What is osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a primary healthcare system, complemetary to other medical practices. It is suitable for almost anyone and can contribute to alleviating an enormous range of conditions. Osteopaths regularly treat children, pregnant women, the elderly, shop, office and manual workers, professionals, dancers and sports people.
 Osteopaths work primarily through the neuro-musculo-skeletal system, mostly on muscles and joints and pay special attention to how the internal organs affect, and are affected by, that system. Relevant psychological and social factors also form part of the diagnosis. Another important part of osteopathy is that the body has its own self-healing mechanisms, which can be utilised as part of the treatment.
What do osteopaths treat?
Osteopaths treat the whole person not just the condition. Using the principles of osteopathy, a wide range of conditions can be treated, including the following :
- Back pain / Neck Pain
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Nerve pain
- Sciatica and leg pain
- Arthritis
- Headache and migraine
- Sports injuries and trauma
- Whiplash
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- Sinus problems
- Glue ear
- Asthma
- Pregnancy related problems
- Distressed babies following birth trauma
- Colic
- infant sleep problems
- Stress / tension.
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 See also our paediatric osteopathy page
What does osteopathy treatment involve?
Osteopaths are very skilled and highly trained in assessing the mechanics of the whole body, and in particular the spine. They use a variety of gentle hands-on manipulative techniques including soft tissue massage, muscle stretching and gentle joint movements which all help to restore a level of balance and ease of movement to the spine or limbs. Occasionally , ultrasound or electro-therapy equipment may be used in addition to hands-on techniques.
On your first visit ....
a detailed medical history will be taken followed by a careful medical examination. You will be asked to remove your outer garments and to perform an easy range of movements like bending forwards or lifting your arms above your head. This will enable the osteopath to see where the body is not moving correctly before commencing treatment.
Osteopathy looks at the whole posture to assess where strains have developed that are causing pain and discomfort. Our aim is to discover why the symptoms have developed and to help you understand the cause of the pain and where possible, to help prevent a recurrence and help maintain mobility.
 What is cranial osteopathy?
Cranial osteopathy is a very subtle type of osteopathic treatment using gentle manipulative pressure on the head and associated areas to encourage the release of stress and pressure throughout the body. Due to its gentle nature cranial osteopathy is very suited to babies, children, the elderly and patients who are nervous of conventional treatment. Cranial osteopathy can be extremely effective in treating a wide range of conditions in people of all ages, from birth to the elderly. A cranial osteopath is trained to feel a very subtle, rhythmical shape change that is present in all body tissues, called involuntary motion.
What does cranial osteopathy feel like?
Patients may feel sensations of pressure or warmth, coming from either the osteopath’s hands or elsewhere and will sometimes feel tingling sensations in their body. Most patients feel that gradually the tension is being released and become deeply relaxed.
 For further details on osteopathy see our osteopathy resources page
To find out more about osteopathy at The Haddenham Clinic, or enquire about a consultation
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