what is an osteopath

Osteopathy here in the UK falls into the medical bracket of an allied health practitioner which from a patient point of view, means they can carry out a full medical case history, assess, diagnose and treat musculoskeletal disorders. In contrast, an osteopath is also trained to medically advise patients when osteopathic treatment might not be appropriate and point you in the right direction to best guide you on your road to recovery.

 

what we treat 

We have experience working with a wide variety of patients with many different complaints and goals. Our aim is to help you with whatever your goals are, whether it be simply assessing your posture, dealing with chronic pain or even an acute injury, osteopathy can be a great way to help!

The body is great at adapting to what we ask it to do and has many natural healing properties, but sometimes, pain can persist and hinder recovery. This is when osteopathy can be helpful to intervene and also provide you with more understanding to the nature and reason as to why pain may be present.

 

common conditions

Some of the most common conditions that Osteopaths treat and help with are:

 

• Back Pain

• Neck Pain

• Hip Pain

• Shoulder Pain

• Peripheral Joint Ache / Injury (wrist, elbow, ankle, knee)

• Joint and Muscular Aches

• Associated Nerve Pain

• Sciatica

• Headaches and Migraines

• Pre and Post Natal Pain and Discomfort

• Pain Conditions like Fibromyalgia, CFS etc

• Arthritic Conditions 

• Sports Injuries 

• Muscle Spasm and Tension

 

Patients have also found osteopathy to be helpful for many other conditions. If you want to find out more, we will be happy to talk to you and discuss any questions you may have.

 

Back pain

Osteopaths are extremely well versed in the diagnoses and treatment of back pain since it is the most common complaint from patients. At Align, we want to get to the root cause and find out the ‘why’ to restore function to the area as effectively as possible. This can be achieved through techniques including spinal manipulation also known as adjustments, articulation techniques which involve moving the joints to try and improve the range of movement, soft tissue techniques, stretching and exercise rehab programs as well as other treatment modalities.

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Neck pain

Since we live in a world with such technological advance, our bodies have been having to adapt to the use of phones and laptops which alter our posture and can sometimes result in neck pain in the absence of a specific injury. Osteopaths can help reduce tension, increase movement and decrease painful symptoms that are associated with neck pain.

 

Joint pain

The reason for pain in a joint can vary. An osteopath can help identify the cause and diagnose the problem. Tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, patella tedoninopathy, carpal tunnel syndrome and many more joint issues are just a few examples of what an osteopath can help with. Depending on the severity of your pain, we might also look into associated areas to better help work towards a full recovery and better overall function of the joints.

 

Headaches

Headaches can be a complex symptom to try and describe. Osteopaths can help patients better understand the cause and reasons as to why a headache presents a certain way. Treatment outcomes are focused around interacting with the pre disposing and maintaining factors of the headache to alleviate symptoms and minimize the chances of symptoms returning.

 

what to expect on your first treatment 

A full case history will be taken where you will be asked questions about your symptoms as well as questions regarding your general health. This also includes being screened to ensure you are suitable for osteopathic treatment. From here, a physical assessment will take place where you may be asked to perform certain movements as well as being guided through movements to establish the nature of your symptoms. Any further testing including neurological and systemic health testing if relevant can also be performed. Once this has taken place there will be a discussion explaining your diagnosis and answer any questions you may have. Providing a full understanding has been gained to both the patient and practitioner, treatment will take place using a variety of techniques including spinal manipulation, soft tissue, articulation, exercise rehab, dry needling, stretching and many other techniques providing correct consent has been gained.