Classical Osteopathy
Osteopathy is the science of understanding how different parts of the body work together and how disruption or poor organisation between these parts can affect health.
As an osteopath, my role when you come and visit me for treatment is to assess why a long term problem isn’t resolving or to assess how to help your body recover from a newer or more recent injury.
The body is a unit; the person is a unit of body, mind, and spirit.
The body is capable of self-regulation, self-healing, and health maintenance.
Structure and function are reciprocally interrelated.
Rational treatment is based upon an understanding of the basic principles of body unity, self-regulation, and the interrelationship of structure and function.
Added to this is that the health of any part of your body is dependent upon the area receiving adequate blood and nerve supply and drainage of waste products away from the area.
As an osteopath, my role when you come and visit me for treatment is to assess why a long term problem isn’t resolving or to assess how to help your body recover from a newer or more recent injury.” the slightly different wording reads better.
To do this I will take you through a consultation process, which means that initially, I will ask you lots of questions about your problem, but also lots of questions about your lifestyle, other bodily functions and medical history. This, in part, is to assess whether you need a medical referral rather than seeing an osteopath and to audit the areas of your life which could be obstructing your recovery and which of these are easily changeable for a person who is motivated to improve their health.
To treat you, I will use your limbs as levers to affect the soft tissues between them to promote a self-healing reaction. I will work through your whole body like this using gentle, rhythmic movements to promote better circulation and integration between the different parts of your body and the occasional careful manipulation when necessary.
In this way, classical osteopathy can be used to help people recover from all manner of symptoms that will often defy medical diagnosis as well as helping back pain and all the ailments that are commonly ascribed to osteopathic treatment.
Safety & regulation
Osteopathy is regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) which is a statutory regulated body. It is illegal to practice as an osteopath unless registered by the GOsC. This protects the public by ensuring adequate training of osteopaths and ongoing learning (continual professional development or CPD is mandatory) is taking place to ensure knowledge is kept up to date. General Osteopathic Council site www.osteopathy.org.uk
Learning classical or traditional osteopathy requires extensive post-graduate education. Based in Southampton, I cover the whole of Hamble, Bursledon, Sarisbury Green, Locks Heath, Warsash, Sarehan, Sholing, Bitterne, Hedge End, Botley, Bishops Waltham, Swannick and Woolston.
Osteopaths & Chiropractors
A question commonly asked by patients is "what is the difference between osteopathy and chiropractic” or "osteopaths and chiropractors,” or osteopathy and physiotherapy. The answer is that it depends, modern osteopathy and chiropractic education is similar in a lot of ways and we are taught similar techniques to treat similar problems. Physiotherapy is a shorter degree course and is within the constraints of the orthodox medical system and specialities such as back pain is learnt after they have finished their basic training. Classical osteopathy is different to these and it tends to focus on the whole of the individual rather than just musculoskeletal care. It does not restrict itself to the relief of musculoskeletal symptoms, but focuses on structural integrity, stability and physiological function, therefore moving towards better health. Because of this it is often helpful for long term chronic health problems that defy an orthodox diagnosis. It is gentle and relaxing and treats the person as an individual and every treatment is different, most people enjoy it and feel better for it.