Naturopathic Osteopathy

Naturopathic Osteopathy is an evolving discipline which believes that good health results from a balance between the structural, nutritional, and psychological aspects of a person. It enables a patient to optimise their health.

The cornerstone to a Naturopathic approach is the Naturopathic Triangle:

Naturopathic Triangle

Good health depends on a balance between these three elements. The physical structure of the body, its nutritional/biochemical requirements and a person's psychological well-being are all interdependent. Ill health can result from an imbalance between these three elements.

The skill of the Naturopathic Osteopath is to identify any imbalances and to encourage the best environment to restore or improve a patient's balance and hence health.

Naturopathic Osteopathy believes that the body has within itself the capability to restore and maintain physical and mental harmony. The underlying principle addresses the causes of ill health and aims to empower the patient to use them as an opportunity to rebalance their life.

What is involved in Naturopathic Osteopathy?

Naturopathic Osteopathy makes use of a wide variety of techniques and in appropriate cases, includes nutritional analysis, hydrotherapy, fasting, relaxation excersises and an osteopathic physical approach.

As part of the approach to physical health, osteopathy includes hands-on diagnosis and treatment designed to balance the body's musculoskeletal structure by working on the muscles, ligaments, bones, joints and connective tissues.

Osteopathy is a modern science, formalised 120 years ago by an American, Andrew Taylor Still and since July 1993, recognised in law by the Osteopath's Act in Parliament as having the same status as dentistry and medicine.

Osteopathic treatment includes one or more of the following:

soft tissue work - relaxing muscle tension, increasing joint mobility, circulation, lymphatic and venous drainage, organ function, absorption of nutrients and improvement of secretion and transport of enzymes and hormones.

neuromuscular technique - a combined diagnostic and therapeutic approach, using a variety of pressure and stretch techniques in order to restore muscle balance and tone. It aims to improve drainage of blood and lymph and to reduce fatty deposits, especially cellulite.

muscle energy techniques - methods of treating shortened or tightened muscle in which the patient is actively involved.

strain-counter-strain techniques - methods of relieving spinal joint pain or other joint by putting the joint into its position of greatest comfort.

rhythmic harmonics of joints - gentle joint-rocking to increase fluidity and movement.

mobilisation of joints - encouraging joints to regain optimal movement by gentle, passive stretching of the joints with minimum pain.

joint manipulation - involving application of a small but fast amount of pressure to a joint. This results in improved joint movement and decreased pain.

Cranial Osteopathy - a gentle, very subtle but highly effective technique involving a delicate release of imbalances in the skull joints and throughout the body. It is effective for dizziness and headaches; it is particularly helpful for babies with colic, restlessness or who have had difficult deliveries. Children with glue or ear hyperactivity can also be helped..

Low Level Laser Therapy - developed by the NASA space program to accelerate healing in space; this highly researched and well documented cutting edge technology "modulates various biological processes in cell culture. This phenomenon of photobiomodulation has been applied clinically in the treatment of soft tissue injuries and the acceleration of wound healing."

Osteopathy takes as its starting point the fact that each person is unique and therefore diagnosis and subsequent treatment focuses on the underlying causes which gave rise to the individual's structural imbalance.

Patients are encouraged to adapt their posture, diet and lifestyle in ways that will improve their future health.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

A therapeutic process enabling one to break personal patterns and self-induced limits, establishing healthier patterns of lifestyle by using practical exercsies in posture, breathing, awareness and communication skills. This in turn can improve the response to osteopathic management long term.

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Consultations, treatments and fees.

Referral for a consultation is either from a G.P. or complementary practitioner, or alternatively patients can self-refer.

Typically, the consultation involves taking a detailed case history. This is followed by a physical examination in which the patient will be asked to undress to their underwear so that spinal and joint mobility can be assessed; this may reveal any possible structural imbalances. A treatment is included in the consultation. During the consultation, the proposed treatment plan and time scale involved will be discussed. Consultation and subsequent treatment last half an hour. The fee for the initial consultion is £65, follow up appointments are £55.