What do Osteopaths Treat?

Osteopathy is most commonly related to low back pain - Britain's largest single cause of lost working days.  But osteopathy and naturopathy can be used to treat a wide range of musculo-skeletal and systemic conditions.

These include:

Back and sciatic pain

Neck pain

Shoulder tension and headaches

Disc injuries

Sports injuries

Ligamentous and muscular strains

Tennis elbow &

Frozen shoulder

Knee, ankle and foot injuries

Osteoarthritis

Fatigue, post-viral and stress-related conditions

Postural problems

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Post-injury rehabilitation

Jaw, facial pain & Dental problems

Osteopathy is a manual therapy, which aims to improve health by enabling optimal mobility in the body.

Osteopathy uses many of the diagnostic procedures involved in conventional medical assessment and diagnosis. Its main strength lies in the unique way the patient is assessed holistically from a mechanical, functional and postural standpoint.

Treatment is aimed at improving mobility and/or reducing inflammation by using gentle manual osteopathic techniques on joints, muscles and ligaments.

This is achieved using gentle spinal release techniques, joint mobilisations, soft tissue and neuromuscular therapy.  Osteopathic treatment stimulates and strengthens the body's inherent powers of recovery and improves the patient's vitality.  Patients generally find the treatment to be pleasant and relaxing although there may be a short-lived exacerbation of symptoms as the body strives to return to good health.

Patients are given positive advice, related to their lifestyle, about how they use their body. Age is no barrier to osteopathy since each patient is assessed individually and treatment is gentle.

About Your Consultation

When you visit your osteopath for the first time you will be asked questions relating to your problem, such as how the problem started, what makes the problem better or worse and also about your medical history.

Your osteopath will then examine the area using specialised osteopathic techniques and other more general examination techniques which your doctor would be familiar with. In order to do this properly it may be necessary to remove some clothing; some people like to bring in shorts or wear light clothing for examination and treatment.

At this stage your osteopath will discuss their findings, what they feel the problem is and what they can do to help. Your osteopath will describe their initial diagnosis, what techniques they will use to treat the problem and how these techniques will help your condition.  They will develop a personal and specific treatment plan to ensure the most prompt and appropriate course of action. This should include pain relief, prevention of a reoccurrence and long term structural, functional, and postural well being.

If your osteopath feels the problem is not suitable to be treated with osteopathy you will be advised as to the most appropriate person to consult, which may be your GP, for further tests or treatment.

It is not necessary to see your GP before seeing an osteopath. If further investigations are required your GP may be contacted, but only with your consent.

More about Osteopathic Treatment

Osteopaths treat a wide range of conditions, including changes to posture in pregnancy, babies with sleeplessness, repetitive strain injury, postural problems caused by driving or work strain, the pain of arthritis and sports injuries.

About 70% of patients present with back and/or neck pain, with or without radiating or radicular pain patterns. However osteopathy is effective for the whole range of joint and muscle dysfunctions including arthritic changes and trauma. Many presentations do also include a spinal aspect though.

For example, a 35 year old builder presented recently with right elbow and wrist pain. On questioning he had a history of neck pain and on occasion does a fair amount of joinery work. On examination the right lateral epicondyle of humerus was tender and swollen; he also had a fixed kyphotic dorsal region with exaggerated lordotic lumbar and cervical spine alongside a protracted shoulder girdle. If only the right wrist extensors and supinators were treated then although there may have been a little short-term relief, the problem would probably have soon returned. By treating the spine and shoulder girdle to improve mobility and normalise his posture the excessive work strain being put on his elbow was spread and absorbed through the rest of his body.

In general, patients require between two and six treatments for effective resolution of symptoms. In the case of chronic conditions such as arthritis, these treatments are usually spread over a number of months with the patient actively participating in learning exercises and management techniques to improve their long-term health.