Osteopaths are highly regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). It is illegal to call yourself an Osteopath without the correct qualifications and registration by the GOsC. Most Osteopaths have either completed a 4 or 5 year course to become an Osteopath. A great deal of Osteopaths I meet have been trained at great schools of Osteopathy. However I feel more work is needed to help them treat the person in front of them considering the complex combinations of a human being. As an Osteopath a diagnosis (What is causing the pain) may be only a small part of treatment. If we can see the problem we have a starting position. Then we have to ask ourselves WHY has this person got this problem? What has precipitated and maintained this problem? There are lists and lists of what precipitates and maintains problems. The important thing is to find the ones relevant to this person. Like Physical / mechanical (flexed hips, knees or round shoulders), neurological (Functional or pathological), Psychological / Emotional (like stress, anxiety, depression), Social (Carers), Environmental (Living conditions), Occupational / Work Related (Ergonomics, Repetitive Strain , Over strain) to mention a few.

There are patients that present with straight forward problems, but if we don't look for more complex or associated problems then we could miss important factors in helping the person infront of us. If there are no major contributing factors then assessment, examination and treatment are far easier and straight forward. The more factors there are the more complex the interactions and treatment become.

On your first visit communication is the key. We aim to put you at ease and answer any questions before you ask. We then discuss your presenting problem/s. At this point we put together a timeline of what has made you 'you'! Things we ask may seem to be irrelevant, but we need to go through this process and give ourselves a better understanding of your problem. We then discuss other problem/s, what makes it worse / better (aggravating / relieving factors), general health, past injuries, operations, illnesses and family history. This gives us a starting point to assess you. We can then put your subjective case history into context when looking at your problem, posture and mechanics.

 We can then do examination and testing to identify your diagnosis (your problem) and look at any mechanical precipitating (what brings the problems on) and maintaining factors (what keeps the problem there). E.g Bent knee/s or rounded shoulders. We then start to treat. I was often told to do a smooth treatment so to minimise patient movement on the plinth (Couch). Well most of the time pain permitting I like to constantly re assess the patient as treatment happens. Clarifying that what I have just done did what I thought it would. Then I look at each section of treatment, does it produce the desired effect I am looking for?  I like to explain what I am seeing and doing as I go. I like to show I’m not ‘Mr Magic’ I am using sound thinking and producing changes to the mechanics and posture. I like showing the patient the effects of the precipitating and maintaining factors and what effect this is having on their problem. ‘Wow that is actually better?’ My normal reply is ‘and that is without even touching the problem’. This has a profound effect on the patient understanding of their problem. They won’t have to believe me. They can feel it!

 Later when I give out exercises that wouldn’t seem relevant, suddenly seem completely relevant to the patient because they have felt the changes to their body. Therefore the patients understanding of thier problem/s is greater. Then the patient is happy to do the exercises as they know themselves that it is going to help.

We want you  to become an ally in helping yourself back into health. We are a team in helping you get better. Hopefully with the correct communication we will find out anything else that might be affecting your problem in your life. Then you as  the patient have a greater understanding of what your problem is and ‘WHY’ you have it. Therefore you begin to help yourself far more. And if you don’t you can see why you have been hindering yourself.

We hope that through education we can allow you to help yourself now and in the future. So if you get another problem you know how to help yourself and what course of action to take.

We are always at hand to help support you. We are your Osteopaths whether we are seeing you or not. We are alway happy to return calls free of charge. We are here to help.