FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

This list contains a collection of the answers to the most common questions people ask.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions – one of our friendly staff will be happy to assist.

Q: What should I expect from my first visit Osteopathy visit?

A: On your first visit to us, a thorough case history will be taken. You will be asked questions relating to your specific complaint, plus other more general health questions, to ensure that it is safe and appropriate to treat you using osteopathic techniques. If you wish, you may have a friend or relative present during the appointment. All patients under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
The interview will help the osteopath to gain a better understanding of you as an individual. You will then be asked to undress to your underwear for a full postural assessment to be carried out. You may also be asked to perform some movements to help the osteopath reach a diagnosis and and formulate a treatment plan. Sometimes other tests are also carried out, e.g. taking blood pressure, checking reflexes, etc.
Like all things (such as taking medication) there may be a small risk of an adverse reaction to certain techniques used in your treatment. The incidence of this is so small that there are no actual statistics, but it is likely to be a fraction of 1%. Never-the-less we are legally obliged to inform you that treatment may, in rare circumstances, cause an adverse effect, with potential side effects ranging from a muscular ache to vascular thrombi or partial weakness/ loss of sensation.
Please be aware of this and ask your osteopath to explain more fully if you wish. We will assume you are happy to give us you ongoing consent to treatment, knowing the potential risks, unless you tell us otherwise.

Q: What should I wear to my osteopathy appointment?

A: In order to assess posture fully it may be necessary to remove some clothing but underwear is left on at all times. Should you feel worried about this then wearing cycling shorts or a small vest is fine.

Q: Will my osteopathy treatment hurt?

A: Taking the case history and assessing the problem gives the osteopath a guide as to how much pain you are in. Treatment is then adapted to your particular problem and so should not cause pain. However, sometimes after soft tissue massage and manipulation it is common for it to take 1-2 days for your symptoms to improve and you may still experience some soreness. This is part of the normal healing process.

Q: How often should I attend for Osteopathy treatments?

A:In most cases, within a couple of visits, your osteopath will have been able to settle symptoms to a manageable level. Sometimes people require a course of several visits to ensure that optimum function is restored. If this is the case, your osteopath will explain the likely prognosis for your condition.

From time to time, it is advisable to undertake “maintenance” visits to enable us to ensure the previous problem is contained. Patients will be given advice, and often, exercises concerning these complaints in the hope that recurrence of the condition can be significantly reduced or eliminated.

After treatment, it is not advisable to partake in heavy exercise for 24 hours to give the tissues time to settle down.

It must also be remembered that some conditions can be permanently helped, whilst others only partially relieved or maintained in balance. Each case will receive individual attention in an effort to get the fastest results possible with the longest lasting result.