Osteopathy and you
Osteopathy is suitable for everyone including new born babies, expectant mothers through to the elderly, from the sporty to the sedentary.
Osteopathy is the treatment of people not medical conditions, as osteopaths treat the whole body and not just the area that is sore. Patients range from those with acute problems to those with long-term chronic conditions.
Many people consider osteopaths to be back specialists and yes we do treat a lot of backs, but this is not where treatment stops.
Osteopathic treatment does not target symptoms only but treats the parts of the body that have caused the symptoms. Osteopaths have a holistic approach and believe that your whole body will work well if your body is in good structural balance, Imagine, for example, a car that has one of its front wheels not quite pointing straight. It may run well for a while, but after a few thousand miles, the tyre will wear out. You can apply this example to the human body, which is why it is so important to keep the body in good balance. We use a wide range of techniques, including massage, cranial techniques (sometimes referred to as 'cranial osteopathy') and joint mobilisation and this breadth of approach allows us to focus on every patient’s precise needs.
If in any doubt please ask.
Osteopathy is the treatment of people not medical conditions, as osteopaths treat the whole body and not just the area that is sore. Patients range from those with acute problems to those with long-term chronic conditions.
Many people consider osteopaths to be back specialists and yes we do treat a lot of backs, but this is not where treatment stops.
Osteopathic treatment does not target symptoms only but treats the parts of the body that have caused the symptoms. Osteopaths have a holistic approach and believe that your whole body will work well if your body is in good structural balance, Imagine, for example, a car that has one of its front wheels not quite pointing straight. It may run well for a while, but after a few thousand miles, the tyre will wear out. You can apply this example to the human body, which is why it is so important to keep the body in good balance. We use a wide range of techniques, including massage, cranial techniques (sometimes referred to as 'cranial osteopathy') and joint mobilisation and this breadth of approach allows us to focus on every patient’s precise needs.
If in any doubt please ask.
Your first visit
At Gravesend Osteopaths before any treatment or assessment, a full medical history will be taken. We allow time so we understand your history and routines. There may be questions about your diet, exercise, work and what else may be happening in your life, these may give us clues which will help us make a diagnosis and show us what method of treatment will suit you.
Our osteopaths may feel your pulse; check your blood pressure and reflexes. We may also refer you for clinical tests, such as x-rays, should we think they are necessary.
We are always happy to explain our reasons for the testing we do, please ask if you are interested.
Our osteopaths may feel your pulse; check your blood pressure and reflexes. We may also refer you for clinical tests, such as x-rays, should we think they are necessary.
We are always happy to explain our reasons for the testing we do, please ask if you are interested.
Osteopathic assessment
We will usually ask you to undress down to your underwear or other suitable clothing such as shorts and for ladies a vest top or similar is suitable.
To fully appreciate you and your symptoms, we will usually look at your posture, both standing and sitting, you may be asked how you sit at your desk at work. This allows us to use our holistic approach, as does watching your body move, we may assess this by moving your body for you, this allows us to see where, what and when it hurts.
Using palpation, light touch, we may also find the areas that are sensitive or tight and this helps us to identify what’s going on. When we have done this, we can diagnose what is causing your pain. This is when we will explain to you our understanding of the problem you have, we always endeavour to make sure you understand our explanation. We may sometimes feel that osteopathy is not appropriate for you and refer you to your GP or another specialist such as an orthopedic surgeon.
To fully appreciate you and your symptoms, we will usually look at your posture, both standing and sitting, you may be asked how you sit at your desk at work. This allows us to use our holistic approach, as does watching your body move, we may assess this by moving your body for you, this allows us to see where, what and when it hurts.
Using palpation, light touch, we may also find the areas that are sensitive or tight and this helps us to identify what’s going on. When we have done this, we can diagnose what is causing your pain. This is when we will explain to you our understanding of the problem you have, we always endeavour to make sure you understand our explanation. We may sometimes feel that osteopathy is not appropriate for you and refer you to your GP or another specialist such as an orthopedic surgeon.
Treatment
As osteopaths we use a wide range of gentle techniques and manipulations, depending on your age, fitness, diagnosis and your preference.
Treatment is different for every patient but may include techniques such as different types of therapeutic soft tissue massage and joint articulation to release tension, stretch muscles, help relieve pain and mobilise your joints. We may also use cranial techniques where an area of the body is held and rebalanced, these can be done on other parts of the body as well.
Sometimes, when we move joints you may hear a ‘click’. This is just like the click people get when they crack their knuckles.
All of this treatment will be discussed with you and we always ask for your consent before and during treatment. We also ask that if you find a particular type of treatment painful or uncomfortable, that you tell us as we can always try another approach. During treatment you should feel relaxed, informed and in control at all times, please don’t be afraid to ask us questions if you are unsure.
We may discuss exercises that you can do to improve your posture and movement in your workplace and everyday life.
Treatment is different for every patient but may include techniques such as different types of therapeutic soft tissue massage and joint articulation to release tension, stretch muscles, help relieve pain and mobilise your joints. We may also use cranial techniques where an area of the body is held and rebalanced, these can be done on other parts of the body as well.
Sometimes, when we move joints you may hear a ‘click’. This is just like the click people get when they crack their knuckles.
All of this treatment will be discussed with you and we always ask for your consent before and during treatment. We also ask that if you find a particular type of treatment painful or uncomfortable, that you tell us as we can always try another approach. During treatment you should feel relaxed, informed and in control at all times, please don’t be afraid to ask us questions if you are unsure.
We may discuss exercises that you can do to improve your posture and movement in your workplace and everyday life.