Treatments

As with every form of medicine or therapy, there are many ways to practice osteopathy.

A typical session will last between 30 and 60 minutes of hands-on treatment only.  Discussion about healthy life-style, exercises, supplements, and emotional issues can be part of the treatment, but are not specific to osteopathy and depend on the practitioner.

Unlike massage, that work deep in the muscle to have it release, osteopathy looks to find what is causing the muscle to be tight.  Releasing the imprint of trauma in the deeper connective tissues will allow the muscles to relax naturally.  In the case of internal medicine issues, the release of the connective tissue will allow better circulation and nerve conduction, therefore improving function.

Because Osteopaths work with what they call the self-healing mechanism, the touch is very gentle, here to support a natural process.  That is why effects are long-lasting, as nothing is forced “back into place”.

Osteopaths pay great attention to the general alignment and posture, as they reflect the freedom of the physical structure. A healthy body has a free central axis, and the forces of gravity are able go through the body along longitudinal lines, the weight being distributed in a balanced way, with no excess pressure on any structure.

After a session people generally feel relaxed, sometimes light-headed for a few minutes, as there is a change in the circulation of the head, sometimes feel taller, as strains that made it difficult for them to fight gravity have been released.

Sometimes symptoms are immediately better, sometimes people feel sore for a day. Sometimes improvement is slowly progressive over time.

Osteopathy recognizes that there is no standard protocol, and every treatment is designed according to the specific history and present state of the person.  Osteopathy could be seen as a passive treatment, but it’s the opposite. Allowing the body to heal itself, the osteopath is more like an instrument of healing, skilled and well-intentioned, that the person will be able to work with as a team.

If every cell of the body contributes to one’s being, releasing strains in the tissues will allow a fuller presence of the person, and greater access to that person’s talents, as well as a greater sense of empowerment.