI joints are the larger joints that connect your spine to your pelvis. Some studies say between 15% and 30% of low back pain suff erers have dysfuncti on of these joints. SI syndrome is usually caused by inacti vity and poor posture but can also be aggravated by injury or pregnancy. Pain can be anywhere from the lower back to the back of the leg, so diagnosis requires a complete physical examinati on.

There are so many potenti al causes of sciati ca, it seems unfair to group all of them under one name. Whether you have been diagnosed with sciati ca or not, treatment and recovery will vary depending on the true cause, how long the problem has been going on, and the age, lifestyle, and health of the person with the issue. The thought of addressing these factors on your own can be a daunti ng prospect! A pain in the butt is certainly no joke if you are the one who is suff ering with it.

Our team are experts in these types of conditi ons and will only commence a treatment plan aft er a full examinati on and diagnosis has been made.

If any of the above sounds familiar, then we have a soluti on for you; an enormous 50% off a New Pati ent Experience with us at our custom designed clinic in Banchory (saving of £55!).

Get in touch with our friendly team by emailing hello@banchoryspinalhealth. co.uk or calling 01330 824040!

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