More than bone specialists, Osteopaths are in fact masters in the biomechanics of the human body.

Osteopathy is also a philosophy of healthcare that respects and works with the body's natural processes of self-healing.

The goal of the osteopath is to help the patient in healing the blocks and restrictions in their body. Osteopathic philosophy understands that when our body works properly it is self-healing and self-regulating and it will naturally reduce or remove pains; maximise the mobility of its joints; optimise the functioning of its internal organs; restoring and improving the harmonious workings of the musculo-skeletal, immune, hormonal, circulatory and nervous systems.

There are a vast range of techniques available to the osteopath, from gentle cranial osteopathy to focussed, more assertive manipulation. These are the ways the osteopath supports your body's natural healing processes. The guide for the osteopathic treatment is the patient's body.

Cranial Osteopathy...

The cranial approach also uses very gentle techniques in which the osteopath's highly trained sense of touch is used to identify mechanical disturbances in the body and limitations of tissue fluid interchange, both in and around the joints of the skull and also throughout the body. Cranial Osteopathy can be very relaxing and offers support for the body's healing process.

Cranial Osteopathy can support the natural self-healing processes of patients with a wide range of conditions, because it treats the person and not the disease. We have seen patients with glue ear, migraine and dizziness; and for babies, the after effects of difficult deliveries. By gently releasing tension in the baby's body, the osteopath can often relieve discomfort which might otherwise be attributed to colic or fretfulness.

For more information visit our page for adults and also for babies & children

Your first visit...

When you visit an osteopath for the first time a full case history will be taken and you will be given an examination.
You will normally be asked to remove some of your clothing and to perform a simple series of movements. The osteopath will then use a highly developed sense of touch, called palpation, to identify any points of weakness or excessive strain throughout the body.

We may need additional investigations such as x-ray or blood tests. This will allow a full diagnosis and suitable treatment plan to be developed with you. Osteopathy is patient centred, which means the treatment is geared to you as an individual.