What to expect?
The Initial Consultation
This can last up to 45 minutes and will include a case history of the condition and past medical history, followed by an examination of the affected area. A treatment is included in the consultation. During the consultation, the proposed treatment plan and an approximate timescale involved will be discussed.
Subsequent Treatments
These last up to 30 minutes and involve a brief re-examintaion followed by treatment.
What to wear?
As osteopathy is a whole body approach, it is necessary to examin not only the affected area but also adjacent joints and muscles. You may be required to undress down to your underclothes. If you would like a chaperone, please request before-hand or you can bring someone with you.
What happens during a visit to an Osteopath?
A typical visit can last up to 30 minutes, depending upon the condition and at the first visit (usually longer) a case history is taken follwed by a detailed examination and assessment of the spinal and other joints. In many cases the heart and chest will be examined, blood pressure taken and possibly other clinical tests performed or arranged (urine tests, blood tests, eye or ear assessments etc.). In this way the osteopath arrives at a diagnosis as to the causes of the patient's problem(s), or at least as to the possible musculo-skeletal involvement in whatever problem the patient is troubled with.
Treatment normally consists of preliminary soft-tissue manipulation. This might be local to the area of pain, or distant from it if the osteopath is attempting to influence the condition reflexly. Having stretched, relaxed and generally prepared the soft tissues, the osteopath will manipulate the appropriate joint or joints. The age, condition, degree of pain and spasm will help decide which is the most desirable approach.
Some forms of manipulation produce an audible snapping or popping sound. This is thought to result from the creation of a momentary vacuum between the joint surfaces as they are manipulated. Such sounds do not necessarily indicate that the manipulation has been successful, nor does the absence of such sounds mean that the treatment has failed to achieve mobility. In some cases acupuncture (dry-needling) is used to reduce muscle spasm or joint pains.
Practitioners will explain the objectives of the treatment, and may well suggest a programmed of home treatment to augment and support the osteopathic therapy. This could include exercises, dietary changes and relaxation. If the condition is a simple mechanical strain, then it would normally be correcable fairly quickly and require no further attention. If, on the other hand, the condition is of a more chronic nature, then periodic maintenance treatment may be necessary to prevent a recurrence.