Frequently Asked Questions

On your first visit your osteopath will:

• Take a full medical history, including details of your presenting complaint
• Examine your posture
• Observe movements of your spine and the rest of your body
• Perform special tests to help identify dysfunctional structures and tissues
• Discuss their findings with you and together devise a treatment plan
• Give advice about lifestyle, exercises and ways of relieving pain
• If appropriate create a personalised exercise plan for you

 

Treatment options will also be discussed and if osteopathic treatment is suitable, treatment will be aimed at helping to restore normal joint stability and function. If necessary, the osteopath will seek your consent to liaise with your GP to include them in the management of your case. It is recommended you wear comfy, loose clothing if possible such as jogging trousers and a t shirt to facilitate examination. Assuming your clothing is suitable, most treatments can be performed without undressing. All clinical and personal information is dealt with in the strictest confidence. More information regarding your visit can be found here.

It is recommended you wear comfy, loose clothing if possible such as jogging trousers and a t shirt to facilitate examination. Assuming your clothing is suitable, most treatments can be performed without undressing.

Not just your back! In addition to spinal adjustments, services such as preventive health care, massage and rehabilitative exercise will help you recover optimum health and peak performance without drugs. We will demonstrate how best to care for your spine and other extremities to prevent further pain and disease. We also treat patients throughout their entire life span from newborn babies to patients at the other end of the life spectrum. Osteopathy may be synonymous with back pain but that is truly limiting. Osteopathy can be used to treat many other musculo-skeletal dysfunctions and help to ease many pregnancy related problems. These include:

• Minor sports injuries
• Muscle spasms
• Neck and arm pain
• Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand problems
• Hip, knee and foot problems
• Whiplash
• Postural problems experienced during pregnancy
• Childhood muscular/joint aches and pains

However, patients have found osteopathy helpful for many other conditions. If you want to find out more please do contact us to discuss your condition further.

You may get immediate relief from your pain after treatment but unless the predisposing and maintaining factors are discussed and identified the pain is likely to return. Your Osteopath can help you to identify these factors and work with you to address them. Education, exercise and checkups are likely to work best in the long term.

Osteopaths usually start any treatment by releasing and relaxing muscles and stretching stiff joints, using gentle massage techniques, rhythmic joint movements and muscle release techniques. The osteopath may also manipulate specific joints. While manipulation can be suitable in a number of different presentations, it is not an essential part of a treatment and other techniques may also be used depending on your problem. This treatment is safe, usually painless and effective, and has minimal side effects which may include some soreness for a few days after treatment.

This depends on many factors including your specific condition, general health, diet, lifestyle and compliance with exercises and stretches. Most patients feel benefit from the first couple of visits, many not requiring a follow-up visit. Any necessary subsequent treatments are used to tackle the root cause and prevent re-occurrance. The treatments may then gradually be spaced out to provide long lasting relief. Your osteopath will examine your condition before and after every treatment, and will then discuss when/if to book in again. There will be no pressure to ‘bulk buy’ treatments, and your prognosis will be discussed after every treatment.

Treatment is generally non invasive and pain free. The osteopath will provide you with advice on pain management using stretches, exercise and general management advice for your problem. Most patients will see a reduction in their pain following their first treatment.

Osteopathy has one of the best safety records of any medically related profession. Osteopaths are trained to recognise a wide range of conditions and when not appropriate to treat with osteopathy, a referral to another medical professional can be made if required. We are registered and regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and are governed by the Osteopaths Act (1993) which provides regulation in a manner similar to those in place for doctors and dentists.

• Fees: Initial consultation and subsequent treatments: £55.00
• Payment: I accept most forms of payment – cash, cheque and most credit cards.
• Cancellations: We would ask that all patients consider their practitioner and fellow patients and make any cancellations well in advance. In this way other patients who really need to an osteopath can take up the appointments. Patients therefore are advised that if 24 hours notice of cancellation is not given a fee may be charged.

Most of our treatments will be covered by health insurance policies but please check with your insurance provider first as individual policies may have exemptions. We ask patients to settle their accounts directly with the practice at the time of treatment. We will provide a fully itemised receipt at the end of all treatments to ensure that the claim can be settled directly with the policy holder.

No, we do not offer home visits as we have found that a more thorough treatment and examination can be delivered in the clinic setting. However, if a patient is too acute to attend the practice we are happy to offer advice and support over the telephone until the patient is mobile enough to attend for examination and treatment.

As we are a private practice we don’t need a doctor’s referral for you to visit us but many GPs will make referrals to us.

Where appropriate we issue Off Work Certificates as provided by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). These are accepted by employers and the DSS for benefit purposes.