Treatment
First Visit
Your first visit will always be slightly longer than follow up treatments. Times can vary between 45 mins to 1 hour.
Firstly a detailed case history will be taken. This means that the Osteopath will talk to you about the problem you have come to the clinic with e.g. Neck pain.
Some examples of the sorts of questions you will be asked are;
- where exactly is the pain?
- when did it first start?
- what does it feels like? i.e. describe the pain
- what aggravates and relieves it?
- and so on...
During this time the osteopath will also ask about your past medical history i.e. what illnesses you have, accidents you have been involved in or any operations you may have had. This is important as it explains to the practitioner the external and internal stresses your body has been through during your life, and helps understand your current presentation. If you take medication, please bring a list with you.
Then the osteopath will diagnose the tissues causing the symptoms. This is through a medical orthopedic assessment. Using a specialised sense of touch called palpation the osteopath is able to narrow down the structure from which you are experiencing the pain.
Your Osteopath will often carry out a screen of your general health by taking your blood pressure, pulse and reflexes just as part of the general procedure.
Once a clinical medical diagnosis has been made, the osteopath will discuss your treatment plan with you. This may include the expected number of treatments for recovery.
Treatment
The following are some of the most commonly used manipulative procedures used to correct skeletal misalignment and encourage self-healing:
- articulatory techniques
- counter strain
- cranial treatment
- myofascial release treatment
- lymphatic techniques
- soft tissue techniques
- thrust techniques
Osteopathic manipulation can be utilized to relieve various kinds of pain, including muscle spasm. However your practitioner may not always manipulate your spine and if you tell your practitioner that you are nervous about this procedure, the practitioner will discuss other options of treatment with you.
Advice
After this stage, you will move on to lifestyle changes. e.g. becoming more aware of your posture when sitting at home, at work, when sleeping at night, standing, lifting, running, dancing, playing sports etc? This helps reduce any strain that you may be putting on the spine without realising it. With this the osteopath may prescribe a couple of exercises to keep the particular area mobile between sessions. Hydrotherapy advice also will be given.
Follow-up Visits- These sessions will be 30 mins.
- These will consist of treatment and advice.
Web site by - Amit B. Ahya
