The psoas (with a silent p) – your deep core muscles so often ignored. In my practice I find they contribute to a wide range of symptoms. Low back, SI joint, or knee pain. Gastrointestinal distress, menstrual discomforts, fatigue and even headaches. Prolonged sitting is one contributor to short, tight, weak psoas muscles. But stress can be an even more ...
Osteopathy
Sleep & the Science of Your Circadian Clock
Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together. ~ Thomas Dekker Are you sleep deprived? Professor Michael Rosbash believes most of us are. He and fellow biologists Jeffrey Hall and Michael Young received the 2017 Nobel prize in physiology for their insights into our internal biological clocks. You can read Nobel Prizes 2017: Everything you ...
Bringing Your Baby for Osteo – What to Expect
What can you expect when you bring your baby for an osteopathic treatment? It'll be a lot like an adult session, but with time-outs for snuggles, feeds and diaper-changing. We'll start with a discussion of your baby's symptoms. Then a review of family history, prenatal and pregnancy health, labour and delivery. I'll ask about any illnesses, accidents or ...
Immune Boosting – Move Your Fluids!
The movement of body fluids is essential to the maintenance of health – a key principle of osteopathy. Your immune system vessels don't have a pump so they rely on muscular contraction and changes in pressure to move lymphatic fluid. Regular and frequent whole body movement keeps those fluids flowing freely. My colleague, restorative exercise specialist Petra ...
Your Pelvic Floor & Whole Body Health
I just got back from my great-niece’s first birthday party in Ottawa. I adore her! It seems she's inherited my passion for hands-on helping. Future osteopath? I find the drive tedious, so we decided to take the train. An opportunity to view the brilliant fall colours and catch up on reading. Sadly, Via Rail’s new seats are bum-numbingly uncomfortable. ...
Osteopathy for Better Postnatal Health
Can osteopathic treatment help me after my baby is born? When is the best time for a visit? I see a lot of pregnant women in my office (you can read why here), so I'm often asked how I can help new moms. Back and neck pain, fatigue, and varying degrees of pee problems are the most common postpartum complaints I hear. Osteopathic treatment is an effective ...
What? I Have to Get Undressed!
Clients are occasionally caught off guard when I ask them to get undressed (to their underwear) before we start the hands-on portion of our session. Apparently this surprise is not uncommon. A recent U.K. study found that the lack of forewarning about the need to undress for treatment was one area where osteopaths did not meet patients expectations. You can read ...
Could Your Structure Be A Factor in Fertility?
In allopathic medicine, structural problems that may lead to infertility include uterine fibroids, polyps, scarring (from previous injuries or surgeries) or an unusually shaped uterus. As an osteopathic manual practitioner, I consider all the structures of your body and how they impact your reproductive health. Structure Governs Function How can your physical ...
Help! I Feel Worse. Is This Normal?
It’s not unusual to feel slightly worse after treatment. It can take time to process the therapeutic input and self-correct toward better health. As your body adjusts and releases tensions, you may experience an exacerbation of symptoms or re-balancing reactions. Local tenderness, stiffness, achiness, headaches, diarrhea, fatigue or menstrual cycle changes are ...
Your Health History — It’s All Relevant
Do I really need to fill out all those questions on the health history form? I'm just here for my... It happens frequently. I look at a new client’s health history form to see large sections with no checkmarks or answers. When I still used paper, I would see either N/A or a line drawn through the section asking about previous injuries, accidents or ...