| Osteopathy |
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Osteopathy is a system of medicine, which treats the whole person and not just the symptomatic area. It was founded by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in 1874. Still believed that the body is self healing and an uninterrupted nerve and blood supply to all the body's tissues is essential for normal functioning, to prevent disease.
Body Functioning The osteopath’s main focus is to improve the normal functioning of the spine as this is essential in the maintenance of health. The spinal cord can be described as an extension of the brain, which controls all the functions of the body. The nerves that exit from the spine not only control the muscles but all the organs, blood vessels and glands. Spinal restrictions can cause interruption to the nerve signals going to and from the cord. By treating these restrictions, the health of the body can be restored. Health & Disease Osteopaths do not consider the spine to be the only factor in health and disease. Genetic, developmental, dietary, environmental and psychological factors can all play a part in causing disease. Osteopathy places main emphasis upon the diagnosis and treatment of structural and mechanical imbalance of the body and regards manipulative therapy as one of the most important factors in the prevention of disease, along with dietary and lifestyle factors being other major contributory factors. Osteopaths also use other methods of natural healing. We can offer advice on good posture and self help, such as exercises and diet, to prevent the pain recurring and maintain good health. What do Osteopaths Treat? Although musculo-skeletal injuries are the most commonly seen, the following problems frequently respond well to Osteopathic treatment:
Who Would Benefit? Most people would benefit from Osteopathic treatment at some time during their life. Patients may be treated for health problems from the trauma of birth to the arthritis of elderly people. Babies and children can also benefit from these more gentle techniques, helping things such as digestive disturbances when the body is relaxed and working efficiently the immune system can work more optimally too. Patients often report improvement in sleep from improved relaxation and comfort. Treatment is focused on treating the person and not just the symptoms. Osteopathy guides your body to enable your natural healing energies to bring you to better balance, harmony and health. Spinal Manipulation was found to be effective in the treatment of low back pain in the BEAM trial (2004) sited in the British Medical Journal (1) and also in the latest Government guidelines osteopathy was recommended for persistent low back pain (NICE 2009) (2). Patients have also reported improvement with all different aspects of their health by removing tension from the relevant areas of their body contributing to symptoms. The most important thing to remember is that rather than focusing on dis-ease, as an alternative therapy we look to build and improve health. (1)http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/329/7479/1377 (2) http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/guidanceinfocus/infocuslowbackpain.jsp Cranial Osteopathy Cranial Osteopathy can also help a wide variety of problems as it can be used to improve drainage and circulation around the head by releasing tension, which will allow the body’s natural healing ability to function to its optimum level. Usually a deep feeling of relaxation is experienced during cranial osteopathy along with a feeling of wellbeing. Sometimes patients will experience an emotional release during treatment as with all tension that we hold in our bodies, often unconsciously, we have stored stresses and strains that we have held onto. When a strong emotion surfaces this is a sign that these tensions are surfacing and releasing allowing us to move forwards with greater ease. Cranial Osteopathy or cranio-sacral osteopathy is not just applied to the head and sacrum at the base of the spine but can be applied to any part of the body. Minor changes in the functional mobility of the soft tissues and bones are palpated and a motion demand is placed upon the tissue to allow the body to become more aware that there is some tension or holding is this region. Cranial osteopathy is thought to work through the primary respiratory mechanism – a breathing movement in the body, which corresponds with the movement of cerebro-spinal fluid, which bathes the brain and spinal cord. A gentle expansion and contraction movement can be felt by very light palpation of the tissues and structures throughout the body. When there is a loss of movement due to a build up of tension, gentle holding is used to facilitate the return of this movement. As movement is essential to life and wellbeing this can help guide the body back to improved health and wellbeing. Cranial osteopathy can be used with anyone , of any age and is especially helpful for babies, children, elderly or anyone in a chronic state of health who would not benefit as much from very physical treatment. Cranial osteopathic techniques applied to the whole body along with very gentle articulation and oscillatory movement to the spine, and gentle visceral techniques, applied to the abdomen, can be incredibly helpful in the treatment of babies and young children. As the vagus nerve exits from the base of the skull supplying the heart, lungs, stomach and most of the intestines it is more vulnerable to irritation from the compression of birth or from excessive traction when forceps or ventousse deliveries are required. It is a good idea for all babies and young children to have a spinal health check up as this could help to maximise their health potential by releasing the tension due to stress of a complicated or fast delivery. Osteopathy has also been shown to be possibly effective in treating infantile colic. Hayden (2006) (3). Retained birth compression around the bones of the ear can reduce fluid drainage and lead to the perfect breeding ground for recurrent ear infections, which can lead to the ear becoming “glued” with temporary loss of hearing. If the infections never fully clear it may become more vulnerable to further congestion. This research paper from the “Archives of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine” reports on an American study from 2003 (4) which suggests that osteopathic treatment of children may help prevent or decrease the need for medical or surgical intervention and antibiotic overuse. (3) http://www.cam.org.nz/Treatment%20Methods/Osteopathy/Osteopathy%20-%20infantile%20colic%20Evidence%20review%20-%20%2003%20Aug%2006.htm (4)http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/157/9/861 Osteopathic health check ups are a great way of looking after your body as we grow throughout life. Just as we would have our eyes tested and teeth examined – so the spine is a vital part of our body’s functioning and with gravitational forces, postural strains, patterns can build up which if not released could store up tension contributing to problems later on in life. It is always easiest to correct a spinal misalignment as soon as it has occurred to prevent further compensatory patterns developing. Prevention is always better than cure. Osteopathic Treatment Whilst recognising the importance of the spine in the improvement and maintenance of health, the practice of Osteopathy is now much wider than the mere examination and treatment of the spine. Most people first consult an osteopath because of back trouble but Osteopathic Manipulation is also of great value in the treatment of musculo-skeletal conditions anywhere in the body. Emphasis is placed on the structural integrity of the whole body. Pain and Stiffness This can be due to a mechanical strain or sprain, of sudden onset or from long term repetitive movement. The body has an amazing ability to be able to compensate and adapt to the stresses applied to it, however, pain is experienced when the body is no longer able to compensate. Pain is a warning signal to prevent further damage. Inflammation in the surrounding tissues causes stiffness, which can be eased using gentle techniques to improve tissue drainage. Visiting an Osteopath When you visit an osteopath for the first time a thorough case history will be taken and you will be given an examination. As in all healing arts, the prerequisite of successful treatment is accurate diagnosis. Patients will normally be expected to undress down to their underwear in order to complete a detailed examination of posture and to perform a simple series of movements in order to determine the cause of the presenting problem. Changing facilities are available as well as a blanket for your modesty. Stretchy clothing maybe worn but can sometimes inhibit the full scope of treatment. In some cases, it may be necessary to undertake additional investigations such as x-ray or blood tests in order to arrive at a full diagnosis and a suitable treatment plan for you. Osteopathy is patient centred so that each treatment is tailored to you as an individual. Treatment emphasis is placed on adjusting the whole body and not just the symptomatic part. It is designed to alleviate the current problem and to help prevent recurrences. |
