Herbs for Health

Osteopathy is a form of manual medicine or manipulation using hands-on muscle and joint manipulation techniques.

Osteopaths believe the body heals itself and that the process can be helped with the correct treatment and management. Osteopaths also believe that the different body parts and system are inter-connected and when one system fails then another may be affected.

Another principle of Osteopathy is that structure governs function. For example, if a muscle is torn it will develop scar tissue and if this scar tissue is not removed by the body then the muscle will become weaker, shorter, restrict joint movement and influence the functioning of blood vessels, nerves and organs.

Most people go to an Osteopath for the treatment of pain, mainly in the head, back, neck, shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, hip, thigh, knee, calf, or ankle. The pain may be in a muscle or joint or referred from another area. It can be caused by years of bad posture, from an accident, incorrect lifting or be genetically influenced.

Some of the cost of treatment may be covered by private health funds. A visit to Rowland includes a case history, examination and treatment, and takes about 30 minutes. Osteopaths sometimes refer for X-rays but don’t use drugs and rarely use machines like ultrasound. On average it takes 3 visits to fix a problem. Rarely is ongoing treatment necessary. Advice may be given relating to posture, stress and exercises.

Consultation: $80.00 Rowland Benjamin

Rowland is a registered Osteopath. Rowland has practiced Osteopathy for 27 years and has 32 years experience working with massage and teaching yoga and stretching. He fixes chronic muscle and joint problems - long-term, persistent or intermittent symptoms such as pain. Details explaining osteopathy and the way he works can be found on his website www.rowlandbenjamin.com

Rowland is also a writer who has published articles and books on health and environmental issues over a 20 year period. His first book ‘Myofaction – Myofascial Manipulation’ is a textbook found in medical libraries and referenced in Osteopathic colleges around the world. The book is available for $120 plus postage and handling.

Before setting up practice at Herbs for Health Wellness Centre in Morley he lived in Bridgetown WA writing a book on stretching and another book on yoga safety. The book is titled Safe Stretch and available from July 2012. Also Safe Yoga is available from September 2012. The website for the book is www.safe-stretch.info and contains sample chapters from the book.

Rowland has lectured in hydrotherapy, advanced massage, myofascial manipulation, surface anatomy, contemporary health issues, health skills, soft tissue technique, alternative medicine and natural living. He gives talks and is available as a speaker for community groups.

In his spare time Rowland runs Information for Action, an environmental website www.informaction.org and the Green Pages, a directory of environmentally friendly products and services www.green-pages.info