Service
What to expect at the first appointment
Exploring the Case History:
At the beginning of the appointment your osteopath will take an in-depth case history, asking questions about your symptoms and other areas of the body.. They will ask you about your past medical history which includes accidents, illness and/or operations. Other questions your osteopath will ask are around lifestyle, diet, emotional and mental health, in order to get an overall idea about your general health. Although some questions might not seem necessarily connected to your symptoms, this broad understanding of your wellbeing helps to paint a picture of all of the factors which may be influencing your pain. This is important not only to form the correct diagnosis, but also to tailor a treatment plan to your individual needs or to refer – if further tests are necessary.
Examination/Diagnosis:
During the physical examination your osteopath will look at the way your body holds itself and how the joints move.
It is useful for the osteopath to be able to see the symptomatic area as well as other areas of the body or spine. You will likely be asked to dress down to your underwear or if you prefer to not dress down to your underwear, please wear soft thin shorts or leggings and a vest.
Whilst standing you will be asked to do a few simple movements like bending forwards or raising your arms to see how the mechanics of your body are moving.
Once sitting or lying on the treatment couch the osteopath will move different parts of your body around to gain a deeper understanding of the problem. They may do additional tests such as cardiovascular (ie blood pressure), neurological exams (ie reflexes) and muscle tests to form a diagnosis.
Explanation and Treatment:
After the examination your osteopath will discuss their findings with you and what the best course of treatment would be. Generally treatment will be given and both you and the practitioner will make a plan to get you back to your daily activities. At any stage if you would like the osteopath to stop, explain or change their technique please do not hesitate to tell them.
Osteopaths are trained to screen for medical conditions and will tell you if you need to see another health professional, such as your doctor or midwife. If your osteopath does not think that proceeding with treatment is the appropriate course of action for you they will let you know and will refer you to the right profession for your symptoms.
Aftercare:
Your osteopath will also advise you on what to do after the treatment in order to get the most from your care with us. They will also advise whether any exercises would help. Any manual therapy treatment can lead to some side effects. It is common to feel stiff, sore or achey for 24-48 hours after your treatment. It can feel a bit like ‘DOMS’ also known as ‘post exercise soreness’. If you are at all worried please call the practice to talk this through with your practitioner.
