Pregnancy

During your case history and assessment an orofacial and airway focused Osteopath may ask you questions such as: 

• Do you snore?
• Do you eat with your mouth closed?
• Do you need a nap in the afternoons?
• Have you needed dental work/palate expansion/dental surgery over the years?
• Do you or your child bite their lip or drool excessively?
• Does your child wake up tired, are they sweaty and restless sleepers?
• Do you or your child grind your teeth?
• Did your child have an assisted birth, for example with forceps?
• Did your child have any issues feeding as an infant or with the transition to solids?

All of these questions (plus more!) can help to screen the ability of the tongue, mouth, lips and airway to function and may indicate that treatment and exercises could be of benefit. 

As well as an osteopathic assessment they will assess how the mouth and tongue move, by asking the patient to do some active movements while watching. Sometimes measurements are taken of how wide the mouth can open and tongue can lift, and often with the consent of the patient and guardian, the muscles in the mouth and tongue may be gently palpated by the practitioner.  

Why do Osteopathy and Orofacial Myology work so well together?

Osteopaths can work with all the tissues of the body to create balance, increase function and circulation, decrease discomfort and tension.  Practitioners with Orofacial Myology as part of their treatment toolkit can not only assess and treat the fascia and muscles of the face, mouth and tongue with gentle manual therapy but offer the added benefit of exercise prescription for these areas.  Both modalities place emphasis on breathing and respiration and hence can work together beautifully to provide a wholistic lens for the patient’s management.  Furthermore, Osteopaths with paediatric experience can tie these treatments together for your child as early as possible so as to help create the best environment for growth and development.