OSTEOPATHY

Consultation:  Initial $85 and Return $65
Health fund rebates apply

Osteopathy is a whole body, multi system manual therapy, aimed at getting you in balance, body, mind and spirit.  Whether you suffer from Migraines or a sore foot, treatments are tailored specifically to your needs. Osteopaths analyse biomechanics and system functions to identify the root cause of the problem and work from there.  Treatments may include massage, stretching, manipulation and mobilization, visceral techniques to manage conditions affecting your internal organs, or gentle techniques such as Osteopathy in the Cranial Field, particularly suited to small children and the physically frail. 

What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a WHOLE BODY system of manual therapy, based on unique biomechanical principles. Osteopaths use a variety of manual techniques to balance and integrate structure and function, assisting the body’s innate capacity to self-heal and promoting a healthy and balanced state of body, mind and spirit. Osteopaths work to identify the root cause of the problem.  They will therefore take a full history and perform appropriate orthopaedic testing to find a diagnosis, before administering treatment.
In Australia, Osteopaths are statutorily registered practitioners with five year, full-time university training, which covers anatomy, physiology, pathology and general medical diagnosis in addition to Osteopathic technique. Osteopaths are primary care practitioners, and are trained to recognise conditions, which require medical referral. They are also trained to carry out standard medical examinations of the cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous system.

What can I expect during a treatment?

The Osteopath will take a full history about your current health as well as any conditions or injuries in the past - it may seem strange to be asked about illness or injuried from childhood, but a full history helps to build a picture about yoru whole health and forms the framework for a diagnosis. After taking the history, the Osteopath will conduct a physical examination using orthopaedic and osteopathic testing in order to gather physical information to build the diagnosis. The Osteopath will then use a variety of manual techniques to balance and integrate structure and function of the affected tissues, assisting the body’s innate capacity to self-heal and promoting a healthy and balanced state of body, mind and spirit.

How do osteopaths treat?

In carrying out treatments, Osteopaths can call upon what is probably the largest range of techniques used in any manual therapy. These include:

Massage and stretching techniques
Articulation/ Adjustment techniques, in which joints are mobilised by being passively taken through their range of motion
Muscle Energy techniques, in which contracted muscles are released by alternately being stretched and made to work against resistance
Counterstrain techniques, which achieve release of restriction by placing the affected joint or muscle in a position of comfort, while applying a "Counter" stretch to the antagonists of the tight muscles.
Functional techniques, which involve gentle mobilisation of joints in a way that "probes" barriers to normal movement until a way is found through the restriction.
Manipulation or High Velocity techniques.  These are techniques applied directly to joints to relax muscles and improve the range of motion of a joint.  Osteopathic manipulations are carried out using minimum force levels in order to maximise safety and minimise patient discomfort.


How Many treatments will I need?

The number of treatments needed varies widely and depends on the condition as well as the responsiveness of the client. In some situations 1 or 2 treatments may be all that is needed but in many cases a minimum of 3-6 treatments may be required to restore balance.  And many people find than regular treatment helps to maintain their health and prevent injury and illness.  The key to preventing health problems recurring, and to developing long-term solutions, lies in increasing patients’ awareness of the causes of problems, and giving them the help they need to take responsibility for their own health. Osteopaths believe that long-term prevention is the result of a cooperative effort between patient and practitioner.
Most private health funds offer rebates for osteopathic treatments.  You may also be eligible for up to 5 Osteopathic Treatments per calendar year under “Medicare Plus”.  However in order to qualify you must have an Enhanced Primary Care Plan from your GP for a “Complex and Chronic condition”. (www.medicare.gov.au)

While "Biomechanics" has become one of the most rapidly developing areas of medicine in recent years, Osteopathy was one of the first professions to incorporate biomechanical analysis of how injuries occur and what the secondary effects are likely to be. To take a simple example, if you go to an Osteopath with a knee injury, the Osteopath will do much more than just examine and treat your knee. They will want to know exactly how the injury occurred in order to assess not just which tissues in the knee are injured, but also whether there may be any involvement of other areas with a mechanical relationship to the knee, such as the foot, hip, low back and pelvis, and the associated soft tissues.
They will then want to analyse any possible secondary effects. For instance, you may be "avoiding" the bad knee and putting more weight on the other side. Over a period of time, this may lead to problems developing in the low back or the "good" knee. The Osteopath will then use this information to prescribe a treatment plan that addresses not just the area of pain, but all of the related regions. (www.osteopathic.com.au: Australian Osteopathic Association)

