Osteopathy Philosophy

Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body, and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together.

To an osteopath, for your body to work well, its structure must also work well. So osteopaths work to restore your body to a state of balance, where possible without the use of drugs or surgery. Osteopaths use touch, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues, and to help your body’s own healing mechanisms. They may also provide advice on posture and exercise to aid recovery, promote health and prevent symptoms recurring.

TMJ

Many people are often surprised to find out that Osteopaths treat the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), more commonly known as the jaw. However, there are a number of excellent reasons that an Osteopath may assess and treat the jaw.

TEMPORAL HEADACHES

The temporalis muscle spans the temporal region and tight bands called trigger points often exist within this muscle. The muscle assists in closing the jaw and may be overly tight in people who clench, grind or chew gum frequently. Have you ever noticed the urge to massage your temples when a headache occurs?

OTHER HEADACHES AND NECK PAIN

The jaw bears a close anatomical relationship to the skull and the upper neck joints. Osteopaths may assess the jaw for unusual movement patterns or surrounding muscle tightness in headache and neck pain sufferers.

EAR ACHE

The TMJ is located between the lower jaw and the skull and is connected by a number of muscles and ligaments, with a cushioning disc in between. The temporal bone is the part of the skull that the lower jaw is attached to. The ear canal runs through the temporal bone and makes the TMJ an important area of assessment in people suffering from ear ache, especially where other causes for ear ache have been eliminated.

TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DISORDER

This problem often presents as pain over the jaw or clicking, grinding or locking of the jaw and is a common condition in people who chew gum, eat nuts or crunchy bread frequently. It also presents in people who clench their jaw or grind their teeth. The TMJ resembles a ball and socket joint, with an intervening disc that allows the joint to move smoothly. In people with a deep overbite, narrow upper jaw or crooked front teeth or where the lower jaw is too far back the bite may not be correct. This can cause the jaw to become displaced and the cushioning disc pulled forward. The displacement has a tendency to cause the lower jaw to move backwards, with the ball part compressing nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue at the back of the joint. The disc displacement can create clicking and popping of the jaw.

Caffeine related to Osteoporosis

Caffeine leaches calcium from bones, sapping their strength.

"You lose about 6 milligrams of calcium for every 100 milligrams of 

caffeine ingested," Massey says.

That's not as much of a loss as salt, but it's worrisome, nonetheless.Caffeine is a particular problem when a woman doesn’t get enough calcium each day to begin with.

The good news is that limiting caffeine intake to 300 milligrams a day while getting adequate calcium probably offsets any losses caffeine causes, Massey says.

• Wean yourself from coffee by drinking half regular and half-decaf drinks to start

• Avoid caffeine-laden drinks

• Reach for decaffeinated iced tea or hot tea

• Splurge on a decaf, fat-free latte drink and get 450 milligrams of calcium in the bargain

Coffee is a major caffeine source. For example, a 16-ounce cup of coffee can provide 320 milligrams. High-caffeine sodas can contain up to 80 milligrams per can or more.

Although tea also contains caffeine, studies suggest it does not harm, and probably helps, bone density in older women, regardless of whether they add milk to the beverage. Researchers think that tea contains plant compounds that protect bone.

Ready to curb caffeine? Here are some tips:

Scoliosis diagnosis

The diagnosis of Scoliosis will also include a standing X-ray which not only evaluates the nature and degree of the spinal curvature, but also provides a study of the equality of leg lengths

The treatment will include osteopathic manipulative treatment to the pelvis and the head, the rib cage, the abdominal wall and the fascial mechanism of the body as well as the area manifesting the spinal curve. If there is an anatomical shortness of one leg a corrective lift might be added to that shoe. In addition to, but not in place of the manipulative treatment some simple exercises may be given to perpetuate the benefit of the treatment.

When the cause of Abdominal Pain is found to be non-pathological, an example being Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Or where the cause is just can't be found, the back &abdominal muscles may be the source.

Some people may have injured their abdominal muscles with excessive gym work.

It can be worrying when pain is felt at the back and also the front of the body, but this is often due to referred pain.
Pain arising from the abdominal muscles is frequently overlooked as a prime cause for abdominal pain.

There is an interesting link between IBS and Trigger Points in the Abdominal Muscles. The same nerves that supply the small and large intestines also supply the abdominal muscles.

When these trigger points are treated, the IBS will often settle down, it may even clear up completely.

When chronic pain effects the abdomen, it's well worth examining your diet.

Many people find it difficult to digest certain foods. Gluten, that is found in wheat and rye is a common culprit.

A shoulder separation is a fairly common injury, especially in certain sports. Most shoulder separations are actually injuries to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint. The AC joint is the connection between the scapula (shoulder blade) and the clavicle (collarbone). Shoulder dislocations and AC joint separations are often mistaken for each other. But they are very different injuries.

AC joint separations are graded from mild to severe, depending on which ligaments are sprained or torn. The mildest type of injury is a simple sprain of the AC ligaments. Doctors call this a grade one injury. A grade two AC separation involves a tear of the AC ligaments and a sprain of the coracoclavicular ligaments. A complete tear of the AC ligaments and the coracoclavicular ligaments is a grade three AC separation. This injury results in the obvious bump on the shoulder.

What is a bursitis?

Bursitis and tendinitis are both common conditions that involve inflammation of the soft tissue around muscles and bones, most often in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, or ankle. A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between a bone and other moving parts: muscles, tendons, or skin. Watch this video for more information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_1MBd6etNc

Bulging disk!

In the case of an L5 / S1 bulging disk, the nerves in this area control the bowel, bladder, and legs. So it's very common for a person with this condition to experience changes in their bowel and bladder (not being able to go to the bathroom like normal, having pain while going to the bathroom, or losing control of the bowel or bladder), as well as to experience pain, weakness, and muscle cramps in the legs.

Did you know?

Osteopathy is a form of drug-free non-invasive manual medicine that focuses on total body health by treating and strengthening the musculoskeletal framework, which includes the joints, muscles and spine. Its aim is to positively affect the body's nervous, circulatory and lymphatic systems.

How is Osteopathy works?

With the patient sitting or lying down on a table, the doctor of osteopathic medicine will gently apply a precise amount of manual pressure in a specific direction. The pressure is applied either directly in the affected areas or at some distance away. It is used to put the tissues at ease (relaxed) or to engage them at their functional limit in order to effect the following:

1- Treat structural and tissue abnormalities (vertebrae, muscles, myofascial structures, etc.)
2- Relieve joint restriction and misalignment
3- Restore muscle and tissue balance
4- Promote the movement of bodily fluids