Frequently Asked Questions
Osteopathy
- How do I know if an Osteopath is fully qualified?
- Your first visit to the Osteopath
- Subsequent visits
- After Treatment
- How many treatments will I need?
- What is the difference between an Osteopath, Chiropractor and Physiotherapist?
Acupuncture
- Does Acupuncture hurt?
- How long does treatment take?
- How does the practitioner diagnose?
- Is Acupuncture treatment safe?
- What do I wear for treatment?
- Can acupuncture prevent illness?
General Questions
Osteopathy
1. How do I know if an Osteopath is fully qualified?
An Osteopath must have completed an accredited course in Osteopathy at a renowned university or college. They are then required by law to be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOs.C)
Osteopaths are also required to undertake Continued Professional Development (CPD) throughout the year to ensure they keep up to date with the latest developments.
2. Your first visit to the Osteopath
On your first visit to see the Osteopath, a case history will be taken from you. This will begin by taking your personal details (name, address, date of birth etc), a history of the complaint you are presenting with, an outline of your past medical history and your current state of health.
The initial consultation will allow you plenty of time to tell the Osteopath about your symptoms. This will be followed by a comprehensive examination to determine the severity and cause of your symptoms. This may include checking the function of your neurological system (reflexes) or measuring your blood pressure.
The Osteopath will then explain in detail what the cause of the problem is, the treatment that is required, and how long your recovery is likely to take. If treatment other than osteopathy is required, we will explain why and what to do next and will refer you to the most appropriate source of help.
In order to examine you properly, it will be necessary to remove the outer layers of clothing, leaving your underwear on. This will enable the Osteopath to assess your range of movement and muscle tension.
Your first visit will be an interesting, informative and a pleasant experience.
These will be arranged to fit in around your schedule. The Osteopath will carefully monitor your progress and discharge you as soon as you have made a satisfactory recovery. We are able to provide off work certificates and G.P letters if necessary.
Sometimes you feel immediate relief from symptoms. Other times, your body may feel like it has "had a work-out" and you may experience aches and pains in various places. This is a transition process and your body's way of adjusting to the treatment you have received. Osteopathy is a very safe and effective form of treatment and most patients experience very little discomfort.
5. How many treatments will I need?
This will depend on the problem you have. With a new injury involving symptoms that are from a simple source, early assessment and treatment can greatly speed recovery within one or two sessions.
If your symptoms have been present for a long time or are severe, it may take several sessions to feel an improvement. Please remember that it might not be possible to undo overnight what has taken months or years to develop.
Another factor that interferes with progress is continuing the activity that caused the problem. Often this is unavoidable - lifting your child or carrying on your job, but the Osteopath will advise on how best to manage this.
Occasionally, it is advisable to undertake "maintenance" visits to enable us to ensure the previous problem is contained. Patients will be given advice, and often, exercises concerning these complaints in the hope that recurrence of the condition can be significantly reduced or eliminated.
After treatment, it is not advisable to partake in heavy exercise for 24 hours to give the tissues time to settle down.
6. What is the difference between an Osteopath, Chiropractor and Physiotherapist?
There are many small differences between the three professions and most of them are due to their evolution of practice. Historically, osteopathy was the first to be developed in 1874 and chiropractic branched off to form a separate profession in 1895. Although there remain many similarities in terms of the type of conditions treated, their philosophies now differ as a result of this separation.
In general, an Osteopath would be concerned with the function of the whole body, as well as its structure, taking into account the health of the spine and other joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves.
Chiropractors believed any vertical misalignment caused bony pressure on nerves, leading to problems not just in the surrounding muscles and tissues but also in other areas of the body. In treatment terms this can mean that Chiropractors may only require short sessions with quite focused and specific manipulation of the spine whereas Osteopaths prefer longer treatments with more work on muscles and, perhaps, a more gentle manipulation.
Physiotherapy has a less 'philosophical' approach to treatment than osteopathy or chiropractic. Its focus is very much on mobility and it is more closely aligned to traditional medical approaches due to its foundations in a hospital setting.
