OSTEOPATHY ~ Questions and answers
Some common questions asked, if you cannot see the information you require call Manchester Osteopaths and speak to one of our osteopaths.
What’s the pop or crack from a manipulation?
Why visit an Osteopath
How many treatments will I need?
Is Osteopathic treatment painful?
How many treatments will I need?
What’s the difference between osteopaths and chiropractors?
Can I claim my treatment on my insurance?
Is osteopathy available through my doctor?
Whats the pop or crack when a manipulation is performed?
A simple description
The spine consists of vertebras separated by discs and enclosed in a membrane that contains fluid, when a manipulation is performed by an osteopath there is a mobilizing of the joint creating a cavitation, the gases within the joint change with the pressure which gives a popping sound relieving a lot of pressure in the joint and restoring its movement.
Now detailed description
The audible release is caused by a cavitation process whereby a sudden decrease in intracapsular pressure causes dissolved gasses in the synovial fluid to be released into the joint cavity. Once a joint undergoes cavitation, the force-displacement curve changes and the range of motion of the joint increases. The gasses released from the synovial fluid make up about 15% of the joint volume and consist of approximately 80% carbon dioxide. Habitual joint cracking does not correlate with arthritic changes, but does correlate with loss of grip strength and soft-tissue swelling. During the "crack" associated with a joint manipulation, there is a sudden joint distraction that occurs in less time than that required to complete the stretch reflexes of periarticular muscles. Theories on the cavitation mechanism were reviewed and new information on the cavitation process is introduced. In this paper, it is proposed that the cavitation process is generated by an elastic recoil of the synovial capsule as it "snaps back" from the capsule/synovial fluid interface. CONCLUSIONS: Because the sudden joint distraction during a manipulation occurs in a shorter time period than that required to complete the stretch reflexes of the periarticular muscles, there is likely to be a high impulse acting on the ligaments and muscles associated with the joint. This is an important conclusion, because others have proposed that reflex actions from high threshold periarticular receptors are associated with the many beneficial results of manipulation. This suggests that the cavitation process provides a simple means for initiating the reflex actions and that without the cavitation process, it would be difficult to generate the forces in the appropriate tissue without causing muscular damage.
Department of Biomechanics, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824, USA
A extract from the service of the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/40748.php
Why visit an osteopath?
Visiting osteopaths is usually for the relief of pain and more increasingly to help maintain health at work, home and at sports, some examples are;
If your experiencing back pain while out shopping, Pain while driving or aches and stiffness getting out of a car.
If you take part in sports and require maintenance treatment
If you have any sports injury
Postural pain at work in the shoulder, lower back and neck pain while sitting at a desk or performing work tasks.
Sciatica or leg pain which your doctor may have diagnosed.
You have pins and needles in you fingers
A repetitive strain injury (RSI) at work or while training
How many treatments will I need?
This can vary and will depend on the type of injury, how long you have had it and what is influencing your pain, i.e. if you have had it tens years been in a car accident, have a sedentary job with a poor posture then this would take longer than an injury which occurred recently with no previous aches. We also need to consider how you respond to treatment and perform the exercises given to rehabilitate the body and make the necessary changes in posture etc. Response to treatment can vary from person to person though quite often people feel better immediately after treatment, however most people feel better within a couple of treatments depending on your health and your response to treatment
Is osteopathic treatment painful?
Osteopathic treatment response varies from person to person and is individually tailored to you, the techniques used by Osteopaths should not hurt you at all, however when working with injuries or inflamed tissue there may be some discomfort, let your osteopath know as feedback helps the treatment process.
Our osteopaths are registered with the General Osteopathic Council, who maintain the standards of proficiency and conduct for osteopaths in the UK ensuring safe practise.
What is the difference between an Osteopath and a Chiropractor?
In simple terms, both osteopaths and chiropractors tend to treat similar conditions with similar techniques. Especially in Britain, where the two evolved along parallel but converging paths, there is a significant overlap between the disciplines. In some countries, such as Australia, the two fields are overseen by the same regulating body and a practitioner can graduate from university with both an Osteopathic and Chiropractic qualification.
Both osteopathy and chiropractic share a common history and philosophy which set them apart from the more traditional allopathic medical fields. Rather than focusing on the individual components of the body, osteopaths and chiropractors view the body in a more holistic manner, as a self-contained, self-healing, fully interconnected unit. The first proponent of this philosophy, Andrew Taylor Still, is credited with founding osteopathy in America in 1874. Just twenty-one years later, a former student of Dr. Still, Daniel David Palmer, founded the chiropractic discipline1.
