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What is osteopathy?
What is osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a gentle and effective hands-on approach to healthcare, based on the principle that the way your body moves influences how well it functions, and vice versa. Osteopaths are highly competent, registered healthcare professionals, recognised by the NHS as fully qualified to diagnose and treat independently.
For more about the osteopathic philosophy as practised at Grove Osteopathy, please visit this page.
What do osteopaths treat?
What do osteopaths treat?
Over 30,000 people every day visit an osteopath, suffering from a variety of conditions including neck or back pain, joint or muscular pain, sports injuries, recurring headaches and more.
Many patients are pregnant mothers, unsettled children, those with work-related or postural strain, or people experiencing pain and stiffness related to advancing years.
Whatever your age and no matter what challenges you may have with your health, there is probably something an osteopath can do to help.
You can read more about specific patient experiences of treatment with Grove Osteopathy here.
How do I book an initial consultation?
How do I book an initial consultation?
Please visit this page to choose a clinic location and to see which days are available at each location. Then please just call or email the Reception team at the clinic of your choice, say you'd like to book an appointment to see the osteopath, and they'll guide you from there!
Do I need to be referred to an osteopath for treatment?
Do I need to be referred to an osteopath for treatment?
You don’t need a referral from your doctor to see an osteopath. The NHS recognises osteopaths as fully qualified to diagnose and treat independently.
What is an osteopathic consultation like?
What is an osteopathic consultation like?
On your first visit, the osteopath will spend some time taking a medical history, which will include questions about your general health and lifestyle as well as asking you about the symptoms or injuries that you are seeking help with.
With your consent they will then perform a physical examination which is likely to involve the osteopath touching the areas of your body that are experiencing pain and asking you to move around. They may also look at test results, x-rays and scan reports if these are available.
It may be necessary for the osteopath to ask you to remove some clothing, so that they can see and touch the areas of the body causing concern. If you are uncomfortable undressing to your underwear the osteopath may be able to suggest clothing, such as shorts and T Shirt, or close fitting garments, that will enable them to work effectively without making you feel uncomfortable, so please do discuss this.
You are also welcome to bring someone with you into the examination room if this puts you at ease.
The osteopath will make a diagnosis and discuss a course of treatment with you. This may involve visiting them a few times for manual therapy, some exercises that you can do by yourself and some lifestyle changes. They will discuss the likely cost of this treatment and ask for your consent to begin treatment. If the osteopath believes that your condition would not be improved with osteopathic treatment they will refer you to your GP or another suitably qualified professional and may provide you with notes explaining their diagnosis and why they feel osteopathic treatment would not help you.
How do I know I will receive good quality treatment and care?
How do I know I will receive good quality treatment and care?
Like GPs and nurses, osteopaths are regulated. Osteopaths are regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). It is against the law to call yourself an osteopath unless you are qualified and registered with the GOsC.
The minimum qualification for an osteopath is completion of a four or five year degree, which includes at least 1000 hours of supervised clinical practice. Osteopaths must then continue to update and expand their knowledge by logging a minimum of 30 hours per year of continuing professional development.
The GOsC can remove an osteopath from the register if they fail to maintain a strict code of professional practice. Because of this, patients can be confident that their osteopath is well qualified and insured, will adhere to a set of clinical standards that protect patients’ safety and dignity and, like any other health professional, recommend and apply the most appropriate course of treatment for you – which includes referring you on if appropriate.
(The above includes material excerpted from the Institute of Osteopathy website, www.osteopathy.org)
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