Scars and osteopathy
1- How does osteopathy help to heal?
Osteopathy is a gentle manual therapeutic approach based on a global vision of the human body and its capacity for self-regulation, also called homeostasis.
👉🏼 Osteopathy can help you heal by energizing scar tissue. Sometimes, during the healing process, the different tissue layers do not heal optimally, which then leads to adhesions . An adhesion may be very light and superficial, as well as deep, which may then require surgery.👉🏼 To avoid adhesion : osteopathy can help you by working on scar tissue and peripheral structures. For example for a cesarean section scar: the scar itself will be worked on as well as the pelvis (the sacrum, the iliac, the pubis…) to create a mobile and functional environment so that the scar tissue is the most qualitative.
When there is an adhesion, osteopathy can help release it when it is rather light, by mobilizing and relaxing the tissues . Mobilization makes it possible to generate a higher blood flow: better oxygenation and revascularization of certain tissues in a state of fibrosis. This blood boost will help revitalize fibrotic scar tissue. Movement is an element often missing during fibrosis, it is precisely what we are trying to restore, by creating movement, this leads to tissue relaxation.
If, there must be an operation to reverse scar adhesions, again osteopathy can come into play. To help, this time, that the healing is done in the most optimal way possible.
👉🏼 Scar postural compensation : the body will automatically seek to protect a scarred area, moreover, if it is painful. Often by creating a coiling system around this scar. Peripheral pain can then appear: pubic pain, coccyx pain, lower back pain… This is where osteopathy comes into play, working on the postural compensation system and returning to the heart of it, the scar. Gentle tissue work can be done to release adhering tissues and allow neighboring structures (vertebrae, muscles, fascias) to regain their mobility, and the patient to regain comfort.
👉🏼 3 key points:
- To work the scar itself,
- To create an overall physical context that is free and conducive to good healing
- To reduce scar postural compensation
2. How does a session take place?
At the start of the consultation, the time of the anamnesis makes it possible to target key information: level of pain, characteristic of the pain, how disabling it is. What has already been done or is being done, are there other therapies in progress (possible contact with another caregiver for multidisciplinary work, etc.).
The most important being the manual diagnosis, the longest part of the session will therefore take place lying on the table. The osteopath will then be able to feel if there is postural compensation, if there are adhesions and will be able to work to improve the comfort of the patient's life : reduction of pain, better joint mobility, improvement in the quality of the scar...
3. The key point to remember
👉🏼 If there was one thing to remember about osteopathy and healing: osteopathy can help improve scar tissue no matter where it is located, don't be ashamed!
4. Manon's advice:
👉🏼 My key advice is to take care of your scar, as soon as possible as soon as the stitches are removed. Massage it regularly with a vegetable oil and if this is too difficult for any reason, consult so that a pro can do it and help you reconnect with this affected area.
The massage can be superficial to nourish the tissues but also more pressed, deeper: in fixed support, from top to bottom, in a circle... It doesn't matter, mobilize the tissues! Movement avoids fibrosis.
