OSTEOPATHY AUCKLAND
Common complaints seen by Osteopaths
We use safe and effective hands-on techniques to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal issues focusing on correctly determining the structures involved, identifying any underlying biomechanical dysfunctions and applying evidence-based hands-on treatment techniques to help return you to function as efficiently as possible.
Back Pain
Back pain is something many of us will have to contend with in our lifetimes. It can be a very frustrating and debilitating issue affecting our lumbar spine, often referred to as lower back pain, and/or the thoracic spine, referred to as the upper back.
Osteopaths assess the muscles and ligaments attaching to the spine, pelvis and hips, the discs between spinal segments and even abdominal organs to determine the source of pain.
Osteopaths have a range of treatment modalities and referral pathways at their disposal to help determine what tissues are causing your discomfort and ultimately get you moving again.
Neck Pain
Neck pain can be a multifaceted and highly debilitating issue that significantly impacts our activities of daily living. On top of the local pain and loss of function, it can also cause headaches, muscle spasms and pain in the arms or shoulders.
Osteopaths will carefully examine your head, neck and shoulders to identify any acute causes of your neck pain, such as strained muscles or ligaments, trapped nerves, sleeping position, or even posture.
Depending on the cause and severity of your neck pain, osteopaths use several treatment approaches, including soft tissue mobilisation, joint mobilisation and exercise therapy.
Pregnancy related musculoskeletal issues
Hormonal and physiological changes occurring during pregnancy that can cause numerous musculoskeletal problems such as lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis.
Ensuring that your body is in the best position to accommodate these changes that occur during pregnancy and the ongoing demands of motherhood is essential for the wellbeing of mother and baby. We are here to help your body through the pre-natal period and your post-natal recovery.
Headaches & Migraines
Headaches are one of the most frequent symptoms reported by patients in primary care and are often multifaceted and misdiagnosed. With tension-type and cervicogenic headaches being two of the most prevalent types, accounting for 60-80% of all headaches. These types of headaches derive from the muscles and joints of our body, making them two of the main types of headaches osteopaths can actually influence.
Headaches can present in many different ways and are often confused with migraines. The most crucial part of successfully treating a patient with headache-like symptoms is correctly diagnosing whether or not they are suffering from headaches or migraines, and if the patient is suffering from headaches, identifying what type of headache they are suffering from.
Sciatica
There are an array of potential causes, including prolonged seated postures, crossing your legs while you sit, tight trousers (particularly with phones or wallets in the back pocket), tight muscles (particularly in the gluteals), injury to the lower back, arthritis, changes to the spine and/or disc in your back.
Treatment involves reducing pressure on the sciatic nerve by addressing any musculoskeletal components contributing to its compression/irritation and putting in place a careful management plan inclusive of exercise and lifestyle modifications that help increase the strength and flexibility of the muscles supporting the lower back whilst reducing any points of nerve pressure or irritation. In some cases, a referral to a specialist may be required.
Sports Injuries
Injuries can occur whether you are an elite athlete, weekend warrior, or participate in recreational activities. Osteopathy can help correctly diagnose your injury for efficient rehabilitation, help you manage your pain and avoid the adoption of inappropriate compensatory movement patterns while you recover.
Our treatment of sports-related injuries involves using hands-on techniques to modulate pain, address muscular imbalances, restore joint mobility and provide you with the tools to recover. We know how long different tissue types take to heal, so if they are not responding as we expect, we have a trusted specialist referral network we can utilise.
Breathing Dysfunction
Poor breathing mechanics can be a predisposing factor for a number of muscular strain injuries as well as have a negative relationship with psychosocial issues such as anxiety. Pain, stress, injury and illness can lead to our breathing becoming dysfunctional, most of the time without us even realising it.
Resulting in habitually shallow breathing and the inappropriate recruitment of accessory muscles. When our breathing becomes dysfunctional, it can no longer efficiently respond to our needs, exacerbate pain, and put muscles used for movement under increased strain, predisposing injury.
Research has shown that through breathing retraining, Osteopathy can aid breathing dysfunctions (such as asthma, COPD, coughing, sighing, wheezing, breathlessness, and sleep apnea), poor blood circulation, reflux, constipation, and gut health.
Osteoarthritis is a very common form of arthritis, which is basically a response to mechanical wear and tear. Osteopathy can be a very effective conservative treatment of osteoarthritis. Our treatment aims to increase the body's capacity to efficiently accommodate the mechanical changes whilst ensuring that adjacent joints and muscles are best equipped to handle their increased load.
Whether you are looking to maintain function as long as possible before the need for surgery, manage osteoarthritic pain, or rehabilitation following joint replacement, Osteopathy can be a beneficial treatment choice.
Whiplash & Whiplash associated disorders
Whiplash and Whiplash-associated disorders can cause a variety of musculoskeletal and nervous complaints. Sufferers may experience muscular pain, dizziness, headaches, protective postures, and reduced mobility related to the traumatic mechanism to the upper neck.
Our Osteopathic treatment is aimed at downregulating tissue pain responses, reducing antalgic postures and movement patterns, and restoring function. As with any traumatic injury, we believe imaging is essential. In relation to whiplash, we use it to rule out any bony injury that may have been caused and identify and manage any soft-tissue damage.
TMJ issues
Jaw pain or Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and dysfunction is a relatively common issue seen in osteopathic practices. The TMJ is made up of three key structures, the temporal bone, the mandible and an articular disc sandwiched between the two bones acting as a cushion to prevent friction. This joint has relationships with numerous muscles that ensure its correct function.
Osteopaths commonly treat TMJ dysfunction and the associated symptoms that may occur with it. These issues usually arise from asymmetric tension of various muscles or misalignment of the temporal bone with the mandible. These joint dysfunctions can cause symptoms such as pain, clicking when opening or closing the mouth, jaw locking, difficulty chewing, ear aches and headaches.
Children & adolescence
At Movement Mechanics Osteopathy, we understand that children and adolescents are not simply mini-adults. Instead, they have complex developmental and biomechanical differences unique to their growing bodies.
We offer a gentle and safe hands-on osteopathic treatment to reduce pain and improve function where required. Osteopathy treats structural anomalies to improve the way the body functions. In addition, we provide a biomechanical assessment of your child and create strategies to ensure optimal development.
Whether postural pain and discomfort from overuse of modern devices such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets or an injury from sports or play, we are here to help.
Hip Pain
Hip pain encompasses discomfort in the bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, and tendons of the hip joint, which is essential for movement like walking and sitting. This pain can arise from conditions such as arthritis, bursitis, strains, and injuries, leading to pain, stiffness, or decreased mobility. So, we take the time to diagnose the exact cause of dysfunction carefully.
At Movement Mechanics Osteopathy, we tailor our approach to each patient's hip pain, combining manual therapy techniques like massage, joint mobilisation, and stretching to improve function and relieve discomfort. We specialise in treating lateral hip pain, a complex issue, with Shockwave Therapy, an innovative, non-invasive method that has shown significant success in reducing pain and enhancing healing alongside our osteopathic treatments.
