Osteopathy is a hands-on approach to understanding, diagnosing and treating a range of issues that lead to pain, discomfort and immobility. Viewing the body holistically, Osteopaths offer a unique way of thinking about health that can help discover the root cause of your problem.
What is osteopathy?
Osteopathy is an allied health practice that is based on the philosophy of treating the person as a whole. Your body is intimately connected through its anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. It maintains a natural state of health by adjusting itself to balance the effects of engaging with the external environment.
But while your body has the amazing ability to heal itself and recover, sometimes injuries and illness can disrupt our natural state of balance resulting in discomfort, ongoing pain or even inability to carry out your daily activities.
An osteopath looks at how your body functions as a whole and looks beyond the presenting symptoms to find the root cause of your problem. For example, your lower back pain may have been due to an imbalance caused by an old knee injury leading to secondary soreness and compensation. This may be further exacerbated by your poor posture or the demands your physical job places on your body.
How does osteopathy help?
If one part of your body is restricted and unbalanced, then the rest of your body must adapt and compensate for this. Over time, this leads to inflammation, stiffness and reduced mobility or results in other health complaints.
Using hands-on techniques, your osteopath can help to release areas of strain and tension. This allows for your body to find its way back to normal health and a state of balance. Treatment takes into account the musculoskeletal system, but also pays attention to reducing inflammation and improving blood and lymphatic circulation.
Osteopaths treat more than you think
If you thought osteopaths only help with sore backs and stiff necks, you’d be wrong! Oseptahts look at a range of issues including:
- Back, neck and shoulder pain
- Hip and pelvic pain
- Upper and lower limb issues such as the elbow, knee, ankle and foot
- Headaches
- Jaw pain
- Joint stiffness and arthritis
- Neurological pain
Osteopaths can also assist in the management of health issues related to digestive, respiratory, nervous, vascular and lymphatic systems.
Who can benefit from osteopathy?
Everyone! Osteopathy can be beneficial to people of a range of ages from infants and children to seniors. Our osteopaths have experience with pregnant and post-partum women, athletes and those who are undergoing rehabilitation.
We also see people who view osteopathy as an important part of their health maintenance. Just like your vehicle needs a service every now and then, your body can benefit from a tune-up to keep it working optimally!
Curious about how osteopathy can help you? Why not book a consultation with one of our osteopaths in Geelong West or Ocean Grove to find out?! To book an Osteopathy appointment today call 03 5200 1044 or click here to book online.