Indications and contra-indications
The osteopath’s field of practice extends to all circumstances associated to tissular restrictions or the loss of mobility. It excludes all infectious, inflammatory, tumourous and traumatic pathologies.
Osteopathy may be recommended for a vast number of afflictions here is a non exhaustive list :
- The most common reason is back pain: lumbar pain, lumbago, dorsalgia, basic neck pain, or accompanied by neuralgias (sciatica, cruralgia, cervical-brachial neuralgia, etc.), torticollis, whiplash;
- Pain resulting from muscular tension during pregnancy or following birth;
- pains and stiffness associated with arthritis, at the early or moderate stages of affliction;
- Various functional digestive disorders (gastro-oesophageal reflux, constipation, bouts of diarrhoea, etc.);
- Pain resulting from axial or peripheral muscular-skeletal dysfunctions (tension, cramps/spasms, tendinitis, articular instability, etc.);
- pain associated with poor posture;
- Tension headaches, migraines, cranial-mandibular pain, vertigo, tinnitus, certain types of sinusitis may benefit significantly from osteopathic treatment;
- Infant and child: pseudo-torticollis, gastro-oesophageal reflux, irritability without any apparent medical explanation, trouble sleeping, repetitive ear infections (apart from in acute stages), poor posture, etc.;
- Certain symptoms associated with asthma may improve considerably;
- behavioural problems (A.D.D., post-partum depression, etc.);
The absolute contra-indications to vertebral manipulations are fractures, anomalies affecting the cranial and cervical structures (Arnold-Chiari malformation, basilar invagination), rheumatic disorders, acute infections (osteomyelitis, spondylodiscitis, tuberculosis), cancers, tumours affecting the nervous system and/or meninges, acute discal hernias (for example: cauda equine syndrome, saddle block anaesthesia, sphincteral trouble), syringomyelia, the presence of vertebral binding material and osteoporosis.
NOTE : Certain conditions noted above, such as the presence of vertebral osteosynthesis elements, or osteoporosis, may benefit from different types of osteopathic techniques (soft tissue, fascial approach, etc.). It is the same for certain pathological traumas, such as a benign ankle sprain, which may benefit from an appropriate osteopathic approach.
Remember that an exclusion diagnostic (taking into account various factors, such as previous medical history, age of the patient, etc.) must always be carried out before any treatment is administered, in order to ensure that the reason for the consultation is within the osteopath’s field of expertise.
It’s a question of not confusing back pain caused by a tumour with straightforward lumbar pain. Do not hesitate to contact an osteopath D.O. to dispel all doubt.