Osteopathy and Cranial Osteopathy

Osteopathy is a holistic therapy that stresses the importance between the mechanical structure of the body and its function and health. The body’s framework can be disturbed by poor posture, lifting incorrectly, injuries, stress, birth trauma, accidents, etc.

The treatment involves soft tissue techniques that relax the muscles and then movement of the joints and very fast adjustments aimed at restoring mobility and function.

Osteopaths treat the whole person and a wide range of people can benefit from the treatment. It can be successfully used to treat:

·         Musculo-skeletal problems such as low back pain, neck pain, knee pain

·         Frozen Shoulder

·         Sciatica

·         Sports injuries such as Tennis Elbow, etc

·         Trauma such as car whiplash, falling of a horse

·         Headaches/ Migraine

·         Sinusitis

·         TMJ (Jaw problem)

·         Pregnant Women (posture during and after pregnancy)

·         Children’s ailments such as recurrent ear infection, glue ear, head trauma, poor concentration, knee aches (Osgood Schlatter’s Disease)

·         Babies for sleeping difficulties, excessive crying, feeding difficulties, colic.

Cranial Osteopathy is an extension of the Osteopathic Technique that was developed by Dr William Sutherland in the United States in the 1930’s. The treatment works by gently restoring the smooth, regular, symmetrical movement patterns in each of the cranial bones of the skull, and an easy symmetry of motion throughout the structures of the rest of the body. All cranial bones, or pairs of cranial bones (left and right), have distinctive movement pattern that follow in normal circumstances. By palpating with his hands how each set of bones is moving, the Cranial Osteopath is able to determine which areas are not moving smoothly and symmetrically and which other tissues may be secondarily involved.

The objective of the treatment is to re-establish the normal symmetrical movement pattern area by gently relieve any compressions or strains of the joints of the cranium. This allows an increased blood flow and drainage to occur which in turn allows healing of the damaged tissue to take place.

It is especially effective in treating birth trauma in new born babies and infants. For a pregnant woman it means having to cope with a whole range of symptoms from morning sickness to back pain. As the baby grows in the womb its extra weight results in a changed centre of gravity. Her posture changes from week to week. This can lead to variety of aches and pains. As breast weight increases, this also causes changes and pain may occur in the upper back and neck.