Osteopathy: what it is and what it is used for

Osteopathy consists of a manipulative, holistic and non-invasive technique, which deals with restoring the structural and mechanical balance of the bone, joint and muscle system. THE

'osteopath dedicates its attention to the whole of the individual, to the individual parts as well as to the relationship between them, always bearing in mind that each structure is connected to the other and that a problem to a part of the body can be repercussions also on anatomically distant districts, and after some time.

The approach of the osteopath takes into account the specificities of the person who addresses him, adapting his work from time to time, continuously testing, through a refined and meticulous listening ability exercised with the pressure of his hands, the effectiveness of the treatment of 'osteopath.

Pediatric osteopathy: what it does

Very young children, infants and pregnant mothers can also be referred to an osteopathic treatment.

In general, pediatric osteopathy deals with those mechanical alterations of the child's muscular and skeletal system, which occurred during gestation, during childbirth, or in the earliest moments of life.

Already in the womb it is possible that the fetus is subjected to compressions and abnormal positions, mainly due to the physical changes that the mother's body faces during pregnancy.

A wrong fetal position can also have consequences on the birth phase, subjecting the unborn child to maneuvers that can accentuate mechanical distortions on the fragile and malleable bones of the baby .

Osteopathy in newborns

Osteopathy applied to newborns is mainly concerned with solving the following and more widespread problems:

> asymmetries of the skull and the bones of the face : during childbirth, the extremely flexible skull of the child is extremely stressed and this can give rise to small and solvable deformations;

> asymmetries and problems in the cervical vertebrae : again following the maneuvers to which the baby's neck is subjected during birth, and consequently from the laxity of the muscles, the neck may be affected;

> curvature of the vertebral column and scoliosis: always connected to the phases of birth and more generally to the position of the fetus during gestation, a position often repeated during the first moments of life;

> reflux and colic : the digestive system is closely related to the muscular and articular system;

> asthma : the compression of the bronchi can lead to the development of amsa in the first months of life;

> otitis : the tiny bones of the inner ear can be affected by the maneuvers of the birth and the subsequent compensations of the column, with consequent problems of otitis.

A good osteopath will be able to eliminate the structural distortions that engages the bony and muscular anatomy of the child when it encounters an obstacle to development, at the same time restoring the innate capacity of the organism to rebalance the imbalances.

During growth, the child is subjected to such a rapid succession of physical and hormonal changes and can benefit from periodic treatments by an osteopath.

Among the treatable diseases: lordosis and scoliosis, postural problems related to vare knees and flattened plantar arch, preventing hallux valgus and pronation or abnormal supinations of the foot, digestive problems, generalized muscular tensions, problems with the auditory system, with relapse also on the balance, problems with the respiratory system, with asthma, sinusitis.

Osteopathy can also be helpful in case of myopias or strabismus, dental malocclusions, sleep disturbances and attention.