Peak Health
Osteopathic Clinic
What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of conditions. For a body to function well its structure must also work well. Osteopathy uses a hands-on approach to diagnose and restore the body's structure and function. Using touch, known as palpation, and a combination of techniques including physical manipulation of the joints, massage and stretching of the soft tissues osteopathic treatment aims to improve joint mobility, blood and nerve supply to the tissues and to promote the body's own natural healing ability. Osteopathy can be used to rehabilitate and recover from a chronic or recent injury, recovery from surgery or after an accident. Osteopathy can also play an important role in injury prevention and in enhancing athletic performance by optimizing the structure and function of the body.
Osteopathy is a primary care profession and all osteopaths are registered by the General Osteopathic Council. Osteopaths have all undertaken an intensive 4 or 5 year degree course and are required to complete annual CPD training to maintain their skills.
How can osteopathy help you?
Osteopathic patients seek diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of conditions including back and neck pain, postural problems caused by occupation, arthritis and stiff joints, sports injuries and many more. The wide range of techniques available to osteopaths ensure that treatment can be suited to the patient. Patients include individuals of all ages, occupations and differing circumstances including children, pregnant and post partum women.
Osteopaths are trained to check for signs of serious conditions that they cannot treat. In these circumstances the patient will be referred to the GP or hospital for further investigation.
Patient symptoms are considered in the context of the patient's full medical history, as well as lifestyle and additional influences including psycho-social factors. This ensures that treatment is tailored to the individual patient.
