Osteopathic Therapists

Osteopathic Therapy

Osteopathy is a distinctive and complete system of health care, which was founded in America in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still. Over 130 years later, it is now a recognised and statutory regulated profession, and all osteopaths have to be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) to legally practice as an osteopath in the UK.

How can Ostiothapy therapy Help?

Osteopathy can help relieve symptoms of pain and discomfort in many conditions such as back pain, muscle or ligament strains, headaches and migraine, arthritic joints, pain associated with pregnancy, colic in babies, postural strain and work related conditions to name only a few. Treatment is suitable for all ages, from babies to senior citizens, with each treatment tailored for the individual case, based on their assessment and diagnosis. An osteopath is qualified with an honours degree in osteopathic medicine, having studied full-time for 4-5 years in the biomedical sciences and this is underpinned with extensive clinical training. This advanced knowledge is applied when assessing and diagnosing each individual patient and when preparing a treatment plan suitable for that individual.

Osteopathic Philosophy

The philosophy and treatment of osteopathy is based on two key principles. Firstly, that there is a free-flowing circulation of the blood throughout the tissues of the whole body, and secondly that the structure and function of the body and its parts are inter-related.

A free-flowing blood circulation is vital to allow an injured area to remove waste products of cell activity and supply fresh blood to the area to provide the nutrients and components necessary for repair and healing to take place. The mechanical functioning (joint movement) of the musculoskeletal framework can be adversely effected when joints become misaligned. Misalignment of bones can occur due to incorrect postural habits for example work environment, lifestyle, hobbies, or accidents, to name only a few and osteopaths identify these misalignments with their highly developed sense of palpation (touch) while assessing the joint mobility.

If a bone becomes misaligned in relation to another, it places a stress on the attached tissues (muscles and ligaments). This can result in the joints function or movement being altered and may result in strain to the ligaments and muscles. The bone or its attachments can also cause compression by pressing on any of its neighboring structures. For example, if this bone is located in the spine, (vertebra) compression of the nerves or blood vessels may take place, resulting in pain and altered functioning of the muscles and organs supplied by those blood vessels and nerves; a good example of this is sciatic pain where compression of the sciatic nerve results in pain along the back of the buttock or leg muscles.

Osteopathic Treatment

Osteopathic treatment is aimed at restoring the correct structural alignment of the musculoskeletal system to enable the joints to function normally, and remove any of the strain placed on the surrounding structures; thereby allowing a free-flowing blood circulation and nerve supply. Osteopaths use a wide variety of manual techniques such as soft tissue therapy, joint mobilization, and spinal adjustments, that can be used during treatment and this gives them the ability to prescribe a treatment plan suitable for the individual, adapting to the patient’s needs whatever their age, from babies to senior citizens. The osteopath may provide additional advice on exercise, lifestyle and nutrition for your individual condition.