Osteopathy is a holistic manual therapy that makes extensive use of manual diagnosis and treatment through slow, gentle rhythmic movements of the body in order to evaluate the symptoms and find the underlying cause of pain or disease.

 

Osteopathy emphasizes the interrelationship between structure and function of the body. Practitioners recognize that the human body is self-regulating and self-healing – and will inherently strive for health. The role of the Osteopath is to encourage this self-healing capacity through manual treatment.

 

The Osteopath looks at the patient as a whole.  All patients are assessed from a mechanical and postural viewpoint. Rather than a focus on the symptoms, the Osteopath looks for the underlying causes of dysfunction – physical injury, poor posture, and emotional stress.

 

The key principles of Osteopathy are based on all parts of the body functioning together in an integrated manner. If one part of the body is restricted, the rest of the body must adapt and compensate for this, eventually leading to the manifestation of pain, stiffness, inflammation and disease.  When the body is free of restrictions in movement, pain is minimized, the effects of stress on the body and nervous system are reduced and mobility is increased, providing the body with the opportunity to heal itself.

 

The goal of all Osteopathy treatments is to promote, restore and/or maintain balance in the body.