Osteopaths can treat just about anything! Osteopathic medicine (a.k.a. osteopathy) can relieve headaches, bad backs, neck pain, arthritic pain, sports injuries, repetitive strain injuries, joint pain, orthopedic problems and so much more. I think we all have experienced at least one of these problems in our lives. How could we NOT recommend an osteopath for your pain?

It is important to understand that many factors can influence the pace of recovery. A lot depends on where your injury is, how severe it is, and of course your age, diet, and exercise routine. Osteopaths at Aches Away often see patients who only require one or two osteopathic treatments. We would say, however, that most patients with complications will require four to five treatments in order to regain normal mobility. Some complex cases may require multiple sessions. Your best bet will come from your osteopath. It’s their goal to offer you as many self-help tools as possible, such as exercises, diet changes, use of heat or cold packs, and so on, so that you can reduce the number of osteopathic treatments needed. They will be the ones to dictate how many sessions you will get.

Hip and knee pain are among the common musculoskeletal complications in human beings. Osteopaths are experts in musculoskeletal complications as they possess relevant expertise in body ligaments, cartilages, muscles, bursas, and tendons. A human knee is composed of all these parts; therefore, many elements may lead to knee dysfunction. The pain can range from a slight ache to debilitating pain where it becomes hard for a person to bear his or her weight when walking.

Osteopathic treatment will focus on enhancing the movement and function of your knee. Before embarking on the manual therapy of the knee, an osteopath will provide an initial consultation. Through this consultation, you will be asked about your history, including any case of injury or accident that might have led to knee pain. With this information, the osteopath will diagnose the exact joint, ligament, or tendon and thus provide osteopathic treatment.

Visiting an osteopath when you have knee pain is essential as these experts utilize whole-body approaches like cranial osteopathy to relieve muscle tension in the knee. An osteopath will focus on treating the affected knee, muscle, and ligament imbalances linked to the knee. It’s worth noting that your posture and walking style change when you have knee pain. The change in posture causes imbalances in the joint and muscle. Therefore, apart from the knee pain, you need osteopathic manual treatment to align your muscles and joints as required. Through techniques like massage therapy, an osteopath will get your blood and nerve supply back to normalcy. Moreover, the osteopath will notify you if subsequent treatments are needed to make you more stable.    

No referral is required to obtain osteopathic treatment in Ontario. However, it is recommended to deal with a qualified osteopath who is a member of the Ontario Osteopathic Association (OOA). The OOA is a regulatory organization that ensures its members follow the rules and ethical standards of practice for osteopaths in Ontario. Therefore, being a member of this association is a clear indication of excellent osteopathic treatment services in Canada. Osteopathy is not covered by OHIP unfortunately.

An osteopath and a chiropractor are two confusing medical practitioners. However, there are three critical differences between these medical professionals. First, a chiropractor is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats spine-related conditions to ensure optimal nerve transition. In case of issues with your spine, like disc herniation, it is time to see a chiropractor. In contrast, an osteopath is an alternative medical practitioner that focuses on the muscular-skeletal system to improve the overall healing system of the body. Therefore, you should see an osteopath if you suffer from headaches or migraines, neck pain, or sit on a desk for more than 8 hours a day. Through soft tissue therapy, an osteopath will diagnose and treat your muscles and other soft tissues to ensure improved general health

A second difference between a chiropractor and an osteopath is based on the method used in treatment. A chiropractor deals with spinal adjustments by the use of techniques that facilitate optimal nerve operation. Some of these techniques include flexion-distraction, Gonstead, extremity manipulation, spinal mobilization, among others. On the other hand, an osteopath is focused on body healing using procedures like injections, medication, or body adjustments.

 Finally, there is session variation between a chiropractor and an osteopath. While chiropractic sessions are short and focused, osteopathic sessions are longer as they use holistic approaches. A chiropractor can easily perform spinal adjustments and release the patient. However, an osteopath will need more time to attend to all the patient’s concerns and establish a succinct treatment plan. For instance, if you are struggling with knee or chronic neck pain, an osteopath will start by consulting you to get the history of factors like accidents. Such information will help him or her in the diagnosis of your problem. 

Osteopaths treat different conditions. As experts in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system and its influence on other body parts, osteopaths in Toronto treat the following conditions: 

• Injuries from sports
• Tendonitis and osteoarthritis
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee) 
• Sciatica
• Tension headaches and migraines 
• Vertigo
• Low back pain and pelvic girdle tension 
• Pregnancy-related complications. Osteopaths help balance hormones during pregnancy, better blood flow to the placenta, Improved posture and breathing, and better coordination of the baby during birth.

