What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of conditions. It is a holistic approach to health. Osteopaths work using their hands to diagnose and treat, in conjunction with case history taking. It recognises that the overall wellbeing of an individual depends on the smooth interrelated functioning of the skeletal, muscles, ligaments and connective tissue.

Osteopaths believe that the body has an inherent ability to heal itself. Osteopaths also recognise that structure and function are closely related and that the body will work well if it is in good structural balance. They seek to improve the blood and nerve supply to the tissues and help the body’s own healing mechanisms recover the homeostatic balance of the body to its equilibrium. Osteopaths use palpation, joint manipulation, stretching, and massage to increase to mobility of joints and to ease muscle tension along with many other techniques such as Cranial, Functional and Visceral etc.

Osteopathic treatment is recognised by the major health insurance providers in Ireland. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in Britain recommends osteopathy for the treatment of persistent non-specific low back pain.

Cranial Osteopathy

Cranial Osteopaths use highly developed sense of touch to feel areas of tension and altered tissue quality, as well as identifying areas of strain and dysfunction in the body. Cranial Osteopathic treatment is very gentle and effective. The Osteopath will explore, identify and treat areas of strain and dysfunction in the body, which allows the body to release tesion. Often old injuries present in the body may be treated using Cranial Osteopathic skills.

Cranial Osteopathy is most widely associated with treating babies and young children, as it is a gentle and effective treatment. In fact, Cranial Osteopathy is beneficial for many patients, from young to elderly.

Siobhán has experience using Cranial Osteopathy to treat babies, and her oldest patient is 92years.

Visceral Osteopathy

Visceral Osteopathy addresses the fluid movement of the organs of the body, the inherent movement of the tissues and organs, individually but also in relation to other organs and structures. It is a more focused approach to the organ tissue health. Visceral Manipulation is gentle and utilises the fascial network to mobilise and balance the internal organs, release adhesions, strains within the tissues and improve health.

Siobhán is continuing her postgraduate studies in Cranial Osteopathy and Visceral Osteopathy.  She is particularly interested in the effects of trauma in the body, both physical and emotional, and how this translates through the tissues.

Osteopathic Council of Ireland                 http://www.osteopathy.ie/

General Osteopathic Council UK              http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/