What is Osteopathy?

What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions. Practitioners are statutorily regulated primary healthcare professionals, who work mainly in the private healthcare sector but some osteopaths also work in primary, secondary and tertiary care as in the NHS in the UK.
 
Osteopaths take a detailed case history and perform a thorough clinical examination to help understand the nature of your pain and symptoms so that they can arrive at a diagnosis. Practitioners use touch, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to help increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle/joint tension and pain. Osteopaths often combine a range of other treatment techniques in their approach, such as rehabilitative exercises, advice about how you can self-manage your condition and educational approaches to help you understand your pain and the factors which influence it.
 
In Australia, osteopaths are trained to decide as to whether assessment or treatment from other healthcare professionals is necessary, such as referral for further tests (eg x-ray or MRi scan), or for an opinion from a medical specialist. Your osteopath will discuss this should the need arise during the course of your treatment.

​What can osteopathy help with? Osteopathic treatment can be helpful for problems associated with many areas of the body and variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including:

• Back pain and sciatica
• Neck and shoulder pain/stiffness
• Headaches arising from the neck (cervicogenic)
• Muscle and joint pain related to desk/computer work
• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
• Sports injuries

​Will I benefit from osteopathy treatment? The effectiveness of osteopathic treatment for back pain and sciatica has been recognised by The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). The most recent NICE guidelines recommend manual therapy (e.g. osteopathy, spinal manipulation, spinal mobilisation and massage) combined with exercise and advice for the early management of back pain and sciatica.
Insurance Our Osteopaths are accredited members of Osteopathy Australia (OA) and are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). 
Osteopathy is covered by most private health funds and the Chronic Disease Management Scheme (CDM). 
Our Osteopaths are also registered providers for The Department of Veteran Affairs. 
 
Contact Wigney Osteopathy Clinic to book your appointment today
admin@wigneyosteopathy.com.au
Mobile: 0419 910 237
 
Written by Dr. Sharon Banks
13 April 2022

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