What to expect on your first visit...

 

 

The first consultation requires up to one hour, with follow-up appointments lasting up to half an hour. I will take a detailed case history including your symptoms, when they started and how they affect you in your every day life. You will be asked questions about your general health, accidents/traumas you may have suffered, illnesses, operations, medications etc.

This is followed by an examination and treatment. I will look at your body, assess your posture and observe how your spine and other joints move. Getting the patient to perform simple movements is known as ‘active testing’ which demonstrates the range of movement you are capable of under your own control. Any appropriate tests, such as taking your reflexes or blood pressure may be performed.

 

I then progress to gently placing hands on various parts of the body to assess general health and any particular strain patterns. This is known as palpation, and in Osteopathy our palpation is like reading a book, and we try to 'tune in' to the body to allow it to reveal aspects of its health state. I will also move various body parts through their range of movement whilst you are relaxed, this is known as ‘passive testing’.

From all of the above, we make our holistic diagnosis on which treatment is based.

 

The examination and treatment are generally both very gentle, though it is possible that some joint manipulations may be used during the treatment. Treatment options will be explained to you and your consent sought for each element of treatment. 

 

All parts of the body are considered because the cause of a problem is often some way away from the area of symptoms. For example, do not be surprised if you attend with neck pain and find that I spend a great deal of time working or your low back/pelvis, or vice versa!

 

An osteopath tries to get a complete picture of you as a person, it's important to understand when and why your health started to go wrong. Treating the true underlying cause of the problem is so much more effective in the long term than simply treating the symptoms, otherwise these will be more likely to reoccur in the future.

 

I will discuss my findings with you, and outline a treatment plan. I will try to give you an idea of how long the treatment will take. You may be given advice about lifestyle or exercises that you can do to help the treatment.

 

What should you wear? 

Depending on your presenting complaint, you may be asked to undress down to your underwear for the examination. It's often best if you can wear loose clothing or sportswear (i.e. shorts or leggings, sports/comfy bra etc). Your modesty will always be respected so please just say if you'd rather keep your layers on.

 

The most important part!

I will always endeavour to help you understand each stage of the consultation and gain your consent to ensure you feel comfortable with your treatment. The majority of patients are very comfortable with the treatment process. However, I recognise that patients vary widely in their sensibility with regards to their state of undress, being touched, or discussing personal information, feelings and emotion. For example, some patients struggle with the thought of being undressed in front of a stranger, perhaps due to their religious beliefs, or possibly because of emotional distress/anxiety. The dignity and respect shown to my patients is paramount and so I will always encourage you to discuss any concerns you may have, so that they can be incorporated into the way your consultations and treatments are tailored.