What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a primary health care profession dedicated to alleviating pain and dysfunction experienced by millions of people daily. Osteopathy started over 120 years ago when Dr Andrew Still, the ‘founder of osteopathy’ believed that there was more to treating and curing common muscle, joint and nerve problems than medication and surgery and wanted to provide a safe, effective treatment regime for those who were experiencing pain and dysfunction daily. Today, millions experience what osteopathy has to offer in healthcare. If you have never seen an osteopath before, or are unsure what osteopathy is all about, please call us on 0408 972 616 today and allow us to explain how we can help you.
How Is Osteopathy Different?
Osteopathic treatment starts with the philosophy that the body’s structure and the way it functions are intertwined and that you cannot treat one without the other. At Illawong Osteo, our osteopathic team look at your health in a holistic (whole body) way assessing your symptoms and matching your treatment goals with our clinical findings. We then map out a treatment plan ‘together’ to have you living a healthier life now. Treatment at Illawong Osteo starts on your very first treatment and the techniques used will entirely depend on your condition and treatment goals.
What Happens During Your First Osteopathic Visit?
Your initial osteopathic treatment will involve a thorough medical history followed by both a neurological and orthopaedic assessment. This is to ascertain the root cause of all of your symptoms. This will be followed by an explanation of your symptoms and relation of your symptoms to your condition. Osteopaths tend to zoom out and have a look at your health as opposed to just your presenting symptoms. Treatment is then administered immediately to attempt to eliminate symptoms and have you feeling better. If necessary, you may be referred for an X-ray or further imaging to to help with your diagnosis. And you do not need a GP referral.
What Techniques Do Osteopaths At Illawong Osteo Utilise?
- Soft Tissue Massage – with the goal of decreasing muscle tension and increasing muscle length in order to free up ‘stiff or fixated’ joints.
- Manipulation – with the goal of either increasing joint movement or stabilising structures surrounding the joint.
- Articulation/Mobilisation – with the goal of either increasing joint movement or stabilising structures surrounding the joint without a cavitation or ‘crack’ of a joint.
- Stretching – with the goal of decreasing muscle tension and increasing muscle length in order to free up ‘stiff or fixated’ joints that usually involves assistance from you in activating the muscle to maximise its length and your stretches.
- Dry Needling – with the goal of improving muscle strength, reducing muscle over-activity (or spasm) and increasing neural (your brain and nervous system’s) awareness.
- Positional Release – with the goal of reducing muscle activity by moving the joint or muscle into its position of ease and reducing neural feedback within the nervous system.
- Clinical Pilates – our Osteopaths are trained in Clinical Pilates and can help you return to normal function with a pilates based rehabilitation program. Or you can join our classes for specific rehabilitation exercises to help you feel, look and function better.
- And many, many more.
What Do Osteopaths At Illawong Osteo Treat?
- Spinal and Low Back Pain
- Neck Pain and Headaches
- Migraines and TMJ (JAW) issues
- Sporting Injuries (muscle strains etc)
- Post Surgical Rehabilitation (ACL Reconstructions, Shoulder Arthroscopes and disc fusions)
- Shoulder and Elbow Sprains (Rotator cuff tears, impingement syndrome)
- Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI, Tennis Elbow, Carpal Tunnel)
- And much, much more…
What To Expect In Your First Session At Illawong Osteo
At your first session, your Osteo or Chiro will take your case history to establish when your pain first started, what your symptoms and concerns are and how they may have changed over time, the treatments (if any) you have received to date, and the impact your pain may be having on your life.
After learning of the history of your pain, your practitioner will carry out a hands-on examination, which comprises of various tests of the spine, nervous system, muscles and joints.
After identifying the underlying cause/s (which may or may not require referral for an x-ray, C-T scan or MRI), your practitioner will set some treatment goals, with the ultimate goal being to restore maximal, pain-free movement to your muscles and joints.
The osteopathy treatment techniques your Osteopath will use in fulfilling this goal include:
- Spinal manipulation (Also known as an ‘adjustment’)
- Joint Mobilisation
- Muscle energy technique (MET)
- Soft tissue /massage
- Counterstrain
- Balanced ligamentous tension (BLT)
- Myofacial release
- Visceral manipulation
- Exercises/Rehabilitation
- Your treatment is not painful.
How Illawong Osteo & Chiro Are Different:
Unlike the conventional approach to medicine, which emphasises the use of pharmaceuticals to mask symptoms, osteopaths & chiropractors take the time required to establish a clear understanding of why your problem developed in the first place, and put into place a series of steps that will attempt to resolve the underlying problem.
Illawong Osteo & Chiro – Why Choose Us?
- Health fund rebates are available for all of our services (We can swipe your card on the spot!).
- Your sessions are carried out in a private, clean, air-conditioned room.
- Appointments are available early (from 7am) to late (8:30pm) so you don’t have to skip work for your appointment
- Parking is easy. (Free parking is available at the door)