Treatment


More than with medical treatment, an Osteopath sees his work as a collaboration with the patient. Many people go to an Osteopath to "put bones/joints/discs back into place". In reality the aim of the osteopath is to help you to understanding your situation and relieve your discomfort.
Most of all he will try to FIND THE CAUSE OF YOUR PROBLEM AND THE WAY TO AVOID IT IN THE FUTURE

An Osteopath can treat soft tissues and joints, and can improve the body's mobility, but if you do not eliminate the cause of your suffering, do not change your life style, do not start doing regular exercises or sport then you are taking a risk of incomplete recovery or of the problem re-occurring in the future.


Now about the treatment itself

  • Pain
    At the beginning of each session the Senior Clinical Tutor at The London College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. C.S.Dutton always explain 2 rules to his patient:"The first is that if I ask you to do anything and it hurts - you stop doing it, and the other is that if I am doing anything that hurts - you tell me and I will stop doing it".This is to emphasize that osteopathic treatment should have minimum discomfort for the patient. We are talking about unpleasant sharp pain. There can be, however, a pleasant pain from kneading or stretching which is acceptable if it's not too uncomfortable.

  • Palpation - touching
    The main method of diagnosis in Osteopathy is palpation - feeling with one's hands and fingertips. Often an osteopath needs to palpate many parts of the body located away from the painful area. This is also a part of the diagnostic process. There is often tightness of thigh and buttock muscles associated with spinal problems. Please ask for an explanation from your osteopath if you are not sure why you are being touched in a certain area.

    There are also methods of treatment of pelvic muscles and coccyx (tail-bone) which involve internal palpation and manipulation. Again, this should be proceeded by an explanation, obtaining a patient's permission and if appropriate, the offer of a chaperone.

  • Manipulation and a "click"
    Joint manipulation is one of the very effective methods of osteopathic treatment (also widely used in chiropractic and other manual therapies). The essence of it is a short quick movement of the joint after suitable positioning with the aim of improving the joint mobility. Often (but by no means always!) it is accompanied by a characteristic "click" or "pop". Patients are often concerned with the sound and many ask it's origin. There is no definite answer to that question.

    Historically the sound was explained by formation of a gas bubble (possibly Nitrogen) which forms in the joint cavity as a result of sudden negative pressure in it during the manipulation. There are opinions that the sound is created by the releasing of a jammed joint or cartilage. Other theories postulate the sound originates from releasing trapped joint lining or from the movement of a piece of disc material. A recently favoured theory is that the sudden joint movement stretches and "re-sets" an associated muscle that has been in spasm.

    Equally, there are many theories as to why this should improve the patient. None of those theories have sound scientific proof.

    Practice shows that a joint manipulation accompanied by "click" can relieve the patient's suffering. On the other hand brilliant results are often achieved without any sound or "click" at all. So do not expect "clicks" and "pops" on each treatment session - you have come to get an effective and safe treatment not hear "music" played by a practitioner on your spine!

    If, on the other hand, you can't stand the sound of manipulation you'd better tell your osteopath and s/he will use other suitable techniques to treat you without manipulating your joints.


The way to help your osteopath

The best way to help an osteopath to treat you is to relax and to only move when asked. Many patients try to anticipate the osteopath by turning their body or moving an arm or leg to a helpful position. It is better not to - your osteopath has been polishing his/her skills for quite a while and you will be asked to turn or move your body in a certain way if your help is needed.

All you need to do - is to relax and enjoy the treatment.


Getting worse after the treatment

According to different opinions 50% to 90% of patients experience some degree of reaction after manual treatment. It may happen during the session, immediately after it's finished or, more commonly, next morning or the following 1-2 days. It can manifest itself by a spread in the area of pain, increased stiffness, the appearanceof  a new or unusual discomfort or general unwellness ("as though I had been run over by a bus"). This reaction is usually considered a normal event and in the majority of cases an improvement follows. You should tell your osteopath about it on your next visit, especially if it was unusually uncomfortable and/or lasted longer than 2-3 days.

If after treatment your reaction is unbearable or the condition is getting progressively worse you should URGENTLY call your osteopath and get it sorted out (you may need an extra appointment) or you should contact a doctor. Very often a small dose of pain killers is all that you will need .

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