Osteopathy

Vanessa Hayward B.Ost, Dip Sports Injuries and Massage Vanessa graduated from The British School of Osteopathy in 2004. She has worked as a sports therapist since 2001 and has a particular interest in musculo-skeletal conditions and sports injuries. As well as her experience in these areas, Vanessa has a particular interest in the treatment of children, babies and pregnant mothers and has developed her skills in the field of Cranial Osteopathy for this purpose.	Nell Patel, BSc. (Hons) Ost.Med Graduated in 2001 with BSc (hons) degree in Osteopathic medicine and a diploma in Naturopathy. Also treats children and babies using Cranial Osteopathy.	Marguerita Catton, BSc (Hons) Ost. Graduated in 2006 with BSc (hons) degree in Osteopathy. Registered with the GOSC. Has completed training courses in sports massage and dry needling so can combine these with osteopathy to add further benefit to her treatments.

 All our osteopaths are members of the British Osteopathic Association www.osteopathy.org

What It Is

Osteopathy is a system of manual medicine aimed at treating the body holistically by taking into consideration structural, physiological, biomechanical and emotional aspects of a person. It looks to improve circulation and nerve supply to the tissues and organs and restore balance and function to the skeletal frame.

The History

Osteopathy started in America in the mid 1800s and has been developed over the years by various notable physicians of manual medicine. The early pioneers were not taken seriously by their orthodox medical colleagues, despite successful treatments. Today the Osteopaths Act of 1993 marks the formal recognition of this practice. No longer considered 'alternative' and rapidly becoming accepted by the Medical Profession and general public alike, to provide treatment for a wide variety of conditions without the use of drugs.

What about treatment?

Treatment may involve a variety of techniques such as soft tissue massage, stretching, articulation, mobilisation, neuromuscular techniques, traction and manipulation, all of which depend on the individual problem, how long it has been there, age, flexibility, degree of pain, etc. Before treatment, however, a diagnosis is made based on a case history, medical screening and physical examination. Occasionally X-rays may be necessary to confirm or rule out certain conditions. A treatment plan is formulated which may involve advice on posture, exercises or stretches, especially if the problem has developed over a long period of time.

What Type of Problems Can Be Treated?

In addition to musculo-skeletal problems such as ligamentous strains, muscular pain, bony misalignment, sciatic pain, neck or shoulder problems, headaches, tennis elbow and many other traumatic or repetitive stress injuries, it can also bring relief from conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, digestion problems and dizziness, among others.