Osteopathy treat?
Michael Dennis
Michael holds a Master of Practice Diploma in Osteopathic Manipulative Sciences, earned through the four year program at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in Hamilton, Ontario.
As a new resident of Victoria, Michael is excited to bring his passion for osteopathy to the community and is accepting new patients into his practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a hands on manual assessment and adjustment of the tissues that comprise your musculoskeletal framework. It is non-invasive, drug free, gentle, and accessible to nearly all individuals, regardless of age or ability.
An Osteopathic Manual Practitioner endeavours to find and treat the source of pain or altered function in a person’s body; it is not simply a matter of treating symptoms. Often clients seeking help from an OMP will have already tried other modalities of therapy, but can feel like the root of the problem still persists.
Each treatment will be custom tailored to the individual for the needs of that day. No two treatments will ever be identical, as the osteopathic practitioner will assess and treat the unique issues your body presents at the time of your arrival. Often, the experience will be slow and rhythmic, and will never include high velocity thrusts.
All treatments will take the individual’s mobility and range of movement into account. Over the course of an osteopathic treatment, it is typical to be asked to sit, and to lie on one’s back, side and stomach. Accommodations can be made for everyone, in every position, so there should be no concern if an individual has limited mobility.
Patients are asked to arrive wearing comfortable, loose fitting clothing, and can use the facilities on site to change their wardrobe, if desired. Apparel such as dresses, skirts, jeans, and bulky, heavy sweaters make it difficult for the practitioner to perform their assessment in a timely fashion, and should be avoided if possible. Please, no bare feet.
It is normal to feel a little ‘different’ immediately after receiving osteopathic treatment, as it takes time for the body to integrate the adjustments that have been made. Most people feel relaxed and calm, even sleepy afterwards. Typically an adjustment will be incorporated into your body anywhere from a few hours after treatment, up to one or two days afterwards. This is perfectly normal, and any questions about osteopathic treatment can be discussed with your practitioner during your initial consultation and assessment.
Ongoing osteopathic care builds on the successes of previous treatments, providing for an upbuilding of one’s constitution and health, and allows the practitioner to unravel injuries and find the root of dysfunction. If an injury has been present for weeks, months or even years, it may take some patience and time to be remedied.
Initially, an interval of one to two weeks is the typical time between treatments; this allows the changes and adjustments to be integrated and incorporated without over-taxing the natural rhythms and systems of your body. However, every individual is different, and it will sometimes be deemed appropriate to change the interval between treatments, depending on the situation.
