What Is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body, and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together.

Osteopathy is a method of assessing, treating and preventing a wide range of health problems. We use a combination of movement, stretching, targeted deep tissue massage and manipulation of a person’s muscles and joints to improve function, relieve pain and aid recovery.

The body has the natural ability to maintain itself and, by helping this process, an osteopath can promote restoration of normal function. The principle of osteopathy is that the wellbeing of an individual relies on the way that bones, muscles, ligaments, connective tissue and internal structures work with each other.

It is based on the principle that the function (physiology) and structure (anatomy) of the body are inter-connected – for the body to work well the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues need to work smoothly together.

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises that GPs can safely refer patients to an osteopath for treatment.  Osteopaths are regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). It is against the law to call yourself an osteopath unless you are qualified and registered with the GOsC. The minimum qualification for an osteopath is completion of a four or five year degree, which includes at least 1000 hours of supervised clinical practice. They must then continue to update and expand their knowledge by logging a minimum of 30 hours per year of continuing professional development. GOsC can remove an osteopath from the register if they fail to maintain a strict code of professional practice. You can check whether an osteopath is registered by visiting the GOsC website.

What Can An Osteopath Do For You?

Osteopaths are commonly known for treating back pain and postural problems including changes due to pregnancy, caused by driving or work strain, the pain of arthritis and minor sports injuries

We will take the time to understand you, the patient, and your unique combination of symptoms, medical history and lifestyle. This helps to make an accurate diagnosis of the causes of the pain or lack of function (rather than just addressing the site of the condition), and from that, to formulate a treatment plan that will achieve the best outcome.

We frequently work alongside other health professionals, such as GPs, nurses and midwives as well as alternative medical practitioners. Osteopathy works well to complement other medical interventions including surgery and prescribed medication.

Listed below you can find the common joint and muscle conditions that osteopaths treat.

• Arthritis
• Back Pain
• Peripheral joint pain
• Headaches
• Neck and shoulder pain

Osteopathic patients include the young, older people, manual workers, office professionals, pregnant women and sports people.

Focusing on the structure of the body, an osteopath will use touch, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues and to help your body’s own healing mechanisms. The aim is to restore the body to a state of balance, where possible without drugs or surgery.  Treatment is tailored to meet the individual needs of each patient – at all stages of life from birth to old age. An osteopath may also provide advice on lifestyle issues, diet and exercise.

We are trained to check for signs of serious conditions they cannot treat.  In these circumstances, they should inform you of what they believe is the problem and refer you to see your GP or hospital for further investigations.

If you want to find out more, we will be happy to talk to you about your health and how you may benefit from osteopathic treatment.

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