Physiotherapists also have a particular focus on remedial exercises and increasingly offer facilities for supervised exercise as part of an effective rehabilitation program.
Acupuncture
Many patients say that they are scared of needles, but often the only experience they have had of needles is injections. The acupuncture needle is very different because it is as fine as a thread, and the practitioner is not trying to insert or take out a fluid out of the body.
The sensation of the needles is often described as a sharp tingle or a dull or warm feeling. This sensation depends on where the needles are inserted and at times can be a little uncomfortable, but it very rarely feels painful.
Sometimes the needles go in and are taken out immediately, and other times they are left in for approximately 20 minutes. If they are left in, the sensation of the needle often disappears but occasionally the patient feels a sensation of the energy travelling down the channel, a kind of tingling, not unpleasant sensation.
The majority of patients find the process of treatment very relaxing.
2. How long does treatment take?
Often people report a difference in how they feel within the first 6-10 treatments. Chronic conditions can take a little longer and the rule of thumb is often said to be a month for every year you have had the illness. This is not necessarily the case with all patients, and depending on the condition, progress can be made in a much shorter time. Problems connected with the menstrual cycle often take 3 cycles to improve.
Initially, it is best to have weekly treatment sessions and once there are signs of improvement, time between treatments can be lengthened. After the condition has resolved it is advisable to have a top-up treatment every 3 months.
3. How does the practitioner diagnose?
In order to get a complete picture of the patient, the practitioner will ask you about all the systems in the body (digestion, respiratory etc). Chinese Medicine believes that a condition manifests itself in many systems and all these systems are interlinked.
The practitioner will also ask you about your medical history, any medication you are taking, your family medical history and aspects of your life prior to seeking treatment. This is because the diagnosis tries to identify where the root cause of symptoms lies so that this can be treated.
The practitioner takes the pulses and looks at the patient's tongue to confirm findings. This is because the pulses and tongue show the state of the internal organs. Don't worry about your tongue! People can be slightly embarrassed about showing it, and may even want to scrape the coating off before a treatment. The coating is very important for showing the internal state of organs. Rest assured that the practitioner has seen many, many tongues in the years of practice and training, and there is no need to feel embarrassed.
4. Is Acupuncture treatment safe?
The needles used in acupuncture treatment are sterile and single-use only. The needles often only go a few millimetres into the body, though sometimes the acupuncture point is slightly deeper.
Practitioners who are members of the British Acupuncture Council promise to conform to a Code of Safe Practice which covers many different aspects, including how they handle needles, cleanliness in the practice room and waste disposal. Members also conform to a Code of Ethics which covers issues of confidentiality.
In order to become a member of the British Acupuncture Council, a practitioner must have been successful in completing a recognised training course (often 3 - 5 years in length).
5. What do I wear for treatment?
Acupuncture points are all over the body, but the points that are most often used are on the arms and legs, from the elbow to the fingers and knees to the feet. Sometimes it is necessary to use points on the back or on the abdomen. The practitioner does not normally need the patient to undress, but loose comfortable clothing is preferred.
6. Can acupuncture prevent illness?
Signs of disorders or imbalance can appear on the pulses and tongue before the patient notices any actual symptoms, and the acupuncturist will treat these if they are significant.
The acupuncturist will also know how disorders progress and how they can lead to other certain disorders. Treatment can often stop the imbalance leading to something more serious.
General Questions
1. Do I need to be referred by my GP?
Although we get many referrals from GPs, nurses, midwifes, dentists and consultants, you do not need to see them first. If the Osteopath thinks there is something that needs to be brought to the attention of your GP, with your permission we will, write to or telephone them.
2. Can I claim on my medical insurance?
The majority of medical insurance companies now cover osteopathy. It is best to check with your insurers first, as individual policies may have exemptions. If you do have complementary health cover then you should be given an authorisation number, which should be given to the osteopath at your first appointment.