Start your journey towards a healthier future. Call or email us today for an appointment. We often operate an open door policy so please arrive about five minutes before your consultation and have a seat in reception. Treatment is likely to be in progress so your Osteopath will be with you as soon as they are free.
If you are new to the clinic, you will be asked to read and sign a 'consent to examination and treatment' form. This a legal requirement before any exam or treatment and may take a few minutes to read and fill out.
On your first visit your Osteopath will start by taking a full medical history, do a general standing exam and get you to perform a few movements (active examination), before getting you to sit/lay on the examination table and take you through a series of tests. There is some overlap here with standard medical/orthopaedic tests. Assessment will likely include the way you stand and walk plus a few general movements like bending and squatting.
We may need to perform some neurological testing like taking reflexes, assessing power, tone, sensation, your coordination and in the case of headaches and neck pain particularly, may need to spend time assessing your cranial nerves (12 paired nerves originating in the brain CNS)
Examination will often include basics like the checking of pulses and blood pressure but will always include a comprehensive hands-on assessment of the area(s) involved and the spine, particularly how the individual vertebrae are moving, both in relation to each other, the problem area(s) and to the nearby blood vessels and exiting nerves.
It is very likely that you will be asked to undress to your underclothes so your Osteopath can properly assess all of your back, your spine shape and interactions with the rest of your joints. Please wear something you would be comfortable in. Everyday underwear is fine or cycling shorts and a vest top/sports bra for ladies if more comfortable
At this point your Osteopath will discuss their findings with you and will have either a specific 'working diagnosis' or a list of a few possibilities ('differential diagnosis') In the case of the latter, they may make specific recommendations for other tests e.g. blood tests or MRI scanning to rule in or out specific differentials. In most cases though, assuming it was safe to do so, hands-on treatment would commence from here.
What will your Osteopath need to know?
Exactly like talking to your GP or any healthcare professional, it is useful to be concise with how you relay symptoms to us but not to leave anything out. Among other questions, the basics we need to establish are as follows:
1. The site of your pain. 2. How it started. 3. The character of the pain e.g. an aching, dull, throbbing, an ache with sharp episodes etc. 4. If it travels, and if so, where and what causes it to travel. 5. What are the aggravating and relieving factors. 6. Is there a pattern to it? 7. Has it been getting worse, better or staying the same? 8. Any previous episodes? 9. Any other medical history including a list of current medications- prescription and over the counter. 10. ALL family medical history where known.
It can be useful to have these written down to speed up the consult time and maximise the hands-on treatment time.
For more information about your Osteopath's training and qualifications, you can click on the link to the General Osteopathic Council.
