Baby has finally arrived! The relief knowing that your baby is healthy as well as all the congratulatory comments from those around you may not be enough to keep you from wondering whether the birth had any negative effects on your baby’s body. There is a solution—a preventive consultation with an osteopath.

Why consult an osteopath?

Babies can experience a variety of medical problems as early on as their birth. These problems can be caused by a long and difficult delivery but pregnancy can also be a source of discomfort for the child, as surprising as that may seem. An uncomfortable position in the mother’s pelvis, a narrow growing space and a breech presentation can all cause the baby pain from strong pressure points.

Parents cannot see everything. Our bodies compensate and adopt poor postures in order to mask dysfunction. Based on a precise and in-depth observation, an osteopath can detect minor problems and foresee what may worsen or become chronic over time. For that reason, osteopaths welcome all newborns for a preventive visit.

What is involved?

An osteopath begins by asking questions about the baby’s health and behaviour, the pregnancy and the delivery. Subsequent observation can then reveal key information.

Osteopathic techniques on babies are very gentle, painless and do not involve any constraints on the body. They may not be visibly apparent. A very light pressure from the fingers is applied to unblock tensions. Free from their small aches and pains, babies can develop normally and thrive.

When should you consult an osteopath?

Osteopathy is often recommended following a difficult birth (forceps, vacuum extraction, breech presentation) or if the baby has digestive problems or a stiff neck. However, an osteopath can intervene at any time, such as during the baby’s first days, in order to perform a preventive consultation.

According to the College of Family Physicians of Canada, more than 75% of children will have at least one ear infection before the age of three, and close to half will have at least three.

Middle ear infections are painful and often cause fever and a sore throat. They are caused either by a virus (25%) or a bacteria that affects the throat, the nose or the ears. Ear infections generally occur when the Eustachian tube is blocked. The blockage traps secretions in the middle ear, making it vulnerable to infection. It also increases the pressure behind the eardrum and causes pain.

Young children are more susceptible to developing ear infections because their Eustachian tube is more horizontal than in adults and as a result, secretions cannot flow as easily. They are also exposed to respiratory infections, which can lead to ear infections. Finally, the bones of the skull may have been pulled or blocked due to forceps or vacuum extraction during delivery, hindering drainage of the ORL areas.

When an ear infection occurs, it is important to consult a physician. Given that most ear infections heal on their own, antibiotics are not prescribed systematically. When the symptoms are not serious, waiting a few days is generally recommended before prescribing antibiotics to children over two years old.

The role of the osteopath

Osteopaths cannot cure ear infections. However, they can promote and accelerate the healing process and break the vicious cycle of recurrent ear infections. To do so, they intervene with regard to mucus drainage and blood and lymph exchange by releasing the bones at the base of the skull and the temporal bones, when necessary, and relaxing tensions that restrict the upper opening of the rib cage.

Given the malleability of an infant’s bones, osteopaths can reduce the pressure on the auditory canal. For older children who are susceptible to ear infections, osteopaths can release the bones of the skull and the back of the throat.

]]> https://qualita.ca/en/consulting-an-osteopath-for-pain-during-sex/ Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:01:30 +0000 http://qualita.ca/?p=2295 In our daily practice, we provide osteopathic care to women while they are pregnant as well as after delivery. During the post-partum phase, some women experience pain during sex for several months or even years. The pain can be due to a difficult vaginal birth, a lack of scar flexibility following a laceration of the perineum or an episiotomy as well as the hypersensitivity of those scars. A lack of mobility of the uterus and the neighbouring structures can also contribute to the symptoms. For example, pain can be experienced following a C-section due to a lack of flexibility in abdominal and uterine scarring.

Some women are embarrassed to talk about their pain. They may think that it is normal following delivery and that the pain will disappear over time. As a result, they engage in sexual relations much less frequently and at times avoid intercourse.

By carrying out a detailed evaluation of the structures involved and by providing specific osteopathic treatment, an osteopath can significantly alleviate this problem, which affects the quality of life of these women as well as their relationships.

]]> https://qualita.ca/en/consulting-an-osteopath-for-stress-urinary-incontinence/ Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:00:16 +0000 http://qualita.ca/?p=2356 Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a bladder symptom that primarily affects adult women. It refers to involuntary leakage of urine while coughing, jumping, changing position, sneezing, laughing and engaging in physical activity. Even a tiny urinary discharge can be dramatic due to the fear of the smell or of being wet. In a clinical setting, some women do not admit to having the problem out of embarrassment or because they do not realize that there are solutions for relieving their symptoms. Some women with this condition may even change their social and sporting activities as well as how they dress in order to deal with sudden urinary discharge. Today, different approaches are available based on the severity of the SUI, such as perineal retraining, biofeedback, electrical stimulation, medication and surgery.

In 2005, a study was conducted in Quebec by Pineault, D.O. and Sauvé, D.O. with 33 women who had had SUI for over six months without any other associated medical conditions. The conclusions of the study showed statistically significant improvements regarding urinary discharge as well as the strength and resistance of the pelvic floor. These last two aspects were evaluated using a biofeedback device. The results were obtained following four osteopathic treatments in the experimental group (17 women) compared with the other women in the control group (16 women). Finally, a telephone follow-up two months after the experiment confirmed that all the women in the experimental group considered their bladder control and pelvic floor improvements to be stable.

Therefore, specific osteopathic treatments can be of great assistance for many women who present with SUI.

Regurgitation – gastric reflux

Although difficult to determine given that it is situated in the esophagus, acid reflux causes a newborn to experience a painful burning sensation, particularly when lying down. The baby may fuss when being put down, squirm in pain, vomit and refuse to sleep or to feed.
Gastric reflux and regurgitation are related to the immaturity of the digestive system and often stem from excessive compression within the digestive system or on the nerve responsible for  vomiting.

By relaxing the mobility restrictions and muscle tensions in order to give the internal organs more space, an osteopath can help the newborn feed without vomiting or experiencing burning pain.

Problems related to breastfeeding and sucking

If the newborn has trouble feeding even in a comfortable breastfeeding position, it can be due to a sucking problem caused by the fact that the baby is unable to use its tongue effectively. The role of the tongue is crucial in breastfeeding: as it moves in a regular rhythm, it compresses the breast’s areola against the palate, creating an intra-oral hollow into which the milk flows. Too much compression on a cranial nerve can reduce the supply of nerves to the tongue and affect the baby’s ability to suck. The osteopath can diagnose the condition and release the bones in the skull that are squeezing the nerves or relax other restrictions if necessary.

Regurgitation, gastric reflux, problems related to breastfeeding or sucking ?

Osteopathy provides an effective solution to feeding problems among newborns.