Conditions Osteopath Treat

The most common conditions that we treat are:
• back and neck pain
• shoulder and arm problems
• pelvis, hip and leg problems
• sports and other injuries
However, patients have found osteopathy helpful for many other conditions. If you want to find out more, any osteopath will be happy to talk to you.

Here is a list of common problems where seeing an osteopath could be of some help in dealing with the pain, inflammation, mobility, by helping your body to mechanically rebalance itself, improve your posture, or regulate the nervous system overload that has been building up over weeks, months or years:

• Headaches, Migraines, Cluster Headache
• Neck pain, Stiff neck
• Sore Shoulders
• Fibromayalgia
• Frozen Shoulder
• Pains shooting from or to Neck and/or Upper back/Back of the Leg-Thigh/Front of the Leg-Thigh when related to body biomechanical imbalance or peripheral nerve impingement.
• Arthritis, Rheumatism
• Tendonitis, Bursitis, Sports Injuries
• Tennis and Golfers Elbow
• Sore Wrists and Fingers
• The difficulties arising from incompletely resolved Bone Fractures and Muscular Tears.
•  RSI (Repetitive Strains Injury) of all types.
• Abdominal pain or Digestive issues related to Post Operative Traumatic Memory, or that might be due to Chronic Muscle Contraction secondary to spinal dysfunctions.
• Hip pain when related to hip muscles imbalance or surrounding tissue involved in the pattern of wear and tear/Osteoarthritis (OA).
• Knee problems such as Clicking, Grinding,  Osgood-Schlatter, Aches, Pains,  Arthritis, Water on the knee, Bakers cyst, Bursitis.
• Foot pain, Dropped arches, Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Strains and Bunions resulting from altered weight bearing distribution over months or years.

http://www.osteopathy.org/what-we-treat/

Please be clear that Osteopathy is not offered as a cure for any condition.
We help your body to work at it’s best, helping it’s own healing to have the best chance.

How we do it

Your medical history
Before we start to treat you, we will make a full medical assessment. We take time to listen to you and ask questions to make sure we understand your medical history and your day-to-day routine. We’ll ask you about things like diet, exercise and what is happening in your life, as these may give clues to help our diagnosis.
We may feel your pulse and check your reflexes. We may also take your blood pressure and refer you for clinical tests, such as x-rays, if we think you need them.

Your posture
We usually look at your posture and how you move your body. We may also assess what happens when we move it for you and see what hurts, where and when.

Trouble areas
Using touch, we may also find the areas which are sensitive or tight and this helps us to identify what’s going on.
When we have done this, we can diagnose your condition. We may sometimes feel that osteopathy is not appropriate for you and refer you to your GP or another specialist such as an orthopaedic surgeon.

Your treatment
Osteopaths use a wide range of gentle manipulations, depending on your age, fitness and diagnosis.

Treatment is different for every patient but may include techniques such as different types of soft tissue massage and joint articulation to release tension, stretch muscles, help relieve pain and mobilise your joints.

Sometimes, when we move joints you may hear a ‘click’. This is just like the click people get when they crack their knuckles.

We may discuss exercises that you can do to improve your posture and movement in your workplace and everyday life.

Q&A

What should I wear?
As with any medical examination, you will probably be asked to undress to your underwear, so please wear something you are comfortable in.

Does it hurt?
Some soft tissue treatment may cause discomfort during treatment. Your osteopath will tell you what to expect, and will want you to let them know if you are in pain. You may feel a little stiff or sore after treatment. This is a normal, healthy response to the treatment.

Do I need to see my doctor first?
You do not need to see your doctor first if you are paying for your own treatment. However, some insurance companies require you to see your doctor first.

How many treatments will I need?
The number of treatments you need depends on the condition and person we are treating. We aim to keep your appointments to a minimum. Your osteopath will be able to tell you within a short period of time whether they can treat you or if they need to refer you to someone else.