When you first visit your osteopath some time will be spent taking a medical history, including questions about general health and lifestyle as well as asking about the symptoms or injuries you are seeking help with.

 

With your consent, the osteopath will then perform a physical examination which is likely to involve the osteopath touching the areas of the body that are experiencing pain and asking you to move around.

 

She may also look at tests results, x-rays and scans reports if these are available.

 

It may be necessary for the osteopath to ask you to remove some clothing, so she can see and touch the areas of the body causing concern. You are welcome to bring somebody with you into the examination room if you would feel more at ease.

 

Under16s must be accompanied by a legal guardian.

 

The osteopath will make a diagnosis and discuss a course of treatments with you. This may involve several visits for manual therapy, some exercises that you can do by yourself and some lifestyle changes.

 

The osteopath will ask for consent before beginning treatment.

 

If the osteopath believes that your condition cannot be improved with the osteopathic treatment she will refer you to your GP or another suitably qualified professional and may provide you with notes explaining her diagnosis and why she feels osteopathic treatment would not help you.

The first consultation generally lasts for approximately 45 minutes and has as its specific aim to arrive at a management plan suitable for the presenting problem. Treatment is almost always included in the initial consultation.

 

The following treatments generally last for approximately 30 minutes.

Osteopaths work very hard to make treatment as painless as possible but you might experience some discomfort during and after treatment. The osteopath will warn you if she thinks that the technique she is about to use is likely to be uncomfortable and will stop if you tell her that you are experiencing too much pain.

Following treatment about half the patients report some mild soreness in the area of their body that was treated, this can usually be relieved by an over the counter pain killer and will go away within 48 hours.

 

If you experience serious or unusual symptoms after treatment contact us for advice.

You should see the same osteopath for the complete course of treatments. However should you need treatment sooner, when your osteopath is not in clinic, her associate will see you if she can and if you are happy with it.