The philosophical and practical differences between Osteopaths and Chiropractors
The differences between osteopathy and chiropractic stem from a rather subtle variance in philosophy. Barrie Savory, D.O., in his acclaimed book The Good Back Guide, explains that Osteopaths subscribe to two axioms based on the concept of the body as a unique interdependent system. The first, ‘the rule of the artery is supreme,’ means that a healthy blood supply is likely to support a healthy bodily environment. Thus, osteopaths take circulation carefully into account when assessing patients. The second axiom, ‘structure governs function,’ concerns the fact that problems in the structure of the body, for example, too much tension in certain muscles or the misalignment of a bone, can inhibit the natural function of multiple bodily systems. Though the root of the word ‘osteopath’ means ‘bone,’ osteopaths do not actually treat bones. Rather, they use the bones as levers to improve the condition of other structures in the body like muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and organs. By treating these structures, osteopaths can aid the body’s natural healing ability.
Chiropractors, on the other hand, tend to focus on the spine and the alignment of vertebrae as the primary means to relieving pain and tension throughout the body. The spine consists of the vertebrae, which are bone segments that protect the spinal cord, and the individual nerve branches stemming from it. These nerve branches exit between the bones, conveying important messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Because the vertebrae shift and move with everyday activity, they can misalign and interfere with the nerve messages travelling among them. This interference causes problems, and frequently pain, throughout the body2.
The primary objective for both osteopaths and chiropractors is, most frequently, to relieve aches and pain. However, osteopaths also treat a broader range of functional problems, such as disorders of the respiratory or digestive systems. /Both osteopaths and chiropractors treat more than just bones joints and soft tissues. By working with the nervous system and blood supply they are able to influence all of the bodies systems, making them capable of alleviating the symptoms of a number of diagnosed medical conditions, such as; asthma, stress, digestive disorders, period pain, migraine and many more.
How do these differences between Osteopaths and Chiropractors affect patients?
In many cases, patient experiences with osteopaths and chiropractors will be very similar; however, there are some differences. When diagnosing patients, osteopaths and chiropractors both use visual inspection (observation) and palpation (touch). Chiropractors frequently rely on more diagnostic procedures, such as X-rays. Osteopaths tend to place more emphasis on the physical examination and will generally refer patients on for more diagnostic procedures if required.
The type of treatment a patient will receive at an osteopathic clinic can vary greatly. Osteopaths employ a number of techniques in order to influence the body’s innate healing system. These include; soft tissue, muscle work, joint articulation and mobilisation/manipulation. Some osteopaths work with and thereby influence organ function and movement (‘visceral osteopathy’) and movement of cerebrospinal fluid (‘cranial osteopathy’). The specific treatment will depend upon the patient’s unique circumstances. Osteopathic manipulation consists of positioning a joint into its close packed position and imparting a small but rapid impulse in order to separate the joint surfaces within their normal range of motion. This may produce a pop or a cracking noise; it is not a painful technique. The manipulation has the effect of freeing up any adhesions and encouraging better movement, it has a secondary, but very useful analgesic effect (pain relief).
In contrast, chiropractors tend to concentrate on influencing the nervous system by employing a technique called “adjustment,”. The actual technique is similar to that of osteopathic manipulation. The theory is that adjusting the vertebrae will allow it to return to its proper alignment along the spinal column and permit optimal nerve transmission. In an adjustment, the chiropractor applies pressure to the bone, unlocking it from its improper position3. The technique is not painful, though patients do sometimes hear “popping” noises. These are thought to be due to small pockets of gas being released from within the joint capsules. This is completely normal.
The length of treatment also typically varies between osteopaths and chiropractors. In general, chiropractic appointments tend to be shorter as the practitioner focuses on adjusting the spine (this does not mean to say that chiropractors don’t adjust areas other than the spine). However, chiropractors tend also to see patients more frequently, as the muscles connected to a misaligned vertebra can pull the bone back out of place, and it may take a few adjustments for the spine to settle into its proper alignment. Osteopaths tend to spend more time with a patient per visit, as their focus is somewhat broader and their treatment techniques are more varied. Osteopathic treatments also tend to be spaced out over a longer period of time.
Having described these differences, it is important to remember that both chiropractors and osteopaths address the same structures and use principally similar manipulative techniques. There can be a huge number of variations between individual practitioners of both disciplines, from what they focus on to how they apply treatment.
Is osteopathy available on my insurance?
If your insurance has it listed then its available, Manchester Osteopaths is recognised and accepted by all major insurance and private health care companies.
Is osteopathy available through my doctor?
No, though some NHS trusts have a budget to provide osteopathy, contact your local trust to find out.
Manchester Osteopaths: 0161 835 2358
