My name is Maria Salome Olivia
Apart from my profession I live a busy life - I love gardening and I am a bit of a bookworm, I love history, archeology and anthropology. Just for the thrill of enjoyment I read quite a bit of science fiction.
Keep reading to find out more about my special areas of interest. Alternatively, you can view my qualifications here.
1. Back pain & spinal problems.
Spinal pain is one of the most common reasons for people to consult an osteopath. This does not mean we only treat backs, far from it. A caseload in an osteopathic clinic is always unpredictable; however spinal pain tends to be a constant complaint from people of all ages, from school children having neck and hands pain caused by using mobile phones or tablets for long hours, or the air traffic controller suffering from headaches and neck pain by staring at a screen seven hours a day, the lorry driver with lower back buttock and leg pain after spending long hours seated, or the health conscious who happens to develop excruciating pain after bending forward to tie up his shoe laces.
What I have learn after twenty nine years in practice, is that a variety of issues may result in back pain. Every case being unique in its presentation. Back pain can mask psychological disorders or something more serious, and in the majority of cases, may be caused by mechanical problems in the structural body, such as non freely moving spine, muscle imbalances, faulty posture among others. Those structural problems can be corrected with standard osteopathic techniques, exercise, and can be supplemented with acupuncture if needed.
2. The osteopathic care of children from birth to adulthood
The child's body is constantly changing, maturing, and gradually adapting to physical, hormonal, and emotional changes. There will be times when even the healthy child feels that he is not himself. Certain disruptive behavioural problems, such as throwing tantrums and disobedience can develop in a previously well behaved child. Children's psychologists often see these outbursts as expressions of growing up and learning to be independent. At the same time these expressions serve to vent out stress or tension that builds up inside the body.
Osteopathic treatment can have a calming effect by releasing tight compressive forces within the body, especially in the head and chest.
Osteopathic assessment and treatment is a hands on approach, concentrating on the spine where the spinal cord runs from the base of the skull to the bottom of the spine, where several areas may be tense or misaligned, causing irritation to the nerves. Also, from the base of the skull emerge some of the cranial nerves going to the neck, chest and the abdomen.
Osteopathy can assist in the well being of the child from before birth, through the growing and maturing phases and into adulthood.
3. A rewarding area of interest is the osteopathic approach to babies with possetting, or regurgitation after a feed.
During the preparatory work for my dissertation, I had the opportunity of studying and treating about two hundred children during a period of two years. Several threads emerged: Lactose intolerance, immaturity of the gut to digest even mother's milk, and irritation of the central nervous system in the child due to unknown causes, or sometimes following a stressful birth. Also I learned that most children with developmental delays usually have respiratory and feeding problems. The role of the osteopath in these instances is to help the body by releasing tension, obstructions and torsion in different areas, such as the abdomen, the head, the spine, the face, the pelvis.
Registered Osteopath
As a registered osteopath, it is compulsory to attend yearly a minimum of thirty hours of professional development. My choice of seminars are those that keep my knowledge up to date. There are always fascinating developments within the osteopathic, acupuncture and physical therapies field. On reflection, I must acknowledge that I have learnt and discovered many wonders through patients who sought my help.
Qualifications
- I have full registration with the General Osteopathic Council the regulatory body in the United Kingdom.
- I have a post graduate diploma in Paediatric Osteopathy from The Osteopathic Centre for Children, the leading institution training Paediatric osteopaths in the UK and Europe.
Memberships
I am a member of the following associations:
- I O the Institute of Osteopathy
- The British Medical Acupuncture Society.
I see patients referred by GPs, health visitors, and of course self referred. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or to arrange an initial appointment. You can also call me on 07966453796 or 02086843888 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first.
I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
Find out more by reading my Data Protection Regulation.