OSTEOPATHY

There are many ways to find a local osteopath:

1)You can ask friends, family, or colleagues for recommended osteopaths they have seen. Word of mouth referrals are great as the positive experience of someone you know and trust goes a long way.

2) You can search the Osteopath Register on the General Osteopathic Council Website by typing your postcode into their search bar.

3) Type ‘Osteopaths Near Me’ , ‘Local Osteopaths’ or ‘Best Osteopath Near Me’ into a search engine and it should pull up map listings and nearest results. Check out some of the osteopathy reviews or testimonials to see what experiences people have had at the clinic.

Your Osteopathy appointment will last 40 minutes and will typically cover a Case & Medical History, Assessment, and Treatment. You will also be asked questions about your job, hobbies and other lifestyle factors. It is important you are open and honest with your Osteopath. Some of the questions may not seem relevant to you but may provide your Osteopath with valuable insight into why your symptoms are persisting.

Following treatment you may be given some home exercises or self management tips to work on in between appointments.

Your osteopathy appointment will require some movement assessment to help inform a diagnosis. You may be asked to remove some items of clothing to expose the symptomatic area and assist with assessment. If you are uncomfortable with removing layers of clothing let your Osteopath know at the time.

Ideally wear clothes that do not restrict movement e.g. sports/activewear. Avoid jeans or tailored trousers as these are very difficult for your osteopath to work with.

Yes, Osteopathy is a regulated profession, which means anyone wishing to practice as an osteopath must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOSC). The title ‘Osteopath’ is protected, which means you can not call yourself an Osteopath unless you are registered.

Osteopathy is considered to be an Allied Health Profession by the NHS.

Osteopathy is a safe treatment suitable for all ages from newborn to older age. Osteopaths are trained over 4-5 years to not only diagnose musculoskeletal issues, but to also identify warning signs of other underlying conditions you may have that require a different specialist or referral. Osteopathy has a wide variety of techniques that can be modified to be appropriate for the age, pain levels and general health of the individual seeking treatment.

This is a common question. In order to answer it we have to make some generalisations about everyone’s practice. It is important to note Osteopaths, Physios, and Chiropractors all treat the same type of pain and injuries, but have a different approach due to different underlying philosophies and training at university. The treatment experienced by a patient will be quite different.

It is common to experience an increase in your symptoms or pain following an osteopathic treatment. This usually lasts 24-48 hours, occasionally a little longer.

Your body has already produced inflammation in response to the initial injury. Osteopathy aims to work on factors that are maintaining your symptoms so should not be producing further inflammation. Your body must still process what has been produced so some pain and stiffness will linger.

Although unpleasant, do not be put off from continuing with your treatment plan. Let your osteopath know at your next appointment so they can review the treatment and make adjustments as necessary.

Yes, Osteopathy has a growing evidence base. In the UK, osteopathic academic institutions such as University College of Osteopathy (formally British School of Osteopathy) and British College Osteopathic Medicine have thriving research departments. The National Council for Osteopathic Research was founded to oversee osteopathic research in the UK. Internationally, academics in osteopathy and osteopathic medicine research a wide range of topics to build a credible evidence base.

You can book an osteopathy appointment directly without going via your GP if you are a self-paying patient. If you wish to claim via your insurance, you should check their individual requirements prior to booking an osteopathy appointment.

Yes, Osteopathy is a university level qualification. It is currently either a Masters of Osteopathy or Bachelor of Sciences degree course taken over 4-5 years.

Osteopathy is listed as an NHS Allied Health Profession. Access to Osteopathy as an NHS therapy is still limited and is different in each area. The majority of Osteopaths work privately or with insurance companies.