Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a manually applied complementary form of therapy that takes a holistic view of a person in order to understand the individual health impairment.
In Switzerland, osteopathy is a recognised health profession that uses manual techniques to treat and relieve pain and blockages in the musculoskeletal system (muscles, conchae, joints and connective tissue) in its relationship to the other systems of the human body. The individual medical history and personal circumstances of each person are taken into account.
Generally said, people of all ages can benefit from osteopathy.
Osteopathy is most likely to be thought of in terms of back, bone and joint complaints. In practice, however, the osteopathic approach involves the whole body, for acute as well as chronic complaints.
Common applications and indications of osteopathy are as follows (non-exhaustive list):
- Back and neck complaints
- Complaints in the area of the thorax
- Tingling or sensory disturbances in the arms or legs
- Sports injuries such as sprains and muscle injuries
- Tendon injuries
- Complaints after whiplash injuries
- Headaches
- Digestive disorders
- Temporomandibular joint disorders
- Pregnancy complaints
You can find more information about the possible complaints osteopathy can help with on the website of the Swiss Osteopathic Association
If you are not sure whether osteopathic treatment is the right choice for your complaint, ask your GP or contact me directly.
Basically, an osteopathic session consists of 3 stages:
- A conversation to get to know each other andbuild up an understanding of the physical as well as emotional condition of the client.
- A clinical and osteopathic examination with subsequent diagnosis
- A discussion of the therapeutic approach, obtaining consent and treatment if osteopathic treatment is indicated (this will become apparent through the interview and examination). In case of contraindication, you will be referred to yourGP or another specialist.
During the treatment, a variety of manual techniques are applied to different types of tissue (e.g. muscles, joints, connective tissue); depending on the consultation and the need, stronger or gentler pressure can be applied.
Depending on the complaint, other applications can be included in the treatment, such as kinesiology taping, dry needling/Western medical acupuncture, and exercises and tips for everyday life can be discussed.
This varies from person to person. Generally, it is normal for an initial reaction to last for 24 to 72 hours or a little longer (e.g. sore muscles or fatigue). Ideally, you should not have any appointments after the treatment so that the body can integrate the changes from the treatment as undisturbed as possible and you can benefit from the treatment in the best possible way.
If any reactions cause you concern, please let me know.
The duration and number of sessions depend on the nature of the complaint and the healing process. Experience shows that the first session takes a little longer (see below). As a rule of thumb, an improvement is expected after 3 to 5 treatments. The number of treatments may vary depending on the complaint (e.g. whether acute or chronic).
If there is no relief/improvement after a few treatments, I will discuss other options with you. There may be collaboration with other osteopaths and other medical professionals/therapists. The aim is always to work with you to find the best possible solution.
First appointment: between 50-60 min
Follow-up appointments: between 35-50 min
The duration varies depending on the complaint and the time required for discussion and examination and can vary by +/- 10 min per session.
