Osteopathy

What is osteopathy?
Osteopathy is regulated by government and is a recognised form of diagnosis and treatment recommended by most general practitioners and medical insurance companies in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Often Osteopaths are able to assist with conditions such as, slipped disc, shoulder pain, tendonitis, and headaches, without the use of drugs or surgery.

Osteopaths like other statutory health professionals (i.e. Doctors, Dentists etc) are required to study human anatomy, neurology, pathology etc for four to five years. Osteopaths are also required to follow a strict code of conduct and continued professional development in order to maintain the highest standards of the profession.  This is why Osteopaths are often found forming an integral part of primary health care teams.

Osteopathy recognises that much of the pain and disability we suffer stems from abnormalities or changes induced by poor posture, sports injuries, stress and general day to day living, to our body’s structure and function. Osteopaths diagnose and treat problems with muscles, ligaments, nerves and joints to help the body’s natural healing ability.

What to expect?
On your first visit, the osteopath will take a detailed medical case history including information about your daily routines, general health and any medication you take. This allows them to build a picture of you and your lifestyle, so they can determine potential causes and effects of your condition. The osteopath will then perform a detailed muscular and skeletal examination before arriving at a diagnosis and treatment plan. 
 
Osteopaths are fully trained to recognise problems which may require referral to other medical specialists. We may also call for X-Rays, MRI's, blood tests etc. as necessary.

How many treatments will I need?
There is no set rule to the number of treatments that will be necessary as this is dependant on a variety of factors unique to each patient. The osteopath will discuss with you your suggested treatment program on your initial visit. The average number of treatments ranges from 3-6.

Regular check ups
More and more of our patients are taking a longer-term view of their health resulting in preventative treatments becoming increasingly popular. Just as you might visit an optician or dentist for regular check-ups, patients may benefit from visits to our clinic for advice on other lifestyle factors such as exercises, diet and back care.

Integrating Acupuncture with Osteopathy
At the Total Health Practice our osteopaths may recommend the use of medical acupuncture / dry needling as an effective method of pain relief for some conditions and patients. Acupuncture is renowned for its pain relieving benefits. Combing this technique with osteopathy has produced outstanding results in the treatment of those patients with chronic tennis elbow, slipped disc, sciatica, heal pain etc. At all times our osteopaths use only disposable sterile needles for the protection and safety of our patients.

Why should I consult an osteopath?
Many people consider aches and pains to be an inevitable part of life. This is generally untrue - most physical pain responds excellently to osteopathic treatment, and may often lead to a new lease of life for many patients. Early Osteopathic intervention at the first onset of physical pain can frequently prevent the development of a chronic condition.

Below we have detailed common conditions which respond well to osteopathic treatment:

The Head and Neck
When you consider that the neck supports one of the heaviest parts of the human body, the head. You can imagine the amount of strain placed upon it. The neck is often injured through poor posture, whiplash and other sporting injuries and accidents. Osteopaths at the Total Health Practice commonly treat the following conditions:

  • Headaches, migraine, cluster headaches
  • Neck pain, stiff neck
  • Sore shoulders
  • Whiplash / Facet joint arthropathy


The Elbow, Forearm and Wrist
Strains of the elbow, forearm and wrist are often generated from our regular daily activities but more from over use, here are a few problems that our osteopaths assess and can help with the management of:

  • Tennis and Golfers elbow
  • Sore wrists and fingers
  • Pins and needles, numbness and weakness into the hand and forearm.
  • Muscle tears.
  • Tendonitis.
  • Repetitive strain injuries.


The Shoulder
Often strained in sporting injuries, household chores, or for no apparent reason. Our osteopaths often have patients who present with the following problems:

  • Frozen Shoulder
  • Pains shooting from or to neck and/or upper back
  • Arthritis, rheumatism
  • Tendonitis, bursitis, sports injuries


The Back
Treating the spinal column is where Osteopaths excel, as they offer the most effective treatments for back pain relief which affects at least 70% of the population. Back pain is a condition that is familiar to most of us, with so many people suffering pain, either as a result of incorrect lifting, carrying the children, poor posture at work, or from an injury. Common problems occur commonly, here are just a few:

  • Disc strain, slipped disc, sciatica
  • Rib problems
  • Muscular strains and sprains
  • Scoliosis
  • Back pain may also originate from other internal organs, i.e. liver


The Hip, Groin and Pelvis
The hip and groin can be subject to some of the most irritating and difficult problems. Here are a few that patient’s often present with to the Osteopath to seek help.

  • Bursitis
  • Hip capsulitis
  • Arthritis
  • Symptoms of the hip related to the short leg syndrome
  • Rehabilitation after a fracture


The Knee
Common injuries affecting the knee are:

  • Clicking, grinding, locking, dislocation
  • Growing pains
  • Swelling, arthritis
  • Housemaids knee, Bursitis
  • Ligament injuries


The Foot and Ankle
This is an area of particular concern as we spent a lot of time on the move and its difficult to rest these joints. Here are some of the problems that patient’s present to the Osteopath with in order to try and obtain some relief.

  • Ligament strains
  • Rehabilitation after fracture
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Achilles strains
  • Bunions.
  • Bony spurs.


Why not contact us today to arrange your first consultation and treatment. tel 0207 4988171.