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Where Can Osteopathy Help?
About half the patients who consult an osteopath are suffering from low back pain. These back problems can take different forms such as lumbago or the popularly described “slipped disc” which may cause sciatica. These conditions are rarely alleviated by drugs. To obtain more permanent relief it is necessary to try and eliminate their underlying cause, something an osteopath is specially trained to do.
A third of Britons suffer from an episode of backache in any given fortnight. This is a major cause of sickness absenteeism, causing the country an estimated £300 million a year in production losses and sickness benefit. Many people spend weeks in bed before they finally recover from their back pain. Others find that a visit to an osteopath can dramatically shorten their recovery time as carefully designed osteopathic treatment can relieve or completely cure the vast majority of back pains.
A large proportion of headaches, 80% or more originate from stiffness and tension in the neck. This gives rise to pain often radiating over the skull from the base of the neck to the eyes. Heat and analgesic tablets frequently ease this pain but long term relief often requires accurate osteopathic diagnosis and treatment of the underlying problem.
Osteopaths specialise in diagnosing disorders of the spine, joints and muscles. Osteopaths are very effective in alleviating most types of acute and chronic pain.
Some conditions are listed below.- Whiplash injuries
- Sports injuries
- Muscular rheumatism
- Tension
- Anxiety
- Stress, depression and fatigue
- Period pains and irregularity
- Allergies
- Fibrositis
- Spondylosis
- RSI
- Poor posture
- Arthritis
- Circulatory problems
- Congested sinuses
- Ear problems. Glue ear
- Plantar fascitis
- Digestive disorders
- Teeth and face problems
- Asthma and chest complaints
- Headaches, migraines, aches and pains to the back of the head, behind the eyes or in the temples. Tension across the forehead and throbbing discomfort at the top and the back of the head.
- Jaw muscle or joint aches and pains. Dizziness, nervousness, vertigo, soreness, tension and tightness felt in the back of the neck and throat area. Tinnitus.
- Neck aches
- Frozen shoulder. Pain, soreness and restriction in the shoulder area.
- Neuritis such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Pain and soreness in arms, hands, elbows and fingers.
- Chest pains, tightness or constriction. Asthma.
- All middle and low back pain, aches and soreness. Lumbago, slipped disc and sciatica. Also disc degeneration.
- Leg, knee, ankle, foot pain and soreness. Sciatic pain or soreness in the hip and the buttocks.
Osteopathy For Children
Children may suffer from joint pain, muscle, tendon and ligament injuries as a result of playground falls and school accidents. As children reach their teens many of them take part in high level and contact sports where osteopathy can assist in treating any sports injuries they may receive. Headaches, neck and back pain often occur in many teens as many of them spend long hours using the computer, have poor study postures and carry heavy school bags and laptops. Other problems where an osteopath can help children are:- Glue ear
- Headaches, aches and growing pains
- Asthma
- Poor concentration
- Behavioural problems and learning difficulties
- Sinus and adenoidal problems
- Persistent infections
- Cerebral palsy and other types of brain damage.
Osteopathy For Pregnant Women
Osteopaths can help pregnant women during all stages of pregnancy and can be carried out right up until the end stages. Pregnant women can often suffer back pain and sciatica during pregnancy, mainly due to the increase in weight being carried and to the change in the spinal posture. Both of these place an additional strain on the back muscles. After the birth many women continue to suffer from back pain due to lifting and carrying the new baby.
Neck and shoulder pain during pregnancy often arise because of breast enlargement and continue after birth because of breastfeeding.
An osteopath can also help with:- Nausea and vomiting
- Heart burn
- Breathing difficulties
- Varicose veins and haemorrhoids
Osteopathy For Babies
Gentle cranial techniques can help in relieving the after effects of birth traumas such as compression of the head during forceps deliveries.
Non invasive cranial, functional and visceral osteopathic techniques are used to treat problems such as infant colic, sleep disturbance and recurrent vomiting.
An osteopath can help babies for conditions such as:- Crying and irritable baby
- Feeding difficulties
- Sickness, colic and wind
- Sleep disturbances
- Recurrent infections
Osteopathy For Older Members Of Our Society
Many older patients worry about the safety of manual therapy and whether the treatment may be too forceful for them, however osteopaths have a wide range of gentle and non invasive techniques at their disposal for this purpose.
With age people tend to suffer more from aches and pains and often degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis also become more common. Osteopaths can do much to help maintain mobility and quality of life.
An osteopath can help older people for conditions such as:- Joint pain and stiffness
- Headaches
- Neck and back pain
- Congested sinuses
- Heart and lung conditions
- Knee, hip and ankle arthritic pain
- Fatigue
- Digestive disorders
- Teeth and face problems
What Is Osteopathy And Does It Work?
Osteopathy is an established state recognised profession. It is the modern scientific development of two of the oldest forms of treatment known to man, massage and manipulation. Osteopaths work with their hands to treat conditions affecting the body’s musculo-skeletal system (the bones, muscles, joints, ligaments and connective tissue) by a combination of - - A wide variety of soft tissue release techniques including
- remedial massage which is used to treat a range of conditions including back problems and sports injuries and is excellent for relieving stress.
- isometric stretches also known as muscle energy techniques
- gentle positional release and functional techniques which release tensions in tissues by putting them into positions of ease.
- Stretching.
- Passive mobilisation of joints.
- Lymphatic drainage techniques.
- Joint manipulations and spinal adjustments are used in osteopathy either to correct alignment or release tension in the spine or other joints in the body.
- Ultrasound therapy is used as it helps with circulation and deep tension. It can be applied to muscles and joints which are tight or restricted.
- Cranial techniques which involve gentle mobilisation of the bones of the skull and face.
- Visceral techniques designed to release tension and restrictions of normal movement in the internal organs and their attachments.
Combinations of all the above aim to correct the faults diagnosed.
Osteopathy As A Profession
Qualified osteopaths have an academic qualification indicated by D.O. or BSc(Ost) after their names. All osteopaths have to be registered with our governing body, The General Osteopathic Council. This is a guarantee of their training, skill and ethical standing.
An osteopathic degree is recognised all over the world and a registered osteopath can set up practice almost anywhere.
Osteopaths follow an extensive full time four-five year degree course training in anatomy, physiology, pathological processes, biomechanics and clinical methods. This equips the osteopath to analyse the problem and diagnose the complaints using a variety of clinical skills, often backed up where necessary by X-ray examinations and biochemical tests.
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