Osteopathy
(By Duncan Scobie DO, registered osteopath, clinic principal.)
As a 16yr old I was pushed towards an entirely different career pathway, but as luck would have it, after taking my A levels, I stumbled upon osteopathy by chance and I have never looked back. It is a career that I love and I find it both rewarding and enlightening.
Osteopathy was originally started in America in the 19th century, by Dr Andrew Taylor Still. He felt, simplistically, that many conditions were made worse by poor body mechanical function, and that improving this function could help restore the body's ability to deal with these conditions. (I hope I have done him justice in this one sentence appraisal)
One definition of osteopathy is, “It is a way of detecting and treating damaged parts of the body such as muscles, ligaments, nerves and joints. When the body is balanced and efficient, just like a well tuned engine, it will function with the minimum of wear and tear, leaving more energy for living.” (GENERAL OSTEOPATHIC COUNCIL)
There are many conditions that are seen in the practice, such as sciatica, muscle strain, vertebral disc injuries, spondylosis, head aches, repetitive strain injuries, sports injuries, the effects of wear and tear on the musculo-skeletal system, musculo-skeletal pain during pregnancy, and many more. A detailed case history and examination helps to determine whether our treatment will suit, or whether a referral to another specialist for further tests is necessary. There are many different ways to treat, including soft tissue massage, articulation and manipulation. A treatment style can be picked to an individual patient's needs, this helps make it as effective and as safe as possible.
Osteopathy is one of the country's most popular forms of complementary medicine, and was the first one to be granted statutory recognition. The title of “osteopath” can only be used by someone who is a registered member of the GENERAL OSTEOPATHIC COUNCIL. What this means to you as a patient is that there is a governing body maintaining standards and safety.
We have 2 osteopaths working in the clinic; me and Bethany Hain.
If you wish to find out if we may be able to help you, please don't hesitate to contact us.
