When you feel pain, several things are happening inside your body that you may not know about. One is the restriction of your fascia or the connective tissue that wraps and supports your organs, muscles, and bones.
Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy
Natural Body Link are Osteopaths located on Boundary Road, Hamilton. We provide Natural Healthcare for all the family and cater to all ages – Adults, Children and Babies.
Osteopathic Manipulation
Realignment of spinal vertebrae is the most recognised technique of Osteopathy. In our clinic the practitioners use a variety of methods to achieve this. The importance of spinal mobility is that when dysfunction occurs pain is often the consequence. When normal range of motion of the vertebrae is restored nerve irritation is resolved and pain settles over a period of days.
Cranial Osteopathy
Cranial Osteopathy was discovered and taught by William Garner Sutherland (1873-1954). He realised the eight bones that form the cranium had a subtle rhythmic motion and that the cranial sutures were not fused as medical anatomists had proposed. He termed this motion the Primary Respiratory Mechanism essential to normal function throughout the body. Birth trauma and injuries to the head or pelvis can reduce this motion affecting the flow of nutrients around the brain and spinal cord which the rhythm facilitates. Sutherland’s five principles were: The inherent motility of the brain and spinal cord. The fluctuation of cerebrospinal fluid. The mobility of intracranial and intraspinal membranes. The articular mobility of the cranial bones. The involuntary mobility of the sacrum between the ilia. Research undertaken at the University of Michigan into cranial sutures has revealed blood vessels nerves and connective tissues that demonstrate they are normal functional joints. NASA researchers confirmed that small motion at the sutures was possible. Our skilled practitioners can assess the cranium in newborns children adults and use the gentlest of pressures to release restrictions in sutures and intracranial membranes.
Visceral Manipulation
Jean-Pierre Barral DO MRO(F) PT of Grenoble France developed this modality which addresses many aspects of health in the body. Falls, vehicle accidents surgery and inflammation can all contribute to tension in the tissues that attach organs resulting in reduced blood flow. Assessing a subtle motion inherent in the organs tells the practitioner where tension is present and so pressure applied in a particular way enables the attachment to soften with resultant improved blood flow. Barral was acknowledged in 2001 by Time magazine as being a great health innovator.
Myofascial Release
All connective tissues of the body are termed fascia and are fluid filled or viscous in nature which makes them slippery and able to stretch. Much research is now developing that shows fascia to be an important body system and Dr A T Still MD DO mentioned the importance of treating it in his writings. Damage to these tissues result in fluid loss that causes shrinkage which can affect blood flow and elimination of wastes from around cells. Poor nutrient delivery and toxicity result in inflammation and degenerative conditions such as arthritis. Techniques such as Myofascial release enable blood flow and waste elimination to occur.
