What is osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a manual therapy that is safe and effective for all ages.  It is a hands on treatment that is used to treat a wide range of conditions.  It involves the diagnosis and treatment of structural and mechanical dysfunctions with the body with the aim of resolving pain and restoring healthy function and overall wellbeing.

 Osteopaths have two aims during diagnosis and treatment:

• to identify and treat the cause of the pain, for example the muscle injury or joint strain

• to understand why the body has been vulnerable to this injury and how to improve overall mechanics and tissue health to help with the bodies healing mechanisms and reduced the likelihood of reoccurrence

Restoring health

Osteopaths consider health as not simply the absence of pain but a state of harmony and balance within a person.  This state of balance includes body, mind, spirit and how we are feeling within our internal and external environments. 

A healthy body should be able to deal with challenges and activate it’s self healing mechanisms to restore functionality when required.

Most of us have been exposed to stressful physical or emotional events at some stage in our life.  Over time the effects of these events can accumulate which can make it more difficult for the body to cope and ‘bounce back’.  This can lead to symptoms starting to show or a normal daily movement triggering a sudden acute pain.

Some of us may feel like our bodies are stuck and not moving with the same freedom and glide that we expect or just an awareness that things are not working properly.

The interconnected nature of the body means that the painful region of the body may not always be the source of the problem.  An ankle restriction will cause imbalances in the pelvis, low back and neck as the body tried to adapt and compensate which can lead to increased tension and overloading.  Ultimately aches and pains or strains in other areas may result.

This is why osteopaths treat the whole person rather than solely the condition or symptoms in isolation with the aim to help you feel more balanced. 

Cranial osteopathy

Cranial osteopathy is known for it’s subtle and gentle techniques applied throughout the body (not just to the head as the name ‘cranial’ might lead you to expect).  Cranial osteopathy can be beneficial for all ages.  Due to the very gentle nature of the techniques children, babies and pregnant women often respond well to this osteopathic approach.