What is Osteopathy?

Like other Manual Therapies (chiropractic, physiotherapy etc) Osteopaths take a hands on approach to treatment. One of the main philosophies that underlies osteopathic thinking is the body’s own capacity for healing. Osteopaths see their job as assisting in this self healing mechanism by removing obstacles that might be preventing it, so that the body can return to a state of health and equilibrium.  

We take a holistic, person-centred approach to health which means we treat the person not the condition. This holistic approach ensures that we focus on joints as well as soft tissues (like muscle, connective tissue and fascia), i.e. the mechanics of the body, whilst also giving consideration to external factors like lifestyle, posture, habits, hobbies, daily activities and stress levels.   

There is no need to be referred to an Osteopath you can book yourself in for an appointment directly. As Allied Health Professionals we can assess, diagnose and treat conditions. Osteopathy is a regulated profession and only people holding an osteopathic degree can use this title. 

The training that we undertake is based on western medical anatomy, physiology and pathology. As undergraduates we must complete over 1000 clinical hours, ensuring that we have adequate experience on graduation. We are also required to take part in regular continued professional development (CPD) to ensure that Osteopathic Standards are being met.

Whilst back or neck pain is a lot of what we see, we also have experience in treating lots of conditions. 

This list is not exhaustive and if you are unsure as to whether osteopathy can help you then please do get in touch, either on the contact form on the website, by calling 07855 761 702, or by booking a free 15 min online consultation via the booking link (only available for Barnstaple patients).

Conditions include;

• Aches and pains
• Joint pain
• Arthritis - different types including, wear and tear (osteoarthritis)
• Sprains/strains
• Muscle tension and soreness
• Back and neck pain (Mechanical pain, whiplash, Spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis)
• Neurological symptoms such as tingling, pins and needles, numbness and weakness. 
• Nerve compression/entrapment
• Degenerative or bulging intervertebral discs
• Issues relating to biomechanics and force transference
• Tendinopathies (eg Achilles tendonitis)
• Headaches/migraines
• TMJ dysfunction (jaw pain)
• TOS (Thoracic outlet syndrome)
• Diaphragmatic or breathing pattern dysfunction
• Shoulder issues (rotator cuff dysfunction, impingement, bursitis, tendinopathies, adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder)
• Elbow pain (Epicondylitis - tennis elbow, golfers elbow)  
• Hip pain (degeneration, impingement, piriformis syndrome, deep hip/gluteal pain)
• Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain
• Knee pain (runners knee or IT Band syndrome, patella maltracking, patella-femoral pain syndrome (PFPS) wear and tear)
• Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome - MTSS)
• Hand and wrist pain (eg carpal tunnel syndrome)
• Foot and ankle pain
• Plantar fasciitis

Peri-natal care including:

• Postural changes during pregnancy 
• Pelvic girdle pain (PGP)
• Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain 
• Symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD)
• Post-natal issues such as pelvic floor dysfunction, diastasis recti, gluteal pain.

Click here for more information on what will happen during a treatment.