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Osteopathy is a drug-free, non-invasive manual form of therapy that emphasizes the relationship between the structure and function of the human body.
The goal of osteopathy is to restore that proper balance and function, allowing your body to heal through its own natural processes. It works to balance your nervous, circulatory and lymphatic systems, improving your range of motion and relieving discomfort or other symptoms.
How does it work?
An osteopath will work to find and release any restrictions or barriers that are getting in the way of your body’s own healing process. They do this by using a variety of hands-on manual techniques that promote self-healing.
Osteopathic treatments involve gentle and non-invasive techniques that require minimal to no effort from you and you just get the benefits. Specific techniques may include:
  Soft tissue manipulation
Positional release techniques
Myofascial release
Lymphatic drainage
Osteopathic articular technique
Visceral manipulation
Muscle energy techniques
Strain-counterstrain
Cranio-sacral techniques
Neuromuscular techniques
Trigger points
Assessment and treatment: What should I expect?
Osteopathy starts with a medical questionnaire and initial evaluation. During this evaluation, the osteopathic therapists may use hands-on techniques like palpation, a high sense of touch developed to detect any modifications in your tissues. By examining the position, mobility and vitality of the tissues, they look for signs of congestion, dehydration, scarring, stiffness, density and loss of resilience.
From this assessment, the osteopath will determine which tissues or systems require (the most) immediate attention and develop a treatment plan. They will use stretching, pressure, massage, mobilization and manipulation through a variety of specific techniques, all aimed at restoring your normal function.
Treatment sessions are often booked with a week to two in between, to allow your body to integrate the changes and begin self-healing.
What else can osteopathy treat?
Osteopathy can be an effective treatment for a variety of illnesses, medical conditions and injuries. The range goes from pediatric conditions to pain conditions to systemic problems that involve neurological, digestive or circulatory systems, as well as chronic infectious disease.
Common conditions treated with osteopathy include:
 Neck and back pain
Sciatica
Colic
Migraines
Fibromyalgia
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Chronic fatigue
Plantar fasciitis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
 Tennis elbow
Frozen shoulder
Scoliosis
Whiplash
Post-operative pain or adhesions
Tendonitis
Cramps, nausea and intestinal pain
Heart palpitations
Respiratory problems (i.e. asthma)
In addition to treating current conditions, osteopathy can also be used as a method of injury prevention and in the maintenance of good health.
Study also indicates that osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) may be an effective adjunctive treatment modality for depression and anxiety.
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