Cranial Osteopathy for

Older People

Advancing years are often associated with the insidious onset of health problems. However, suffering pain, stiffness and poor health is NOT an inevitable part of getting older.

What do osteopaths do?
The body can be likened to a car, in that it needs regular servicing and maintenance as it gets older! Osteopaths treat the whole person not just conditions, and thus a very wide variety of different problems can be helped. Osteopathic treatment is aimed at releasing strains and stresses that have often accumulated in the body over many years, thus improving mobility and the circulation to all parts of the body. The result is often an improvement in many different aspects of health.

How many treatments are needed?
Sometimes only a few treatments are needed, other people may take benefit from regular treatment, or an occasional "service" every few months to keep everything working. Patients are seldom disappointed with the results, and are frequently extremely happy at being able to resume a more active lifestyle.

Common Problems

Accidents, strains and other trauma
Most people will have suffered trauma at some point in their life, such as from falls, car accidents, or sporting accidents. Often people do not think that they have injured themselves at the time, but to the trained hands of an osteopath the effects of these accidents are often palpable years later as a continuing strain within the body tissues. This can make the joints more vulnerable to arthritic changes, and cause undue fatigue because more energy is used in simple every day tasks.
Falls are more likely as we get older. With increasing age, the body tissues lose some of their flexibility and elasticity and do not recover as quickly from trauma. This imparts lasting strains in the body, which can not only aggravate existing problems, but also predispose to other illnesses.

Treatment
Osteopathic treatment aims to release residual strains from accidents, both recent or long ago. This allows the body to function more freely.

Osteoarthritis
This is the most common symptom of getting older. It can occur in many of the joints in the body, while some joints such as the hips and knees are more vulnerable than others.

Symptoms and signs
Enlargement and persistent swelling of a joint; aching, pain and stiffness, worse on initially moving a joint after resting; increased pain and swelling if joint is overused.

Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, but the back, hips and knees are some of the most debilitating.

Treatment
Treatment to ease old strains held within the body may enable the joints to work in a more balanced fashion and with greater ease.

If replacement surgery is finally needed, the body tissues are generally in better health and the recovery is swifter.

Heart and lungs
Heart disease is one of the main causes of disability in the elderly. It is often associated with breathing difficulties and lung problems.
Heart and lung problems may be aggravated by tension in the chest and mid to upper back. The chest is one of the first areas to tighten up when we are worried or under stress. Tension causes muscles to tighten, and reduces the ability of the chest to expand fully in breathing. This can constrict the heart and lungs, and make them more vulnerable to disease.

Treatment
Gentle osteopathic treatment is used to release tension in the diaphragm between the chest and the abdomen, and in the muscles of the chest and spine. This encourages flexibility of the chest and helps improve movement for breathing.

Effects of Surgery
In some cases surgery can generate excessive scar tissue, and this can be the cause of problems within the abdomen or pelvis. It is sometimes possible to release some of these effects with osteopathic treatment.

Dentures and plates
Dentures and plates can cause structural problems in the head and neck. Normally there is a slight movement between bones of the face and head. An upper plate or denture has the effect of holding the bones of the upper jaw rigidly together, preventing or severely limiting the slight natural movement between them.
Strains may also be set up through the face as a result of dental extractions, ill fitting dentures, old or worn dentures (which cause a loss of height through the face), or from eating unevenly due to loss of teeth. Please see our page on osteopathy and dentistry.

Symptoms
Face or neck pain, headache, congested sinuses, ear problems or eye strain.

Prevention
Plates and dentures should be removed at night to allow the face to free itself off for some hours during each 24 hour cycle.

How can osteopathic treatment help?
Many of the problems mentioned above can be successfully treated or helped by osteopathic treatment. Your osteopath will have undertaken lengthy training, and is qualified to recognise and diagnose illnesses and conditions. This is important as most people visit an osteopath without having first consulted their doctor. Osteopaths are trained to make sure nothing serious is overlooked. Your osteopath will work closely with your General Practitioner whenever necessary.