• Neck and back pain and Sciatica: The Osteopath will assess biomechanics and address any imbalances to improve nerve and arterial flow and increase joint mobility, reducing pain and restriction. 
• Headaches and migraine:  An Osteopath will work to reduce muscular tension and nerve irritation, improve joint mobility, blood supply and drainage to and from the head and neck and help prevent future headaches with postural and exercise advice.
• Traumatic injuries such as whiplash Pain can be reduced and mobility increased by addressing connective tissue, muscles and joints, getting the body back in balance to allow the immune system to start to repair the damaged structures.
• Tendonitis, muscle strains and Sports-related injuries:  Time out due to muscle strains and ligament sprains can be reduced with Osteopathic treatment. When injuries are acute, gentle approaches can be used to improve lymphatic drainage and decrease inflammation.  The Osteopath will look at your biomechanics, check your gait and movement patterns and correct any imbalances that may have led to the injury.  Rehabilitation and long-term management strategies will then be initiated to get you back into your game.
• Work-related and repetitive strain injuries:  Carpal tunnel syndrome, neck and back strain, disc injuries from lifting: are all issues that will respond to Osteopathic treatment.  The Osteopath will assess biomechanics and function of the affected structures as well as discussing ergonomic factors, exercise and postural issues.  Treatment approaches aim to improve function and reduce pain and inflammation to allow the body to heal the damaged structures.
• Pregnancy and childbirth: Many mothers-to-be find Osteopathic treatment very beneficial both to reduce back pain during pregnancy and also to help prepare the body for birth.  Osteopathic treatment may improve foetal positioning and reduce the length of labour.  Osteopathy can help with a number of issues during pregnancy including: Back and neck pain as a result of extra strain on the spine.  Nausea and heartburn as a result of tension in the diaphragm. Circulatory problems e.g. swelling of the legs and varicose veins as a result of increased pressure on the abdomen. History of back problems that could affect pregnancy or delivery. Treatment by an osteopath helps support the body through these changes, especially during the mid to final stages of the pregnancy. An osteopath will aim to maintain the body's balance having a positive effect on the circulatory, nervous and lymphatic systems throughout the pregnancy.
• Post-natal:  Pregnancy and birth, places stress on a woman's body, stretching ligaments and joints. Treatment by an osteopath can help restore the body's balance, removing tension and assisting new mothers cope with broken sleep and breast-feeding. By realigning the spine and pelvis, Osteopaths can also assist in the relief of pain resulting from strain of birth or strain on body caring for new baby, lifting, feeding, etc. Treatment by an osteopath is gentle, drug free and non-invasive.
• Peripheral joints such as shoulders and wrists, knees, ankles and feet.  People often associate Osteopath’s with back pain, but Osteopaths are trained in the anatomy and physiology of the whole body.  Peripheral joints respond very well to Osteopathic treatment and can often be intrinsic to other conditions such as neck or back pain.  Osteopathy is a WHOLE body approach, so if you have twisted your ankle, or are suffering carpal tunnel pain, there are a range of techniques that can be applied to improve your condition.
• Arthritis:  Contrary to popular belief, Arthritis is not a fact of growing old; it is a pathological condition that can be prevented and also improved.  Osteopathy works to improve joint mobility, blood supply and lymphatic drainage, helping to reduce inflammation, aiming to enable the immune system to replace damaged tissues.  Osteopathy may help to reduce pain and increase mobility.
• Asthma:  It is important to ensure that your diaphragm is performing optimally and the rib cage mechanisms are functioning correctly.  Restrictions in soft tissue structures of the chest (thorax) will also have a direct impact on breathing disorders.  The Osteopath can work to improve the function of your diaphragm and ribs as well as releasing restrictions in muscles and fascia directly related to the lungs.
• Women’s health: Menstrual problems are often attributable to restrictions in uterine ligaments, fascia (connective tissue) and joints of the pelvis.  Gentle mobilization and stretching of these structures can help to relieve period pain and improve the regularity of the menstrual cycle.  PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), Endometriosis and Fertility problems can also be improved with Osteopathic care.
• Systemic disease: Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, immune disorders, Hyper/Hypothyroidism, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, are considered systemic diseases as they are conditions that affect the whole body.  Osteopaths are trained to diagnose systemic conditions and may be able to advise you on an appropriate multi-modal approach. 

Along with treating musculoskeletal issues associated with systemic conditions, Osteopathy is also able to work directly with organ systems using visceral (internal organs) techniques to improve mobility and function.  The organs of the body refer pain to other regions.  For example if you are suffering from an acute gallbladder, you may experience pain between your shoulder blades and reduced mobility of your neck.  By addressing the gallbladder directly these other symptoms may be relieved.  Visceral Osteopathy is also useful for; swallowing difficulties, digestive problems, headaches, incontinence, back and neck pain, shoulder and hip pain, carpal tunnel and other repetitive strain injuries, whiplash and other physical trauma.

 

 

 

 

 

Osteopath

Dr Dani Gillies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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