Treatment With Monica
Pain is one of the main reasons for visiting healthcare professionals, but so often the significance of the pain itself is overlooked in favour of assessment for musculoskeletal causes. What makes my osteopathic approach unique is that I provide a pain assessment that can reveal important information about the issue you're having and the path to recovery.
So often common conditions like low back pain, heel pain, and hip pain are classified using broad diagnosis like non-specific back pain, plantar fasciitis, and sciatica. I can provide a pain assessment that takes into account the location, the variability, the quality, and any changes in sensation over time in the context of relevant health history information like scans or other imaging.
Evaluating the quality of the pain is necessary when conservative treatment like massage, chiropractic, and physiotherapy is not working as expected, especially for common conditions that should respond favourably. Because not all pain is the same, having information about the pain itself can be very helpful for your doctor to enable next steps in investigation, diagnosis, and treatment.
For example, low back and hip pain can be quite a common experience, but when it persists or starts to increase with activity, or when areas become more sensitive to touch, or it's been going on for much longer than expected, there may be underlying issues that require further investigation. When pain is chronic, widespread, and frequently moves from one place to another or increases with activity, modifications to treatments may be beneficial.
A pain assessment is comprehensive and includes any possible mechanism of injury; location and relationship to movement or rest; length of time and response to any treatments; quality of the pain and any aggravating or relieving factors; and how the pain is affecting your day to day life. This information can then be used to direct appropriate treatment and set goals for recovery, or as information for your doctor for further investigation.
About Monica Noy
BSc (Ost), MSc (Rehabilitation), Osteopathic Manual Practitioner
An experienced and empathetic Osteopathic Manual Practitioner, Monica aspires to provide persons in pain more effective choices in managing their symptoms and conditions.
Monica considers every person seeking treatment to be the expert in their experience and works collaboratively with you and your team to provide skilled hands-on treatment, and where helpful, information, resources, advocacy, and goal planning to enable you to better manage your condition.
Since graduating from McMaster University with a Masters in Rehabilitation, Monica has joined Sheridan College in helping to develop and create content for the new Honours Bachelor of Science in Osteopathy. Advocating for high standards of education and patient care in the profession in Ontario, Canada, and internationally is ongoing through association Board work, teaching, and independent research.
Downtime sees her caring for her aging cats, and season permitting, a lot of gardening.
Education
- Master of Science (MSc), Rehabilitation
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- McMaster University, Hamilton
- Bachelor of Science (BSc), Osteopathy Conversion
- British College of Osteopathic Medicine and Metropolitan University of London
- Diploma Osteopathic Practice (Converted to BSc)
- Canadian College of Osteopathy, Toronto
- Diploma Massage Therapy
- Sutherland-Chan Schools Inc., Toronto
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
- Editing Certificate (Editing and Publishing)
- George Brown College, Toronto
Research
Published
- Review paper on a person-centred approach to chronic pain for RMTs.
- Professional Commentary on the biomedical origins of the term osteopathic lesion.
- Description of and reasoning for the Pain Science and Critical Thinking Courses in Osteopathy for the Honours BSc at Sheridan.
Active Projects
- Creating a Pain Curriculum for Osteopathy, project in progress.
- Survey on evidence-based practice in Osteopathy in Canada, submitted for review.
- Status Survey on Osteopathy in Canada, in progress.
Teaching
Research literacy, critical thinking, and pain knowledge specific to practice are my education specialties.
- Current: Course development, Sheridan College Honours Bachelor of Science, Osteopathy
- The Philosophy and Science of Pain
- Critical Thinking
- Ongoing: Continuing Education
- Pain
- Evidence-based practices.
- Former Instructor, Sutherland-Chan Schools Inc.
- Research
- Pain
About Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a manual (hands-on) healthcare discipline that supports on how joints, muscles, nerves, circulation, and connective tissues work together to improve overall well-being. Practitioners are skilled in manual, non-invasive therapeutic techniques for assessment and treatment.
