The Barcroft Practice Osteopathic Clinic

Osteopaths at The Barcroft Practice Osteopathic Clinic see patients with many different conditions, two of the more common complaints are discussed below

Learning Disorders

Learning disorders are similar to the issues surrounding delayed development in that they are often misdiagnosed as a child being less able than others. In fact the problems the child is having with learning may have a very simple physical explanation which can be treated successfully and with fairly rapid impromement. The cause of the syndrome may be congenital, but in many cases the cause may simply be a physical neurological issue which will benefit from cranial osteopathy. Gentle treatment to unblock a neural pathway may yield substantial benefit - although clearly not in all cases. The typical course of treatment would be 6 to 8 sessions.

Migraine

The most common kind of debilitating headache is the migraine which inflict a very intense pain for a period varying from minutes to many hours. In the UK it is understood that almost eight million people have suffered from migraine attacks. Some only rarely but for a minority it can be a regular cause of disabling pain substantially impacting work and family life. Whilst the cause is not well understood doctors note the correlation between attacks and an imbalance of the hormone serotonin. As serotonin can constrict veins and arteries the imbalance can cause the vessels to be become engorged which is the source of the pain. Triggers can again vary but include stress, bright lights, hormonal imbalances (often caused by the menstrual cycle) and even various food types. Cranial osteopaths frequently treat migraine sufferers by working gently to promote improved level of drainage from the veins of the head and neck as well as working to reduce muscle tension at the base of the skull.