What is Osteopathy?
What does Osteopathy Treat?
Is Osteopathy suitable for babies and children?
Is Osteopathy safe for pregnant women?
What is Cranial Osteopathy?
What is Visceral Osteopathy?

What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a safe and natural and effective approach to diagnosis and treatment. It considers the structure and functioning of each part of the body and how they relate and work with one another. Therefore it is holistic in its way of working.
Osteopathy diagnoses and treats problems that may occur due to stress, injuries and disease. The work focuses on the joints, muscles, ligaments, nerves and connective tissues of the body to restore the function and improve comfort.

What does Osteopathy Treat?
Osteopathy treats people not conditions or just symptoms.  Attention to the individual person and an understanding approach is especially important.  Many people present with similar symptoms, but they can be treated in different ways.  This may be due to their build, age, the amount of discomfort they are in or a particular like or dislike of a form of treatment.

50% of people who consult Osteopaths suffer from low back trouble. However, we can also help with:

Sports Injuries
Neck pain
Headaches/migraines
Sinus problems
Trapped nerves
Frozen and stiff shoulders
Tennis elbow
Breathing problems/asthma
Disc injuries
Arm pain
Leg pain/sciatica
Pain and stiffness due to arthritis
Gut problems/irritable bowel syndrome
Period pain
Adjustments to the body during and after pregnancy
Medico-Legal assessments and Reports
Whiplash injuries
Repeitive Strain/ Overuse injuries
There are also many more conditions that are amenable to osteopathic treatment. Please contact the practice if you would like more information.

Is Osteopathy suitable for babies and children?
Osteopathy is also able to help with many of the common problems during the growth and development of babies and children, for example:

Infantile colic – crying, wind, irritabilty
Reflux
Glue Ear/Hearing problems
Feeding problems
Sleep problems
Constipation
Sinus and Dental Problems
Poor immune function
Persistent runny nose
Some learning and Behavioural problems eg. Inability to sit still, poor concentration, poor co-ordination
Asthma/tight chests/chest infections
Eczema
Musculo-skeletal aches and pains
Poor Posture

Treatment of children is extremely gentle and does not involve any strong massage or manipulation. Usually the cranial or cranio-sacral techniques are used in these instances (create link to cranial section)

Is Osteopathy safe for pregnant women?
Osteopathic treatment can be extremely beneficial through this period, as it is a time of great change with high demands on the mothers system. It is very safe and effective to use through all stages of a pregnancy. It can help with various conditions such as:

Nausea and vomiting
Heartburn
Aches and pains
Shortness of breath
Varicose veins and haemorrhoids
Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD)
Treatment can also be used to help prepare a mother’s body for childbirth.

Previous trauma to the lower back or pelvic joints or any muscular or ligament injuries in this area may limit the ability of the pelvic bones to disengage from one another. This may make the passage of the baby through the birth canal more difficult.
By treating the injuries or their effects prior to the labour, the ease of the labour may be improved. Treatment can also be useful after the birth process, in helping to resolve any strains that may have occurred during the labour or from carrying and lifting babies, car seats, etc. as well as postural strains that may occur due to feeding in bad positions.

What is Cranial Osteopathy?
Other treatment may involve very delicate movements of the bones of the skull and pelvis as well as the rest of the skeleton.  These are often referred to as Cranial or Cranio-Sacral Osteopathy. This is a distinct branch of Osteopathy with its own set of treatment methods. Dr. W.G. Sutherland, an American Osteopath, developed these in the 1930s. He discovered that small tolerances of movement exist within the skull and from this an approach to diagnosis and treatment was formed. It can be useful in the treatment of headaches, sinus and jaw problems, dizziness/vertigo and joint pain. It is particularly useful for treating babies and young children suffering from sleep problems, infantile colic, hearing problems and some learning and behavioural problems.

What is Visceral Osteopathy?
This form of treatment focuses on the organs of the chest and abdomen. It can be useful in the treatment of some digestive, gynaecological and respiratory problems as well as helping with symptoms that may be felt in the back or limbs. Like the cranial techniques it uses a light application of pressure onto the chest or abdomen to improve the function of that area.