Osteopathy is a form of manual healthcare using hands-on techniques to diagnose and treat a wide range of health problems, aiming to relieve pain, discomfort and irritability.
Osteopaths focus on how the skeleton, joints, muscles, nerves, circulation, connective tissue and internal organs function as a holistic unit.
The osteopathic philosophy is to treat the person as a whole, addressing the cause, not just the symptoms. By improving the function of the whole body Osteopathy may help in stimulating the body’s own self-healing / self –regulating processes. Thus a healthy body.
The emphasis is on the interrelationship of your body’s structure – such as muscles, bones, joints, nerves, etc. – and its function – such as breathing, circulation, digestion, metabolism.
What kinds of problems can Osteopathy help with?
Whilst back and neck pain are possibly the most common problems presented, patients may also seek Osteopathy for a wide variety of problems including postural changes in pregnancy, an unsettled baby, headaches, migraines, sciatica, scoliosis, repetitive strain injury, soft tissue sprains & strains and sports injuries, jaw pain, knee & ankle pain.
How do Osteopaths treat?
As Osteopaths we are trained to use our hands. Each treatment may differ, depending on what you’re body needs. Some techniques may include, stretching techniques, muscle energy techniques, the traditional joint manipulation ( not for babies or small children ) or Cranial Biodynamic Techniques.
Osteopaths are government registered practitioners who complete an accredited university training in anatomy, physiology, general healthcare diagnosis and osteopathic techniques.
Osteopaths are primary healthcare practitioners and are trained to recognise conditions that require medical referral. They are also trained to perform standard examinations of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems.