Osteopathy is an established, recognised system of diagnosis and treatment that lays its main emphasis on the structural integrity of the body. Osteopaths are distinct in recognising that much of the pain and disability we suffer stems from abnormalities in the structure and function of the body as well as damage caused by disease.
Osteopathy uses many of the diagnostic procedures used in conventional medical assessment and diagnosis. Its main strength, however, lies in the unique way the patient is assessed from a mechanical, functional and postural standpoint and the manual methods of treatment applied to suit the needs of the individual patient.
Most back pain results from disturbances of the spine, postural strains, joint derangements and disc injuries.
Osteopaths have built a reputation as specialists in resolving back pain by using a detailed understanding of human anatomy and manual therapy skills to identify and treat the mechanical problems which cause pain, without reliance on painkillers.
In May 2009 the National Institute of Clinical Excellence recommended manual therapy, spinal manipulation, exercise programs and acupuncture for the early management of lower back pain. Meridian Osteopathy provides individually tailored treatments programs using all of these treatment modes to get people suffering with back pain able to return to work and free from pain as soon as possible.
People suffering with arthritis are often told that there is nothing that they can do about it. However, whilst we cannot cure arthritis, scientific evidence shows that Osteopathy can be extremely effective in relieving the painful symptoms sufferers' experience, helping to improving their quality of life and reducing reliance upon painkillers.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, characterised by pain, stiffness and swelling of the joints it is a degenerative condition often referred to as 'wear an tear'.
Osteopathic treatment uses gentle, focused techniques to mobilise joints, relieve muscular tension and reduce the inflammation which causes the symptoms of arthritis, helping to significantly improve the mobility and independence people with osteoarthritis can enjoy.
Aches and pains attributed to a child’s growth affect over 20% of all children and range from being merely annoying to very painful.
Such pain should be taken seriously as it can lead to a decrease in the activity which children need for physical strengthening and nervous stimulation. If there is too little movement then too little stimulation occurs and a slowing in development may result.
Growing pains can last from weeks to months but, because they are generally self limiting in nature (i.e. resolve themselves given enough time), are not thought of or treated as a serious medical problem by many practitioners. However treatment in the early stages considerably reduces the duration and intensity of the pain suffered compared to when the condition is allowed to become chronic.
Osteopathic treatment is especially effective for dealing with growing pains - helping children to get children back enjoying their regular activities free from pain.
Headache’s are one of the most commonly shared causes of human misery, so much so that many people with quite severe headaches accept their lot without complaint.
Many headaches are caused by musculoskeletal problems – muscle tension, ligament strain and joint dysfunctions. Osteopaths specialise in finding and treating such problems and removing the causes of pain rather than relying upon painkillers to mask it.
As with a visit to your doctor, a detailed case history will be taken and examination performed in order to exclude the possibility that the headache suffered has a pathological origin. However, for any persistent head pain that you are worried about, pain that suddenly changes in character or follows a blow to the head a visit to your GP is the best first recourse.
Wear and tear, poor posture and whiplash injuries commonly contribute to neck pain, as can mechanical problems in the back, shoulder and jaw which are closely linked to its function.
All of these can disrupt the continuous process of breakdown and repair of soft tissue in the body, leading to impaired healing, inflammation and painful sensitisation - problems which often affect the neck.
Osteopathic treatment aims to resolve the mechanical dysfunctions and help the body to deal with trauma which leads to neck pain.
Shoulder problems are common because of the weakness of the ligaments which surround the joint and its reliance upon muscles to provide stability.
This reliance leaves the shoulder vulnerable to factors such as poor posture, motor and proprioceptive deficits which limit the proper function of muscles leading to joint instability and pain.
By addressing both the injury itself and the factors which predisposed to it occurring, osteopathy can help provide long term relief from shoulder pain.
Frozen shoulder – effective non-invasive treatment:
Frozen shoulder, or Adhesive Capsulitis, is an extremely painful condition associated with a debilitating loss of shoulder movement, which if left to run its course can take up to two years to heal by itself.
Osteopathic treatment can effectively half the duration of this condition, ensure that the greatest range of movement at the shoulder is regained after it has passed and avoid the negative factors inherent to surgery or steroidal injections.
The key to this is early diagnosis and management, so if you are suffering shoulder pain, particularly if it is persistent or worsening, a consultation with your family osteopath is well advised.
Repetitive strain injuries (RSI's), such as golfers elbow and tennis elbow, affect a range of people from sportsmen to office workers and generally result from a combination of overuse and improper use of the body.
RSI's can be frustrating conditions that take a prolonged period to heal because the factors that cause them are part of the job upon which the sufferer relies to make a living.
Meridian Osteopathy offers a holistic approach to treating such conditions. By providing Osteopathic and Acupuncture treatments to reduce the pain itself as well as workstation assessments to remove the environmental factors can both cause and aggravate RSI's lasting pain relief can be achieved.
Sports injuries often occur as people put increasing demands on their bodies without resolving the underlying mechanical dysfunctions which can lead to injury.
At Meridian Osteopathy we specialise in identifying and treating the dysfunctions which predispose us to suffering injuries, helping to resolve recurrent problems as well as assisting in rehabilitation from injuries and offering sports based massage treatments to speed recovery following strenuous exercise.
Some of the injuries we have enjoyed success treating are: