Female Chiropractic Care in Dubai

Meet Dr. Pamela Leader – she is one of Dubai’s few female chiropractors. I have found that in Dr. Pamela’s treatments, she has wise words for women, from wellness, to re-education; she is simply an inspiration.

Dr. Pamela heals not just your body but also does wonders for your mind. Her experiences and life stories empower me, so I thought you might like to hear them too… Dr Pamela’s with her grandchildren in the Hong Kong last week.

Q1: Pamela, what bought you to Dubai 5 years ago?

My partner and I had been living in Tuscany with our own Chiropractic clinic. The time came when we sought a more international lifestyle, and an English education for our son. It was then that we became interested in the Middle East. Transferring locations was complicated and required that we pass many examinations, but we persevered and eventually opened the Emirates European Medical Centre. Dr Pamela’s son is pictured here on a Gondola ride in Venice many years ago.

Q2: You have shared with me that you had a different profession before becoming a chiropractor. Can you expand on this?

After my children were in school, I returned to school myself and earned my Bachelor’s in Education. I enjoyed teaching biology for many years, but doing so left me with a chronic back problem which I ignored for 18 months. I knew little about chiropractic, but my best friend, who had used chiropractic, urged me to do the same. She persisted and eventually I made an appointment with a chiropractor in England.

After just five treatments my pain had disappeared and I was overjoyed. I began to wonder why such a powerful therapy was not mainstream, and why so few people knew about or trusted it. I’d almost missed out myself.Dr Pamela’s office in Italy.

Q3: How does a chiropractor work?

Like any good doctor, a chiropractor begins with your story; how you feel and how everything began; your other health and lifestyle problems. Then we do a detailed examination centered on your particular case and focused on the spine and nervous system.Dr. Pamela adjusting a baby. 

So, what are the techniques which chiropractors use in treating patients? 

In order to correct any spinal and muscular imbalances or misalignments we work with a number of different techniques. The most popular and well-known adjustment for the spine is a “chiropractic adjustment.” This technique requires manipulation of the spinal joints, and often results in a clicking or cracking sound.

It’s a long-lasting technique and is an effective way to lessen pain, especially when used with muscle-relaxing therapies. Relaxing the muscles near the joints allows me to manipulate them more efficiently, and the positive effects of the manipulation will last longer.Dr. Pamela adjusting her granddaughter.

What tools do you use other than your hands?

A tool called an Activator is an alternative to the traditional chiropractic adjustment. The Activator is precise, and it quickly applies a precise amount of force in whichever direction I choose.

My chiropractic bench has some mechanical sections, as it’s outfitted with “drop pieces” which drop away about 1 cm when a quick force is applied. These sections allow me to perform another chiropractic method particularly effective on the pelvic joints called the Thompson Drop. I use this to mobilise the sacro – iliac joints, mainly. And finally, to relax the muscles, I use a combination of trigger point therapy, muscle stripping, and deep friction massage. Midnight after Italy won the world cup – like every small town in Italy the people were overjoyed in celebration!

Q4: Who are your typical patients?

I see patients of all levels of fitness and all ages, from a few days old to people in their 80′s. I can’t give you one group but maybe the most common are those who work on computers for many hours a day (sitting in poor posture for too long), both male and female; followed by busy mothers who have ignored their pain often for a long time while looking after their families; and then babies with colic or KISS syndrome.Here pictured is trees which Dr. Pamela’s family loved to see on the way to the Italian coast. 

Q5: What symptoms do your patients have?

In order of the most frequent: low back pain, neck pain, disc hernias, shoulder pain and headaches. Any other joint pain in the arms or legs, and posture problems like rounded shoulders. Children with scoliosis, flat feet headaches or wry neck, as well as abies are brought to me with infantile colic, sleep problems, crooked necks and reflux.Dr Pamela’s son in a beautiful hilltop town of Italy.

Q6: Why do you think patients head for ‘traditional medication’ rather than explore ‘alternative methods’ of healing?

Often this is because they do not know about alternative methods or they do not trust them. They often do not understand that we have an excellent medical education which spans five years and covers all the same material as a family practitioner, as well as all our techniques. Some patients look for a quick fix for pain, and they do not have the patience to let us look for the origin of that symptom – pain.

