Osteopath in Montreal

The price of an osteopathy session in Montreal generally ranges from $100 to $170 depending on the practitioner’s experience. At OptimumOsteo the session is $130 plus tax for 55 minutes. Your insurance receipt is handed to you on site at the end of the visit.

Osteopathy is already an alternative health approach in itself: it looks at the links between the body and its symptoms with a whole-body eye. The osteopath understands the connections between the different structures of the body and can work with techniques targeting the whole or one specific region. Holistic osteopathy, as I practise it, adds the links between body and mind: emotional expression and the human experience as one whole. The session itself stays hands-on work: it is the reading that is wide.

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Osteopathy began in the United States at the end of the 19th century and developed extensively in France and England over the last century. There are several schools of osteopathy in Montreal, each carrying its founder’s vision. As in any health discipline, there are good and less good practitioners. The most reliable test is simple: you should feel progressively better from session to session.

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Many situations, physical and psychological, bring people in. Back pain, sciatic nerve pain, neck pain and headaches are among the most common reasons. Visceral osteopathy, postpartum recovery and work with children aged five and up are also part of it. If you are unsure, the first session is exactly for assessing your situation and telling you plainly whether osteopathy makes sense for you.

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A good osteopath assesses your situation and offers care suited to it, with which you should notice gradual improvement after each session. The number of sessions needed varies with your condition, your age and the other factors that shape your health: eating habits, lifestyle, stress levels. Beyond diplomas, trust the quality of the listening and the clarity of the explanations.

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Osteopathy, through its whole-body approach, suits anyone looking for overall care of their wellbeing, as well as chronic or trauma-related problems. The osteopath commands a wide variety of techniques for a broad range of symptoms. For a specific problem needing targeted rehabilitation, however, physiotherapy is often more appropriate: it stands out in recovery after physical trauma, an accident, an injury or surgery. Both approaches are legitimate and often complementary.

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Several things can explain pain that lingers. First, the primary cause may not have been reached: pain in a lower limb, as in sciatica, often has its roots in the pelvis or lower abdomen. Working only locally leaves the primary tensions in place and the pain returns. Second, in a whole-body approach, physical pain is sometimes the symptom of an unresolved emotional load: if that load persists in your life, the body contracts again a week later. Third, your habits, stress, food, breathing, can hold you in a state where tension settles back in. A good practitioner will be able to name the cause of that persistence and guide you towards release within a few sessions. If pain persists after several sessions, change therapist.

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RAMQ still does not cover osteopathy care in Quebec. Depending on your coverage, private insurance may reimburse part or all of it. Check with your insurer what you are entitled to. The receipt handed to you at the end of the session carries the osteopath D.O. title and the RITMA membership number, which is everything your insurer asks for.

It depends entirely on your situation. We talk it through at the end of the first session, once I have a clear picture. I do not sell packages and I do not set a number of sessions in advance.

No referral is needed. You can book directly online or by phone.

Comfortable underwear, or soft clothes you can move in easily. You can stay fully dressed for the whole session if you prefer.

Mild soreness for a day or two after a session is common, a bit like after physical effort. If the discomfort gets worse or does not improve, write or call me and we will talk it through.

At 4388 rue Saint-Denis, suite 200, on the Plateau Mont-Royal. Laurier metro station is a two-minute walk away. Sessions are given in English or French, whichever you prefer.