Is There a Difference Between Osteopathy and Cranial Osteopathy?

If you are looking to improve your overall wellness, you might benefit from visiting an osteopathic physician. These doctors are extensively trained and offer numerous treatments that are designed to diagnose, prevent, and treat a range of conditions. Some of them have even completed extra education in order to be able to offer cranial osteopathy. What is cranial osteopathy, and is there a difference between it and traditional osteopathy? This blog post explains what you should know.

What Is Osteopathy?

According to one dictionary, osteopathy is “a branch of medical practice that emphasizes the treatment of medical disorders through the manipulation and massage of the bones, joints, and muscles.”

Osteopathic physicians offer treatments that can benefit the body from head to toe. Often, those treatments involve manipulating the body in ways that resemble what you might see in a chiropractor’s or physical therapist’s office. They may also offer regenerative medicine injections, such as Prolozone and platelet-rich plasma, to help the body heal itself so patients can find relief from a range of musculoskeletal conditions.

Many patients with muscle sprains and strains, arthritis, and other types of aches and pains benefit from osteopathic care.

What Is Cranial Osteopathy?

Cranial osteopathy is a specific treatment that is offered by some osteopathic physicians. Rather than focusing on manipulations of the entire body, it involves gentle massages and movements that specifically affect the head, neck, and spine. It increases fluid circulation in those areas and can lead to numerous benefits.

Cranial osteopathy may be used to treat:

• Poor sleep quality
• Anxiety
• Headaches
• Muscle tension
• Colic, breastfeeding issues, and head deformities (in infants)

Is Cranial Osteopathy or Traditional Osteopathy Right for You?

Whether you would benefit more from cranial osteopathy or traditional osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) really depends on the conditions that are bothering you. A qualified osteopath can learn about your symptoms and develop a custom treatment plan that aims to help you move toward improved health. Some patients benefit from both traditional treatment and cranial osteopathy.

Cranial osteopathy is a remarkable subspecialty of osteopathic care! Talk to a qualified provider to learn more about it and the advantages it offers.

Meet the Practices

At the Institute for Non-Surgical Orthopedics of Fort Lauderdale, our team is proud to offer a range of osteopathic treatments, including both general OMT and cranial osteopathy. Our large team of medical experts is committed to providing top-quality, conservative care that serves our patients’ best interests. To learn more about the services available in our practice, contact us at 954-563-2707.