What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a safe and effective recognised system of treatment, that combines a knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, with the use of many clinical methods of investigation used in conventional medical practice.
Osteopathy focuses mainly on the inter-relationship present in the musculoskeletal system involving bones, ligaments, muscles, and connective tissues. Osteopaths use their hands to identify the causes of pain and to treat the patient using a range of manipulative techniques. Ostheopathic philosophy recognises that structural imbalance can cause pain, discomfort and disease. It uses a unique holistic approach to meet the individual needs of the patient.
What is Craniosacral therapy?
Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, safe, non-invasive and effective form of treatment. It treats the skeletal restrictions and imbalances found in the skull, face, mouth, and of the spinal column which extends down to the sacrum/coccyx.
The trained craniosacral therapist uses a light touch and gentle specific manipulative techniques to examine, assess and treat the movements of the facial and the cranial bones and the joints between them which are called sutures. The motion of the craniosacral system can be also felt and palpated on different bones such as the sacrum, the coccyx, the spine, the pelvis and anywhere on the body.
Craniosacral therapy influences and improves the body’s internal environment and facilitates and enhances the patient’s healing capacity.
What do Osteopaths and Craniosacral therapists treat?
* Asthma
* Back pain and Injuries (neck, dorsal and low back troubles)
* Birth trauma and injuries
* Bursitis
* Colic and disturbed sleeping patterns in babies and children
* Children’s hyperactivity
* Chronic arthritis
* Frozen shoulder
* Headaches/Migraines/Dizziness
* Insomnia, depression and stress related conditions
* Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
* Joint restriction, pain and chronic inflammation
* Lack of concentration, low vitality and fatigue
* Muscle spasm
* Pain, aches and discomfort during pregnancy
* Postural strains
* Sciatica
* Sinusitis
* Sports Injuries
* Stiffness
* Repetitive strain injuries related to the work place
* Tinnitus, TMJ Syndrome (temporal mandibular joint) and facial pain
* Whiplash injuries.
Who is it good for?
The osteopathic approach is a comprehensive and holistic system of healthcare appropriate to both males and females of any age group. It is also beneficial to small babies, children and pregnant women, who can benefit from Cranial and Obstetrical osteopathic techniques.
How the treatment works
During the initial consultation a thorough medical history is taken, along with a detailed osteopathic examination. The patient will be asked to undress to their underwear in order to be assessed, diagnosed and treated.
The diagnostic findings will be explained and the duration and frequency of treatments needed will be discussed, as the treatment is tailored to individual needs.
The use of manual osteopathic techniques, such as soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation, lymphatic drainage, visceral, cranial and/or obstetrical osteopathic techniques will be applied.
Useful advice involving posture, home stretching/exercises may be given to sustain and facilitate recovery.
To read about our therapist, Valeria Ferreira, please click here.
Latest News on Osteopathy
- Affordable Holistic Medicine Can Lower Health Costs July 18, 2011
The National Center for Biotechnology Information recently published a story showing CAM therapies (complementary and alternative medicine) that may be considered cost-effective compared to usual care for various conditions: acupuncture for migraine, manual therapy for neck pain, spa therapy for Parkinson’s and more.
According to the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine, studies done in Psychosomatic Medicine and The American Journal of Managed Care show the cost benefits of alternative treatment. The studies found that the practice of Transcendental Meditation lowered health insurance utilization, hospital inpatient days, hospital admissions and hospital outpatient visits for all categories of disease studied.
Read more at: http://www.personalliberty.com/news/affordable-holistic-medicine-can-lower-health-costs-800546311/
- Don't Dismiss These Treatments as Placebos June 20, 2011
Evidence is growing, based on carefully controlled studies, that certain non-pharmacological complementary interventions may be useful adjuncts to conventional care. For example, the pain of osteoarthritis can be lessened by acupuncture; tai chi may be helpful in reducing the pain of fibromyalgia; and massage and manipulative therapies may contribute to the relief of chronic back pain and related functional impairments. Furthermore, evidence from basic research points to ways in which such interventions use the body’s own pathways known to be involved in response to pain.
Should we dismiss any benefits as mere placebo effects? Or should we explore the possibility, increasingly suggested by the science, that some complementary interventions provide powerful tools for studying the contributions of attention, touch, time, and reassurance, which are now in short supply in our health care system?Read more at: http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/06/dont-dismiss-these-treatments-as-placebos/240461/
- Handgrip strength test used to assess fibromyalgia January 3, 2011
A handgrip strength test has been developed as a complementary tool in the assessment of fibromyalgia severity in women.
Handgrip strength was measured in both hands (and the average score was used in the analyses) by a maximal isometric test using a hand dynamometer.
Read more here: http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=15833
- Backcare Awareness Week = 11-16 October October 10, 2010
BackCare, the national charity for healthier backs, is running a Backcare Awareness week from 11th – 16th October.
BackCare operates a telephone helpline to offer advice, support, and information to callers, sponsors research into the causes, management and prevention of back pain, and provides information about back pain and related issues through its publications, forum, and website: www.backcare.org.uk.
The Wren Clinic is pleased to support Back Care Awareness Week:
Andrew Hunter, Chiropracter, is offering free spinal checks on Tuesday 12th October.
Chris Salvary and Lesley Jacobs are offering new clients £5 off a half-hour back massage on Friday 15th October.
There are information leaflets, and other goodies available, for which a donation to BackCare would be much appreciated!
Why not come into the Wren and see what we have to offer?
Latest News on Cranio-Sacral Therapy
- Don't Dismiss These Treatments as Placebos June 20, 2011
Evidence is growing, based on carefully controlled studies, that certain non-pharmacological complementary interventions may be useful adjuncts to conventional care. For example, the pain of osteoarthritis can be lessened by acupuncture; tai chi may be helpful in reducing the pain of fibromyalgia; and massage and manipulative therapies may contribute to the relief of chronic back pain and related functional impairments. Furthermore, evidence from basic research points to ways in which such interventions use the body’s own pathways known to be involved in response to pain.
Should we dismiss any benefits as mere placebo effects? Or should we explore the possibility, increasingly suggested by the science, that some complementary interventions provide powerful tools for studying the contributions of attention, touch, time, and reassurance, which are now in short supply in our health care system?Read more at: http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/06/dont-dismiss-these-treatments-as-placebos/240461/
- Many Patients with Incurable Brain Tumors Seek Complementary Therapies December 27, 2010
Many people diagnosed with incurable brain tumors turn to complementary therapies to slow the growth of their cancer or relieve side effects like fatigue and depression, new research shows.
The study, published in the Dec. 14 issue of the journal Neurology, included completed questionnaires from 621 patients with glioma brain tumors who had received conventional treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, at six cancer centers in Germany.
Slightly more than 40% of the patients who returned the questionnaire reported using some kind of alternative or complementary medicine in addition to their conventional care.Read more here: http://www.webmd.com/cancer/brain-cancer/news/20101213/many-patients-with-incurable-brain-tumors-seek-complementary-therapies
