Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body, and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments, viscera and connective tissues functioning smoothly together.
To an osteopath, for your body to work well, every one of its parts or structures (viscera, nerves, muscles, ligaments…etc.) must also work well. So osteopaths work to restore your body to a state of balance and more precisely to restore its function. They do that without the use of drugs or surgery. They use numerous manipulative techniques (structural, cranial, functional and visceral techniques) to restore the normal movement in between the different body structures to improve their function and consequently the one of the entire body. An osteopathic manipulative treatment not only increases the mobility of joints, relieve muscle tension, enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues among other things but also help your body’s own healing mechanisms. The body has the natural ability to maintain itself and, by helping this process, an osteopath can promote restoration of normal function.
Osteopaths may also provide advice on posture and exercise to aid recovery, support their treatments, promote health and prevent symptoms recurring.
Osteopaths will take the time to understand their patient, and their unique combination of symptoms, medical history and lifestyle. This helps to make an accurate diagnosis of the causes of the pain or lack of function (rather than just addressing the site of the condition), and from that, to formulate a treatment plan that will achieve the best outcome.
What can an Osteopath treat, give relief, or advise about ?
- Aches and pains: back, neck, shoulder, elbow, hand, hip, knee, ankle, foot (basically any!)
- Minor Sports and Dance injuries
- Postural advice
- Sciatica, Neuralgia
- Joint, Arthritic & Rheumatic pain,
- Fibromyalgia
- Trapped nerves,
- Circulatory problems
- Stiffness & tension
- Whiplash associate disorders
- Disc, muscle & ligament strains
- Muscle spasms. Cramp
- Frozen shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis) & Tennis elbow
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip/Knee
- Inability to relax
- Neck related headaches or dizziness (Cervicogenic)
- Migraine relief
- Aches and pain relief during pregnancy, PGP (SPD)
- Sinus, dental, ear, and eye (facial) aches/problems
- Digestion, IBS, (Stress and tension related) problems
- Baby / child problems, digestion,- Cranial Osteopathy can have a calming effect
- and many more ailments
Is treatment painful?
Osteopaths work very hard to make treatment as painless as possible, but you may experience some discomfort during and after treatment. Your osteopath will warn you if they think that the technique that they are about to use is likely to be uncomfortable and will stop if you tell them that you are feeling too much pain.
Following treatment about half of patients report some mild soreness in the area(s) of their body that was treated, this can usually be relieved with an over the counter pain killer and will go away within 48 hours. If you experience serious or unusual symptoms after treatment you should contact your osteopath straight away for advice.