osteopathy

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Practitioners: Kathy and Oliver O'Callaghan-Brown, Sabrina Payandane

What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for musculo-skeletal pain and dysfunction.  As Osteopaths we aim to diagnose the source of pain and help reduce the level of your pain and discomfort you experience.
Cranial Osteopathy is very gentle and is ideal for newborns all the way through to toddlers. It is used for things like colic, sleeplessness and generally unsettled patterns of behaviour.  It is also useful after ventouse or forceps delivery. Mums can also benefit during and after pregnancy to settle the trauma to the pelvis.  This is offered by Kathy and Sabrina.

Osteopathy is recognised by the British Medical Association as a discrete clinical discipline.

Osteopaths diagnose the source of pain and can do a great deal to help reduce the level of your pain and discomfort. The techniques used can allow for a speedy return to normal activity. If you have had pain for some time and other forms of treatment have not helped, osteopathy may be beneficial though it may require time and patience.

Only practitioners registered with The General Osteopathic Council are allowed to call themselves Registered Osteopaths. In order to maintain this status osteopaths have to keep their knowledge and skills up to date through a program of continuous professional development.

All osteopaths need to have medical malpractice insurance and to follow a strict code of conduct. Patients can be reassured that they have the same safeguards as when they consult a doctor or a dentist.

What to expect from visiting an osteopath

  1. 1st Visit: Consultation, examination and treatment, lasting up to an hour.
  2. Subsequent visits are half an hour and are usually no more frequent than once a week
  3. Exercises to be done between treatments to reinforce the effects of the treatment

During your visit you may then be asked to remove certain items of clothing, though this is not essential. The examination may range from performing a series of simple joint movements to diagnostic procedures such as orthopaedic or neurological tests.

Depending on the presenting condition, additional investigations may be needed (such as X-Rays or blood tests), which will allow a full diagnosis and suitable treatment plan to be developed with you.

Treatment consists of various techniques such as muscle and connective tissue massage, stretch, joint articulation, manipulation or cranial techniques. all of these will be explained to you at the time.

Advice such as exercise or hydrotherapy may also be given in order to prevent recurrence or aggravation of the condition.