Osteopathic Treatment – Sunningdale Osteopathic Clinic

What to Expect from Osteopathic Treatment

Patient having his knee examined by an osteopath

You will be treated on your first visit

We treat on the first visit, except on the rare occasion when osteopathic care won’t help. So please make sure you dress appropriately. For example, sports shorts or flexible trousers.

Expect the typical consultation to take between twenty and thirty minutes

Occasionally, it’s shorter if things are straightforward, and sometimes longer if there’s a lot of examination and analysis needed.

Don’t stop taking pain medication

Don’t stop taking pain medication before your appointment because you think that will help identify your problem better. That’s not how osteopathy works.

Don’t expect to be sore immediately afterwards

However, there may be times when the changes we make to how your body works mean that you need to take it easy for a couple of days. We will advise when this is so.

What We Treat

Low back pain can originate in painful muscles, ligaments, discs or spinal facet joints. Lack of fitness, sitting, poor posture, and ageing contribute to this.
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.
Neck pain is very common indeed. Often stiffness in the neck and upper back is the cause, but problems further down the spine can remarkably affect neck posture and movement.
Headache patterns that arise from spinal problems (so-called ‘cervicogenic’ headache) are common and can often be helped by osteopathic treatment.
Jaw pain can arise from trauma, wear and tear, and dental alignment/bruxism problems. It can also develop from a poorly working mid-neck.
Wrist and hand pain can occur through trauma or over-use or because the shoulder and spinal system is not working correctly.
Tennis elbow arising from trauma (e.g. a fall onto an outstretched hand) can be difficult to treat, but elbow tendons suffering because of problems in the thoracic area can be helped by osteopathy.

How We Treat

Acupuncture – or ‘dry needling’ as it is sometimes called – can treat sore structures and reduce muscle spasms. However, note that this is not traditional acupuncture as practised by full-time acupuncturists.
Soft tissue treatments involve conventional massage techniques, and also other more specialised osteopathic approaches.
Cranial osteopathy is a form of healing developed by osteopaths in the 1930s. It is the opposite end of the spectrum, in some ways, to conventional osteopathy but is complementary and very suitable for patients of any age or condition.
Spinal joint manipulation is the precise release (often involving a ‘pop’) of a locked spinal joint through a fast, controlled movement over a minimal range. Performed at the right time and for the right 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.
Spinal traction, either sustained or as a gentle oscillating movement, can be a helpful adjunctive technique to help reduce swelling and calm down irritated structures.

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