Osteopathic Manual Treatments

Our perception and interpretation of the environment we live in will direct our body to produce the appropriate biochemical responses. Our intentions, thoughts, feelings and how we choose to act upon them are literally (biochemically) determining the life we are manifesting.

This inner balance (homeostasis) implies that all parts of the body including the components of the skull are in correct relationship to one another and free to move within their normal range of motion and also a normal blood and nerve supply is ensured.

Osteopathic Manual Medicine is dedicated to the treatment and healing of the entire body, rather than approaching a patient’s symptoms. Treatments are aimed at establishing and maintaining a state of Health as well as prevention and alleviation of disease.

Osteopathy holds to the common sense principle that the patient’s whole life history of illnesses and physical traumas is written into the body’s structure. It is the Osteopath’s highly developed sense of touch that allows the physician to palpate (feel) the patient’s “living anatomy” (i.e. flow of fluids, motion of tissues, and structural make-up). In more clinical terms, an osteopathically trained physician can even detect physical problems that fail to appear on an X-ray.

The Osteopath’s job is to “set” the body up to heal itself. In order to restore the normal function, the physician applies a gentle and precise amount of pressure to remove obstructions in the flow of fluids, dysfunctions in the motion of tissues and release compressed bones and joints.

After a thorough evaluation, the patient lies down on the examination table ready for treatment. We treat the dysfunctions in the patient’s body taking advantage of the body’s natural tendency to continuously strive towards a state of health and homeostasis. During the treatment many patients mention a feeling of deep relaxation, tingling, flow of fluids (energy), inner balance and containment as their pain is relieved.

A chronic condition often takes years to develop. With this in mind, it stands to reason that it will require time to resolve: the ratio is often one month of treatment for every year of illness. (Although every body has its own timetable of healing, this is the average course of treatment).

For a patient with an acute problem (flu, muscle strain, etc.), the course of treatment is shorter because the condition is not as deep as a chronic illness.

Much is also dependent on a patient’s level of vitality (i.e. immune and neuro-endocrine systems, genetic heritage etc.). In other words, a patient in generally good health will respond more quickly to treatment than a patient with lower vitality (i.e. weakened immune system).

Osteopathy treats the whole patient, not just the disease or the symptoms. The intention is to help restore structural integrity and fluid continuity. Then, the body begins the healing process… and many of the problems people suffer with can be relieved.

SOMATIC PAIN

• Back Pain including lumbago, sciatica etc.
• Headaches
• Neck Pain
• Joint Pain
• Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD)

TRAUMATIC INJURIES

• Birth Trauma
• Head Trauma (TBI) and Post Concussion Syndromes
• Athletic injuries, car accidents, including whiplash syndromes
• Overuse injuries, ie tendinopathies etc.

CHRONIC CONDITIONS UNRESPONSIVE TO CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT

• Neurologic Disorders
• Gastro-Intestinal Disorders
• Genito-Urinary Disorders
• Respiratory Disorders
• Chronic Infections Unresponsive to Antibiotics

WOMEN DURING PREGNANCY

Receiving OMM during pregnancy,  women feel significantly more comfortable as well as their labor and delivery is eased considerably.  By providing freedom to the ligamentous support of the uterus and pelvis, and removing prior trauma, also Caesarean Sections may become less likely.

TREATING NEWBORNS AND CHILDREN

We also treat children in our practice. We refer to children as “Bent Twigs.” “As The Twig Is Bent So Is The Tree Inclined.” When the traumas encountered early in life distort the basic structural integrity of children, a multitude of potentially lifelong problems may result. The process of birth itself places tremendous pressures on infants, especially their small craniums (see “The Birthing Trauma” under articles. Throughout childhood, the many falls and tumbles of everyday life may also contribute significantly to potentially developing dysfunctions and illnesses later on in life.

COMMON PEDIATRIC PROBLEMS