The cost of osteopathic care in Canada varies based on an individual’s policy and how long the care lasts. If you are covered under a medical insurance policy, it’s worth checking with your policy how much osteopathic care costs. In most cases, Extended Health Plans (EHP) sets aside an annual budget of $300 to $500 to cater for osteopathic treatments. 

If you decide to pay for your osteopathic care privately, the rate varies. However, in most cases, you will have to part with between $40 to $55 for a session lasting between 30 to 45 minutes. Thus, the main factors impacting the cost of osteopathic care in Canada are the payment mode and the duration of the service. 

Choosing a good osteopath may be challenging, especially if it is your first time. Here are the factors you should consider to select a good osteopath:

    Referral

It is recommended to get referrals from people who have utilized osteopathic services before. You can ask some people who have been to an osteopath about their experience and if they feel the service was worth it. You can also counter-check from health records to determine how many treatments the osteopath has provided. 

    Experience

Consider the period during which the osteopath has been in operation. Experience matters in osteopathic services. The more experienced the practitioner is, the better they are at providing service to their patients. On top of this, you should ensure you are getting osteopathic treatment from a registered osteopath. 

    Cost

It is prudent that you compare different osteopaths based on the cost of treatment before making a final decision. However, do not be tempted to go with cheaper practitioners because quality has its price. Cheap does not always mean quality. 

    Location

Consider the location of an osteopath before deciding where to go for treatment. You will want to go with someone who is near your work or home so that you do not have much traveling time. 

Yes, osteopathy helps during pregnancy and labor pains. During pregnancy, osteopathy is vital in easing physical discomfort, low back, and pelvic pains. Osteopathy helps during labor pains by using stretches, breathing techniques, cranial osteopathy, and exercises that aid during labor.

Osteopathic medicine is effective in treating both upper, middle, and lower chronic backache. Back pains are linked to symptoms like stiffness and severe pain in different locations making up the back. The cause of back pain differs from one person to another; therefore, an osteopath will establish the root cause of the pain before starting the treatment. Furthermore, when you experience back pain, there may be a need to treat other body parts like knees, hips, or neck. As a patient, you will not be aware of such details; as a result, you need an osteopath to diagnose and identify other affected parts of the body. The most common back conditions for which patients visit osteopaths are:

Rheumatic pain: This is a type of chronic pain usually perceived in the vicinity of one or more joints, including the spine.

General aches and pains: Some of the pain in this category include low back pain, chronic back pain, knee pain, and neck pain.

Joint pain: This is pain due to an affected connection between bones.

Sciatica: Irritation as a result of the compression of the sciatic nerve in the lower back.

Posture challenges: This can result from prolonged sitting, pregnancy, or long hours of driving. 

Muscular tension: This is the inability of body muscles to relax. The condition is associated with a lot of pain.

Mechanical back pain: Back pain results from excessive pressure placed on the muscles of the spinal column. Some of the causes of mechanical back pain are lifting weights, poor posture, and incorrect bending.

Sporting injuries and tensions: These are injuries from sports like football or athletics. A significant cause of these injuries is now warming up properly.

Osteopaths can perform the same medical procedures done by other medical doctors. Before embarking on any treatment, an osteopath will identify your issue like chronic back pain or migraines. The intention is to find the root cause of the ailment through diagnostic procedures like back pain diagnosis and physical examinations. 

Osteopaths can also prescribe medications, offer treatment, and perform surgeries. In their undertakings, these medical specialists use both allopathic and osteopathic medicine. After diagnosis, osteopaths use their hands to treat the body through a mixture of gentle and forceful techniques. The aim usually is to restore the optimal functioning and stability of the joints. Consequently, the body heals itself from the osteopathic condition. Therefore, if you feel stiffness in your muscles or back pains, it’s time to visit an osteopath in Toronto for diagnosis and treatment.

Osteopaths understand the cause of a recurring hamstring injury on both legs as the angle of the pelvis and trunk strength among sportspeople. Therefore, to treat this, osteopaths focus on realigning the pelvis and providing therapeutic exercise, thus increasing the core stability and hamstring strength.

You are recommended to visit an Osteopath in Toronto if you experience a recurring hamstring injury. An osteopath will diagnose and apply the RICE therapy to treat the injury. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. These four activities will see you get healed from recurring hamstring injuries on both legs.