When people ask what we do, the term ‘Osteopath’ generates a variety of responses. Some raise an eyebrow and ask what an Osteopath is, some respond with “So…like a Chiropractor?!” some say “Is that a bone doctor?” but the most common response is “Ahhhh you treat backs!”

Essentially yes, we are very similar to Chiropractors, we do treat bones and we do treat backs but this doesn’t encompass the array of conditions and areas we deal with. An Osteopath will focus not just on the bones or the back but on the body’s relationship between organs, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons. It is a form of holistic medicine, which means we take the individual as a whole and try to determine why a particular set of symptoms have arisen in the first place, what may be preventing the problem from healing and whether there are any lifestyle changes that can be implemented to help prevent the symptoms from returning again in the future.

Admittedly we do tend to treat a lot of back and necks, this may simply be due to the fact that back pain is a very common phenomenon and unfortunately our sedentary lifestyles at work do tend to strain these areas in particular. However, we see a lot of shoulder impingement, rib pain, elbow conditions, knees and ankles sprains also, alongside problems such as headaches. We don’t just focus on one demographic either, you are never too young or old to visit an Osteopath. My youngest patient was 5 days old, and my oldest is currently 101!

In young babies we aim to settle subtle strains that can occur during the birth process which may help with irritable behaviour, digestive issues or problems with suckling for example. In the elderly we predominately see a lot of degenerative conditions, but of course we’ll also see a lot of strains, sprains and generalized aches that you may find in people of any age group.

Most Osteopaths will treat women during pregnancy, this is a time whereby the body will go through an enormous amount of change over considerably short period of time which can lead to aches and pains of the back or ribs, pelvis and groin area, sometimes with radiations into the leg. Treatment post birth can also help to alleviate tension as the body returns to ‘normal’.

So is Osteopathy right for you? As long as your condition is predominantly musculoskeletal (ligaments, muscles, tendons and joints), then it is certainly worth an initial consultation to see whether we can treat your symptoms. But don’t worry, even if you don’t know what the cause is and you’re not sure whether it is purely musculoskeletal, if we feel that there may be something causing the pain that cannot be helped with Osteopathy, or is more concerning and needs further investigation, we will refer you straight away to an appropriate medical professional. We are ‘primary healthcare specialists’ which means we have the training to be able to diagnose problems as a first port of call, so you don’t need to see you GP beforehand.

Here is a list of conditions we commonly see, if your condition is not on the list, why not give us a call and see if it is something that we may be able to help with!

Arthritic aches and pains Sports injuries Back and neck pain Sciatica Shoulder tightness and pain Foot and ankle problems Headaches Hip and knee pain Pregnancy related pain Repetitive strain injury Tennis/golfers elbow and wrist problems Fibromyalgia and Rheumatic pain