The problem is that covering the pain with medication rarely solves the problem in the long-term and may even lead to greater problems in the future. Chiropractors evaluate the whole spine and other joints, muscles, and, in fact, the whole person before they decide on a treatment protocol which will have the goal of long-term improvement in the symptoms and optimum quality of life.Dr. Pamela’s son gazing longingly into a mask shop in Venice on a weekend trip.

Q7: How important is financial independence to you?

For me, I am pleased to be financially independent at this time in my life as it allows me to plan and spend as I choose. I have been in a different position earlier in my life and I found it hard to have to ask for what I needed, especially if it was something I wanted to do rather than a direct family need – maybe to give a gift, or something similar.

I think that when women have their own resources they are empowered to make their own decisions, and in turn they can contribute more fully.A walk along the top of the walls of the little town of Grosseto.

Q8: For women looking to re-educate themselves later in life, what advice do you give to them?

If any woman is lucky enough to have the financial resources to return to education later in life, I think it is a wonderful idea. Many people have not really made up their minds what they want to do with their lives at a young age, or maybe other opportunities present themselves later. When you go back to education after living and working, you appreciate every moment and aspect of the experience.

Don’t let anyone tell you your brain will not be able to do it. I love to study, and continue to do so now. I recently completed a clinical neurology course over a number of weekends in Istanbul. Although passing exams can be stressful, those were some of the best years of my life. If you love to learn, go for it. I am sure it keeps you young! A painting Dr. Pamela has in her office, which she painted in her Italian garden during the last spring before moving to Dubai.

Q9: What are 4 ways you look after yourself?

1. I eat at least every 3 hours using healthy snacks between meals to make sure I never get hungry. I eat “super foods” like berries, salmon and avocado, regularly. I eat very little grains like bread, pasta and cakes. etc. I take some sunshine at weekends for vitamin D and an acidophillus capsule with my breakfast.

2. I make sure I get enough regular sleep and relaxation time.

3. I see my dental hygienist every 3 months for good gum health, as keeping inflammation away from here helps to keep your entire body healthy.

4. I get my spine regularly adjusted by my colleagues – at least once a month, and more often if I have any specific problem.

I must admit that I do not exercise as much as I used to, but I try to walk as often as I can and I am doing Pilates to keep my own back strong so I can do my job well.Dr. Pamela’s young daughters in the UK in the 70′s. They are hanging out their dolls clothes to dry in the garden. Make time for great moments. Pictured here Dr. Pamela and her son sharing such a moment – when an elephant decided to breathe in her ear, which both Dr.Pamela and her son found hilarious.

Q10: In our busy world, we, as mums, often put everyone else before ourselves. What advice would you give to other mothers about balancing their own well-being and the well-being of their husbands and children?

My son is a teenager now (pictured above) and I have to fight for a bit of his time, but when my children were younger I used to cherish the time with them. It was lovely to pass time reading to them, teaching them and playing, both in our home and outside. I think they are young for so few years and the years pass too quickly as we are all tied up in getting through our busy lives trying to be super-mums. If you blink, you miss all the joy!

I have had two families – one after the first children had grown up – so I was lucky enough to be able to do it all again and enjoy each day even more, knowing how fast time passes. Poppies are Dr. Pamela’s favorite flower

Q11: What should we keep in mind as parents?

We must also remember that before we had the children, we fell in love with the man in our lives. Some time alone with him, having fun together, fully engaged with each other is so important to fit into each day you are together.

And then when you have juggled all those aspects of family and career, you need to remember yourself, your health – both physical and emotional – and your spiritual growth. Never feel guilty about what you did not do today, as you can only change things tomorrow. Have no regrets and start each new day with new optimism, living each moment that comes. It is those little happy moments that make up life – not the things you did not manage to do. Dr. Pamela works with both male and female patients.

Q12: Your thoughts on your career?

I feel very lucky to have found a career which is very fulfilling and that, I am after 17 years, still excited to come to work each day and find out who is better and also to meet the next new patient I can help. I know that this is not the case for everyone, although even when I was teaching, I loved each day with the teenagers I taught.

Like I said earlier, Dr. Pamela is a woman of  wise words. I hope you enjoyed this post. If you need to contact her for any back-related issue, you can find her here.

Janelle xoxo