Osteopathy is a form of manual therapy that can have beneficial effects for a variety of muscle and joint conditions. An osteopath will spend time talking with you to understand more about you and your symptoms, along with your medical history and lifestyle. I will carry out a thorough examination which will involve touching the area of the body that hurts, and some general movement and specific testing if required. This will help me to provide as accurate a diagnosis as possible for the cause of your pain.
I may ask about other influences which may affect you, such as your daily activities, hobbies, your diet and sleeping patterns. Sometimes the cause of the problem may be in a different area to the pain, so I may examine your whole body.
Osteopaths use a wide range of gentle hands-on techniques that focus on releasing tension, stretching muscles and mobilising joints. This is often used together with exercise and helpful advice designed to help you manage your pain, keep active and maintain the best of health. Your treatment will be tailored to you as an individual, and this helps to ensure you are comfortable with the treatment plan. In some instances, you may be referred you to your GP for further investigation.
Some of the things osteopathy can help with are:
You can find more information about the things we treat here: www.osteopathy.org/what-we-treat
Frequently asked questions:
A. In most cases your initial consultation will last up to 60 minutes and include some treatment unless I feel further investigation is needed.
A. Osteopathic treatment is designed to be a gentle whole body approach to manual therapy, however some patients may find some treatment techniques uncomfortable and I will talk to you about this as I treat. We are all different! and treatment varies between patients. You may experience mild discomfort afterwards, but in most cases this will resolve within 24-48 hours.
A. Osteopaths are commonly known for treating back pain and postural problems including changes due to pregnancy, caused by driving or work strain, the pain of arthritis and minor sports injuries. Patients have also found osteopathy helpful for conditions such as headaches, digestive issues, circulatory problems, neuralgia and problems sleeping.
I will carry out a postural assessment which involves looking at how you move and stand, so I will ask you to undress to your underwear. You can bring some shorts or other clothes you feel comfortable in to change into. If you don't feel comfortable doing this we can treat you clothed, but remember that some items of clothing, such as jeans, can restrict your movement. A gown will be available for you to wear if you prefer.
A. You are welcome to bring a friend or family member with you to your appointment, and children under 16 years of age do require a parent or guardian present for us to be able to see them.
Ongoing guidelines for clinic attendance in light of Covid-19
The challenging times we have been experiencing have made it necessary for everyone to make some changes to the way they work or go about their daily activities. Whilst Covid-19 rules have recently changed, there are actions we can all take to help reduce the risk of catching COVID-19 and passing it on to others. At Eastwood Osteopathy the following steps are in place to help minimise the risk of transmission:
- Maintaining good ventilation
- Practising enhanced clinic hygiene
- Wearing a mask
- Pre-appointment health check for patients
To help me protect patients and myself, I ask all patients to:
- Not book or arrive for your appointment if you or a member of your household has any symptoms of Covid-19
- Answer the short health check questions included in your appointment reminder
- Feel free to wear a mask if you prefer, I will advise you if this becomes a mandatory requirement
These steps are in place for made the safety of all parties in mind, and I am grateful to you for diligently adhering to these guidelines.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at info@eastwoodosteopathy.com