About Osteopathy
Osteopathy is based on the principle that good health and harmonious interrelation of skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissue are crucial to an individual’s well being.
Osteopathic care commences with the identification of the cause/s of the complaint and then uses soft tissue work and gentle physical manipulation and appropriate self care advice on dietary intake, exercise/life-style, emotional/psychological well-being to improve function, aid health and reduce the risk of reoccurrence of the presenting complaint.
Can Osteopathy Help Me?
Osteopathy is suitable for all ages including young children, pregnant women, elderly people can treat many areas related to:
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Back pain, neck pain
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Digestive problems, constipation
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Headaches, migraines
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Dizziness
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TMJ
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Sport injuries
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Post surgery discomfort
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Pre and post pregnancy discomfort
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Scoliosis
What to Expect During Treatment
When there is restriction in the movement of an organ or joint, malfunction of the neighbouring structures will happen (bad posture, strain, soft tissues tension, altered blood flow). Therefore, you will feel discomfort. Osteopathy then, assists the patient seeing the body as a unit, restituting the lost balance of the body.
On your first visit to an Osteopathy practitioner you will be asked about your symptoms and how the complaint began. A full medical history will be required followed by posture evaluation, palpation and range of motion assessment.
The osteopathic techniques tend to be gentle which makes it suitable for patients of all ages.
The number of treatments required will vary according to the condition, how long you have had it and how fast your body responds to the therapy.
Origins of Osteopathy
Osteopathy was developed in the United States in the late 1800s by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, a physician who began exploring different approaches to health and the treatment of illness.
Still became particularly interested in the relationship between the body's structure and the way it functions. Through his study of anatomy and physiology, he developed a hands-on approach that considered the body as an interconnected whole rather than simply treating individual symptoms.
His ideas became the foundation of osteopathic manual treatment.
In 1892, Still founded the American School of Osteopathy in Kirksville, Missouri, where he began formally teaching his approach. His work subsequently influenced the development of osteopathic education and practice in the United States and internationally.
While osteopathy has evolved considerably since Still's time, the principle of looking at the body as a whole and considering how its different parts influence one another remains central to osteopathic manual practice today.
