What does treatment usually involve?
Treatment
Once you are happy with an explanation of your condition, we will begin to treat you.
Osteopathic treatment varies considerably from practitioner to practitioner and in individual practices.
At this practice all therapists work very much with a hands on manual approach.
This usually involves movement of your joints and work on the surrounding tissues, such as muscle and ligaments. The treatment will usually be in the form of soft tissue manipulation (massage) and palpation (touch).
On occasions your osteopath may manipulate your joints to improve their mobility, this can often be heard as a click or crack within the joint.
This is quite normal and signifies that the joint has been released. This helps to free off any restrictions within the joint and improve your mobility.
Osteopathic treatment is not usually painful, although some brief discomfort may be felt. Please discuss this with your therapist if you are concerned.
After treatment you will be advised on when and if treatment needs to be repeated.
You will also be given an information sheet explaining what to expect and what to do next. This information can also be found here, on the website ( the 'after treatment page' ).
It is hard to say how many treatments you will need as every patient and every problem is different. You will not be asked to attend more sessions than are strictly necessary.
You may feel more comfortable bringing a friend or partner to your appointment, especially to the first one.
Minors under the age of 16 will be required to have a parent/guardian/carer with them during any treatment, who can consent to the treatment given.
What can I expect after my treatment?
Your treatment in most cases will have involved some physical movement and manipulation of your body. This may be something that is new to you. The area we have been working on, or near to, is in some way damaged. That is why you have had treatment.
As a result of your examination and treatment you MAY experience some increased soreness / pain or an increase in your initial symptoms. Your may also feel tired.
This is COMPLETELY NORMAL and indicates you have had treatment, and that your body is starting to heal.
All people are different, but if this occurs, it will usually be within the first 24 hours and last no longer than 3 days. We strongly advise all patients that in the first 3 days after treatment they should stop all activities that are not essential. Things such as gardening, heavy housework, DIY and sports should be avoided. Your body needs this time to heal and recover.
During this time you may be comfortable taking your usual pain relief medication if you have been prescribed any, or you can use over the counter drugs such as paracetamol or codeine. It may be possible to take an anti inflammatory drug such as Ibuprofen or Aspirin to help with the soreness.
If in any doubt contact your G.P. or your usual pharmacist for advice.
An ice pack applied to the area often gives good pain relief. This should be covered in a thin damp cloth before being applied to the skin and should be left in place for 15-20 minutes. You can do this 2-5 times per day.
If you feel that your reaction to treatment is excessively severe or lasts longer than this, please feel free to contact us for advice.
It is generally a good idea NOT to apply heat at this stage, it may help give temporary relief from the pain but it often increase any inflammation in the area of the damaged tissue and can often make your injury worse. If in any doubt apply ICE not heat.
Click on the picture below which will download instructions on how to use ice safely and correctly.
As treatment progresses, over a few days to a few weeks depending on your problem, you should start to feel better.This is not an indication that the problem has gone away, it just shows that the area is recovering and is less painful. Some conditions will be free from pain in 10 days but may take 4 weeks to actually recover fully. It is during this time that some patients may overdo activity and may aggravate their condition.
Please ask us for specific advice on when activity can be resumed.
You are advised to continue with any medication prescribed by your G.P. unless you were specifically advised not to do so.
Your treatment plan is devised around the best times to treat your condition. Tissues recover from injury in a reasonably predictable way; we work out your treatment schedule to fit in with this natural recovery time. This is why it is important to keep to appointment times as recommended, to get the maximum benefit.
You will not be asked to come for more sessions than are necessary.