OSTEOPATHY

The benefits of Osteopathy

The benefits include:

• Gentle, safe and effective treatment
• Suitable for all ages from newborn babies to the elderly
• Treatment and techniques are tailored to the individual patient
• Treatment for musculoskeletal and functional disorders of the body
• Osteopaths treat all structures of the body; the muscles, joints, ligaments, connective tissue and internal organs
• It aims to address the cause of your pain, not just treat your symptoms
• Osteopaths are primary care practitioners, we are trained to recognise when a patient requires medical referral
• Your Osteopath is highly trained, all Osteopaths complete a minimum 4 year (full-time) university degree
• Treatments are covered by VHI, Quinn Healthcare and Aviva Health

WHAT IS OSTEOPATHY?

Osteopathy is a holistic approach to the human body that uses a wide range of techniques and principles to treat the musculoskeletal system and other functional disorders of the body.

Osteopathic treatment is not confined to only bones and muscles. It looks at the inter-relationships of all the body''s systems, including the musculoskeletal, respiratory and digestive systems, bringing together all the pieces of a puzzle to diagnose and treat the whole person. Osteopathy aims to address the cause of your problem and not just the presenting signs and symptoms.

There are a broad range of Osteopathic techniques and each are chosen specifically for your individual complaint. They may include gentle joint articulation or manipulation, stretching, ligament balancing and cranial techniques. All techniques aim to restore balance and function to the body allowing it to be better able to deal with the problems it is experiencing.

The gentle, holistic approach of Osteopathy makes it suitable to treat people of all age groups including infants, children, pregnant women, adults, the elderly and many more.

WHAT CAN OSTEOPATHY TREAT?

While it is best known for its ability to relieve back-pain it can also be applied to treat a wide variety of musculo-skeletal and health disorders including:

• back and neck pain
• headaches and migraines
• sciatica
• hip pain
• knee injuries
• ankle and foot problems
• shoulder, elbow or wrist pain
• arthritic pain and stiffness
• pre and post-pregnancy problems such as back pain, rib pain, SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction), sciatica and shortness of breath
• unsettled babies, colic, wind and reflux
• digestive complaints such as reflux, constipation
• asthma and breathing difficulties
• postural problems

WHAT HAPPENS IN AN OSTEOPATHIC TREATMENT?

A typical treatment will include a comprehensive case history, including your past medial history, examination and a hands-on treatment.

You may be asked to undress to your underwear to enable diagnosis and treatment of the whole body. If you are uncomfortable with this please wear flexible clothing (for example a tracksuit) to your Osteopathy appointment.

You will also be given advice to help you further manage your condition. This may include stretches, postural advice, workplace ergonomics and dietary advice in addition to Osteopathy.