Osteopathic Manual Practitioners undergo extensive education and clinical training and may work in close collaboration with medical doctors and other healthcare professionals to assure a multidisciplinary approach to patient care.
Osteopathic Treatments & Techniques
A range of gentle hands-on techniques are used, including, but not limited to soft tissue mobilization, superficial and deep tactile pressure, mobilization or manipulation of joints, integrative movements for self-care, and rehabilitative programs. Osteopathy is recognized as a distinct manual therapy and is recommended for individuals of all ages. Osteopathic Manual Practitioners work closely with patients to encourage optimal recovery or rehabilitation as they heal from illness, disease, injury, or long periods of inactivity.
Available Services
Virtual Health Intake (Sutherland-Chan Danforth, Toronto only)
For complex problems that would take up much of an initial session with information gathering and treatment planning, leaving little room for hands-on treatment.
Please Note: A credit card authorization form will be sent to you. Please complete and return it to guarantee your booked appointment. The credit card authorization and payment is used only for this one-time virtual appointment. Your card details will be not be stored. All in-person appointments will be paid at reception.
60 Minute and 45 Minute Sessions
First visits can include a detailed health intake, physical assessment, collaborative treatment planning, on-table treatment time.
Along with hands-on treatment, follow-up 60 or 45 minute sessions can include revaluation and progression of the treatment plan.
Complex Presentations and Patient Advocacy
As part of intake and treatment planning, I can provide a letter for you and your doctor that outlines a symptom picture, provides information about those issues that may be addressed with osteopathic treatment, and highlights those issues that may require further investigation. Information on how your symptoms present or can be interacting and what can/or can’t be reasonably addressed with manual therapies can help facilitate the conversation when you follow up with your doctor
Ontario Association of Osteopathic Manual Therapists (OAO)
Monica is Vice President of the OAO, a voluntary, not-for-profit professional association, promoting the practice of osteopathy and maintaining the standards for safe and effective treatment.
The OAO is committed to fostering the practice and professional advancement of osteopathy by promoting the highest, safest level of osteopathic manual practice. OAO members are dedicated to safe and effective osteopathic treatment.
OAO members undergo a stringent evaluation and application process to demonstrate the required competencies, knowledge, skills, judgment, and ability to meet the exceedingly high standards expected of this professional practice.
Projects
Research
Published
Noy, M. (2024). Advancing osteopathic education in Canada: New offerings, new direction. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 51, 100697-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijosm.2023.100697
Noy, M. (2023). Letter to the Editor regarding: Thomson OP, and MacMillan A. What’s wrong with osteopathy? Intern J Osteopath Med. 2023;48:100659. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 50, 100675-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijosm.2023.100675
Noy, M., Macedo, L., & Carlesso, L. (2020). Biomedical origins of the term “osteopathic lesion” and its impact on people in pain. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 37, 40–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijosm.2020.06.002
Lebert, R., Noy, Ms., Purves, Ms., & Tibbett, P. (2022). Massage Therapy: A Person-Centred Approach to Chronic Pain. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, 15(3), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.3822/ijtmb.v15i3.713
In Production
National Survey: EBASE Canada, Evidence-based practice by Canadian osteopaths and osteopathic manual practitioners (in Review)
Paper: Working Title: Devising a pain education program for osteopaths based on multidisciplinary shared understanding, collaboration, consensus, and scientific advances. In production.
Status Survey of Osteopaths in Canada, ongoing with University of Quebec, Montreal (UQAM) and OPERA.
Recent Presentations
Sunday, September 17, 2023 Webinar - Clinical Practice Guidelines, Osteopathy BC
Saturday October 21, 2023. Presentation: Devising a Pain Science Course as Core Curriculum for Osteopaths. London, UK.
Thursday October 26, 2023. Webinar - Three Strategies to Keep on Top of Pain Knowledge, RMTAO