Osteopathy

Osteopathy looks at the body as a whole, comprised of mind, body and spirit, to understand the causes and treatment of health issues. Many recent injuries or chronic conditions may be helped by osteopathic care.

Meet your practitioner

Brittney Perkins

M.OMSc, BScHK

Brittney is an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner and a member of the Ontario Osteopathic Association. She completed her Masters in Practice diploma of Osteopathic Manipulative Sciences (M.OMSc) at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy and has also obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Human Kinetics from St. Francis Xavier University.

After being introduced to Osteopathy, Brittney fell in love with its principles and believes wholeheartedly in the ability of the body to self-heal and self-regulate, and that the entire body works together collectively as one unit.

Brittney’s approach to treatment follows these fundamental osteopathic principles, where she aims to gently realign the structural framework of the human body and remove any soft tissue or mechanical obstructions that impede these natural self-healing and self-regulating processes.

Brittney developed her passion for both the human body and sport growing up in the local area of North Gower and played Varsity Hockey at St. Francis Xavier University, where she was named an Academic All-Canadian in 2012 and was also a National Silver and Bronze Medalist. Brittney continues to play competitive Ball Hockey where she has won multiple National medals as part of the CBHA.

When she is not working, Brittney loves to spend her time travelling, hiking and connecting with nature.

Osteopathy is based on the inherent ability of the body to heal itself. Most of the time the body does this automatically, but sometimes the body’s reflexive ability to compensate and resolve trauma becomes overloaded. This is when it needs help.

Your Osteopathic Manual Practitioner will use a variety of gentle hands-on techniques working with the bones, joints and soft tissues. They will use techniques such as mobilization of joints, muscle energy techniques, soft tissue manipulation, cranial and visceral osteopathy. Treatments have one goal: to align the body and give it the best chance to heal.

We can help with many conditions, including:

Lower back pain
Neck pain
Concussion syndrome
Migraines and headaches
Migraines and headaches
Paediatric disorders
General stress and tension
TMJ syndrome
Sports injuries, tendonitis, bursitis
Anxiety and Depression
Digestion and elimination issues

Want to Know More About Osteopathy?

The philosophy of Osteopathy is based on four basic principles:

Each structure in the body supports the body’s functions.
The natural flow of the body’s fluids – lymphatic, vascular and neurological – must be preserved and maintained.
The human body is the sum of its parts. Its physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and cognitive systems do not work independently – they work in harmony.
When the body has no restrictions, it has the inherent ability to heal itself.

Osteopathic Manual Practitioners recognize a person as an integrated whole. When all the body’s components are in balance, a person is complete and in total health. Osteopathic Manual Practitioners work to maintain, improve, and restore the normal physiological function of interrelated body structures and systems, enhancing the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Using various manual assessment and techniques and modalities, Osteopathic Manual Practitioners work to identify and ease restrictions, constrictions, and pain; reduce swelling; improve tissue mobility; and promote proper function and healing in people of all ages.

The aim of your Osteopathic Manual Practitioner is to optimize the self-healing mechanisms of the body. The frequency of visits is based on your assessment. Adequate time between visits is required to allow your body to integrate the changes that occur from one visit to the next.

What Types of Techniques are used?

SOFT TISSUE MANIPULATION

Soft tissue manipulation can be used in many ways. This method is used to evaluate the condition of tissues, ease restrictions, help the body’s fluids (blood, lymph, etc.) flow smoothly and restore function. Optimal neuro-vascular flow helps to reduce harmful fluid retention and allows the body’s immune system to work more effectively. Throughout the care, Osteopathic Manual Practitioners will continuously check on the state of the body’s tissues. The goal is to gently guide the tissue back to health without over-treating.

OSTEOPATHIC ARTICULAR TECHNIQUE

The osteopathic articular technique, involving gently moving two joint surfaces, is used to reduce muscle spasms, ease neurological irritations, assist in joint mobility and help reduce pain and discomfort. It is a less forceful technique than joint manipulation. Osteopathic Manual Practitioners will carefully prepare the soft tissues around the treatment area, positioning the patient so that there is minimal (if any) force needed to perform the maneuver.

CRANIAL OSTEOPATHY

As the gentlest osteopathic technique, Cranial Osteopathy is also one of the most significant. It is used to assess and treat the mobility of the skull and its contents. It may also be used to assess and treat the spine, sacrum, and other parts of the body. The goal of this technique is to adjust the body’s physiology by restoring balance and optimal neuro-vascular flow surrounding the Central Nervous System and all its autonomic centers.

VISCERAL MANIPULATION

Visceral Manipulation is used to effectively treat organs and viscera of the body, including the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach, pancreas, intestines, the bladder, and the uterus. Applied with gentle pressure, visceral manipulation corrections can improve the mobility of an organ, improve neuro-vascular flow surrounding the organ and ultimately help maximize organ function.

How Should I Prepare for Treatment?

We ask all clients to bring comfortable attire, preferably light, loose fitting clothing.

Your Osteopathic Manual Practitioner may spend much of the treatment in an area distant from your symptom area. This is usually because the cause of the problem lies distant to the area of symptoms.

During treatment, you may feel sensations in various parts of your body. This is usually a feeling of warmth or tingling, or a sense of deep relaxation. Occasionally, some discomfort may be felt, but you should tell your Osteopathic Manual Practitioner immediately if you are in pain.

What might I expect following Treatment?

Your practitioner will discuss any recommended precautions following your treatment. It is common to feel tired after a treatment. Treatment responses can vary, but in the event any pain persists 2-3 day after treatment or you have any concerns, please contact us immediately to discuss.

Note: Osteopathic Manual Practitioners are not medical doctors and will refer any emergencies to your physician or hospital.

Is my treatment covered by insurance?

If your extended health insurance plan includes osteopathy services (osteopath benefit), then receipts may be covered according to your plan’s policy. We suggest all clients verify with their insurer what coverage is available and which Association registration is accepted (example: OOA – Ontario Osteopathic Association or OAO – Ontario Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners).