What to Expect from Osteopathic Treatment
You will be treated on your first visit.
You will be treated on your first visit. The only exception to this is the occasional time when a patient cannot be helped by osteopathic care. So please make sure you come dressed appropriately. For example, underwear you are happy with, sports shorts are an excellent idea for women.
Expect the typical consultation to take between twenty and thirty minutes
Expect the typical consultation to take between twenty and thirty minutes; occasionally it’s shorter if things are straightforward, and sometimes a bit longer if there’s a lot of examination and analysis to go through.
Don’t stop taking pain medication before your appointment
Don’t stop taking pain medication before your appointment just because you think that will us help identify your problem better. That’s not how osteopathy works.
Don’t expect to be sore immediately afterwards
Don’t expect to be sore immediately afterwards or for the next few days. However, there may be times when the changes we make to the way your body works means that you need to take it easy for a couple of days. We will advise you when this is so.
What We Treat
Neck pain is very common indeed. Often ‘local’ stiffness in the neck and upper back is the cause, but problems further down the spine can have a remarkable effect on neck posture and movement.
Tennis elbow that occurs through trauma (e.g. a fall onto an outstretched hand) can be very difficult to treat, but where the elbow tendons are suffering because of problems in the thoracic area, osteopathy can often help the condition settle.
Low back pain can have its origins in painful muscles, ligaments, discs or spinal facet joints. Lack of fitness, sitting, poor posture, and ageing are all contributory factors.
Sciatica is a radiating pain through the buttock and into the leg, often caused by a pinched or compressed spinal nerve as it exits the lumbar spine.
Wrist and hand pain can occur through trauma, or over-use type situations, or because the shoulder and spinal system is not behaving properly.
Jaw pain is not always just a result of trauma, wear and tear, or dental alignment / bruxism type problems, but can also arise – in some individuals – from a poorly working mid neck.
Headache patterns that arise from spinal problems (so-called ‘cervicogenic’ headache) are common and can be often be helped by osteopathic treatment.
How We Treat
Spinal traction, either sustained or as a gentle oscillating movement, can be a very useful adjunctive technique to help reduce swelling and calm down irritated structures.
Acupuncture – or ‘dry needling’ as it is sometimes called – can be used to treat sore structures and to reduce muscle spasm. It is important to note that this is not traditional acupuncture as practised by full-time acupuncturists.
Spinal joint manipulation is the precise release (often involving a ‘pop’) of a locked spinal joint through a fast and highly controlled movement over a very small range. Performed correctly, at the right time and on the right patient and condition, it is highly effective, safe and discomfort-free.
Joint articulation is a precise rhythmic movement of spinal or peripheral joints to achieve a number of beneficial outcomes. Articulation does not involve ‘popping’ of joints.
Cranial osteopathy is a form of healing developed by osteopaths in the 1930’s. It is the opposite end of the spectrum, in some ways, to conventional osteopathy, but is entirely complementary and very suitable for patients of any age or condition.
Soft tissue treatments involve conventional massage techniques, and also other more specialised osteopathic approaches.