Treatment
There are a range of approaches and techniques in osteopathic treatment. Osteopathy recognises that though people may complain of the same pain, the cause of their pain will vary as people are individuals, and therefore should be treated as such. This is why each patient has a treatment and management plan tailored to them and their specific needs. Osteopathic treatment can benefit people of all ages.
How we can help you
We treat the following common conditions and more:
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Neck Pain
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Lower Back Pain
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Shoulder Pain
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Knee Pain
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Hip Pain
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Sciatic Pain
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Ankle Pain
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Foot Pain
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Pelvic Girdle Pain
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Migraines
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Plantar fasciitis
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Digestive problems
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Muscle strain
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Arthritic Pain
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Rib Pain
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Sport Injury
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Sinus problems
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Sacroiliac Pain
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SPD
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Scar tissue
Treatment for neck, back and joint pain and muscle soreness
Neck pain and back pain are the two most common complaints Osteopaths receive. Neck and back pain can be caused by postural changes that have occurred over a long period of time; disc injuries, muscle spasm or restricted spinal segments. When a joint is injured, irritated or not moving as it should, the muscles in the body naturally tense up to protect the area, this is called muscle guarding. This muscle guarding can lead to a heavy achy feeling and joint stiffness. Joint restriction can also be due to degenerative or inflammatory joint conditions, gentle soft tissue work of the surrounding muscles can give a sense of freedom to the affected joints.
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Initial injury or flare ups are always the most painful and our aim is to decrease your pain as soon as possible to then move on to treatment management and future prevention.
Techniques such as spinal manipulation are used to encourage movement in restricted joints. Articulation, to improve joint mobility and increase blood flow to the joint and to flush out the toxins that have built up. Soft/ deep tissue massage to ease increased muscle tone/contracture which leads to increase blood flow for tissue repair. Stretching to increase muscle length and decrease muscle tone.
Treatment for headaches and migraines
Many people suffer with headaches and migraines. There are a multitude of different kinds of headaches including cluster headaches and cervicogenic headaches (origin from the neck), with varying severities. Our approach to treating headaches and migraines is to: firstly, to ensure that the cause of the headaches/migraines is not a risk to the patient’s health. Secondly, to assess the neck (and spine for compensatory patterns) and the head (cranially), looking for tension in muscles of the neck, and restrictions of spinal segments. Thirdly, to treat these tensions and/or restrictions either through soft tissue work of the muscles around the neck, manipulations of spinal segments or treating using cranial osteopathy, doing this will allow the body to move freely and reduce tension .
Treatment for pregnant and post-natal women
During pregnancy the body goes through many changes to accommodate the for the growing foetus, weight, and preparation for delivery. Throughout the 37-40 weeks of pregnancy, due to the changes in weight and softening of ligaments a woman’s posture will change three times, once each trimester. These changes, depending on the coping mechanisms of the individual’s body, can put weight bearing load onto joints that are usually non-weight bearing, most commonly the pelvis and the lumbar spine. This can create increased tension in the surrounding muscles. One of the founding principals in osteopathy is that “structure governs function” which means that if the structure changes then inherently the function of the joints and muscles involved will function differently too.
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How can osteopathic treatment help?
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When non-weight bearing joints become weight bearing, they often become sore and achy as a result to the change in function. Osteopathic treatment aims to identify the joints or tissues that aren’t functioning optimally, and through a range of techniques help the body to cope with postural changes of pregnancy in line with the individual.
Each treatment plan will be specific to the patient and their needs. Some of the techniques that may be used are spinal manipulation, massage of tissues, articulation of joints, cranial, stretching and muscle energy techniques. Another part of the plan is self-management; this is where the practitioner may give health information and/or give exercises, the practitioner will encourage patients to actively take part in their management and progression both during pregnancy and post-natal.