Motoko Nagasaki joins North London Clinic offering Osteopathy

Times are changing here at the North London Clinic. After nearly 30 years of running my busy Osteopathy clinics single-handedly, I’ve taken on a new Associate at The Twyford Practice.

I’m delighted to welcome Registered Osteopath Motoko Nagasaki, who graduated from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM) and has more than 10 years’ experience in the health and wellbeing industry.

‘Motoko Nagasaki is dedicated to patient-centred care’

Registered with the The General Osteopathic Council, Motoko has gained a M.Ost Osteopathy degree, a Naturopathic Diploma and a certificate in Paediatric Osteopathy, which includes undertaking a postgraduate course at the Osteopathic Centre for Children in London. She has also trained in Medical (Western) Acupuncture.

Alongside her Classical Osteopathy work, which can help with health conditions like arthritic pain and Sciatica, Motoko will offer wider Osteopathic treatments in the Fortis Green-based practice, as she specialises in Cranial Osteopathy and Visceral Osteopathy.

Both Osteopathic techniques are gentle and non-invasive types of Osteopathy. Cranial Osteopathy can be safely used with newborn babies and pre and post-natal women. While Visceral Osteopathy focuses on the body’s internal organs.

Ahead of her joining, I asked Motoko to detail why she decided to specialise in Cranial and Visceral Osteopathy and how her first-class Osteopathy services can help improve your overall health.

Getting to know Motoko Nagasaki

Why did you decide to become an Osteopath?

“I’ve always been interested in helping people improve their physical and emotional wellbeing. I started out in the health and wellbeing industry just over 10 years ago as a Massage Therapist, offering Deep Tissue, Sports and Pregnancy Massage. And prior to this, I gained a Level 3 Diploma in Aromatherapy and Level 3 Diploma in Diet & Nutrition for Complementary Therapists.

“Alongside my role as a Massage Therapist, I was also studying for a Diploma in Naturopathy at the BCOM — which is a complementary health profession based on the age-old philosophy that the human body has the innate ability to heal itself through nature.

“To cut a long story short: everything I studied kept coming back to Osteopathy, which aims to help improve specific conditions and boost your overall health. So I retrained at the BCOM as an Osteopath and gained my M.Ost Osteopathy degree. The rest, they say, is history.”

What’s your approach to health and wellbeing?

“The MindBody is one. Therefore I believe in achieving physical and emotional wellbeing through a holistic approach.

“I won’t just look at the physical symptoms patients are presenting with. I’d assess everything from nutrition and stress levels to environmental factors and family orientation. This helps understand the root of the problem, which may help reoccurrences. I’m also a very empathic person and I can sympathise with many people.

“I’ve seen first-hand how my Osteopathic care can help people live life to the fullest, free of pain”.

What clinical expertise do you bring to the clinic?

“In addition to Classical Osteopathy, I specialise in Cranial and Visceral Osteopathy. Cranial Osteopathy is a safe and non-invasive hands-on practice where gentle manipulation and massage is often applied to the head, spine and/or sacrum. This can be safely used with newborn babies and pre and post-natal women.

“Whereas Visceral Osteopathy is a very gentle form of Osteopathy, focusing on the body’s internal organs like the lungs, kidneys, heart, liver and stomach.

“Visceral Osteopathy can help to relieve imbalances and restrictions in the interconnections between the motions of all the organs and structures of the body.”

Why did you decide to specialise in these two areas?

“Good question. A woman’s body changes a lot during pregnancy. For example, there is the softening of ligaments, weight increase and changes to posture. This can result in additional pressure on joints in numerous areas of the body, including the spine and pelvis.

“I want to help pre and post-natal women achieve an improved sense of wellbeing through the use of Classical and Cranial Osteopathy, which includes gentle massage techniques and may help relieve the stresses and tensions on the body during pregnancy and after birth. This gentle and non-invasive form of Osteopathy can also be used on babies to help soothe and relax them.

“I’m also fascinated by the enteric nervous system (ENS), which governs the function of the gastrointestinal tract. I could talk about this for hours. The gut is another brain and 95% of serotonin (the chemical that regulates things like mood, sleep and digestion) is produced in the intestine. Visceral Osteopathy promotes better organ functionality and restores balance in the body.”

What health conditions can you help with?

“Quite a few. Along with helping mothers and babies who are suffering from pre or post-natal concerns, as stated by the Advertising Standards Authority, I can also help teenagers and adults with:

Arthritic pain
Circulatory problems
Cramp
Digestion problems
Fibromyalgia
Frozen shoulder/ shoulder and elbow pain/ tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis arising from associated musculoskeletal conditions of the back and neck, but not isolated occurrences)
Headache arising from the neck (cervicogenic)
Joint pains
Joint pains including hip and knee pain from osteoarthritis as an adjunct to core OA treatments and exercise
General, acute & chronic backache, back pain (not arising from injury or accident)
Generalised aches and pains
Lumbago
Migraine prevention
Minor sports injuries
Muscle spasms
Neuralgia
Tension and inability to relax
Rheumatic pain
Sciatica
Uncomplicated mechanical neck pain (as opposed to neck pain following injury i.e. whiplash)”.

Away from the Osteopathic couch, what do you enjoy doing?

“Naturally, I’m a very curious person. When I’m not looking into the latest research studies into healing and wellbeing or expanding my bank of knowledge on the mother-baby dyad, I’m often relaxing in green spaces, walking in forests or leaning first-hand how to become a better health practitioner by studying the behaviours of my two daughters, aged 7 and 17 years old.”

Motoko Nagasaki is now available at the North London clinic on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday afternoons. Robin will be holding clinics on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. If you are suffering with any aches or pains, schedule a consultation either online, via phone or by sending an email.